Today:  California Lawmakers Amend Net Neutrality Bill, FCC Agenda for March Open Meeting, US Congress Hearing on Telecom Bills

California Lawmakers Amend Net Neutrality Bill

A bill that was originally introduced in January 2018 has been amended in attempts to surpass the rules laid out in the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet Order.  Senator Scott Wiener originally introduced this bill in response to the Restoring Internet Freedom Order which was released by the FCC in January 2018.  While other states have essentially copied the text of the 2015 FCC Order, the California bill adds prohibitions on ISPs charging “access fees” that edge providers would have to pay in order to send data to end user customers.  Also, the bill goes further in providing protections against data cap exemptions (“zero rating”) than the 2015 FCC Order.  That move would essentially prevent ISPs from charging edge providers for the right to deliver their services to end users without counting against the end users’ data caps.  It is still unclear at this time whether or not the FCC’s state law preemption will survive a legal challenge.  However, in the meantime, states are pressing forward with their own legislative actions and executive orders in hopes that they can be ready once the Restoring Internet Freedom Order takes effect.  Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefings dated 2/8/18, 2/13/18, and 2/19/18.

• Inteserra is actively tracking pending Net Neutrality legislation. Please contact us for more information.  

FCC Agenda for March Open Meeting

The FCC announced the final agenda for its March 22, 2018, Open Meeting.  The meeting will be broadcast live and can be viewed from the FCC Live web page at www.fcc.gov/live. The following items will be considered:

• Wireless Infrastructure Streamlining:  A Second Report and Order that would clarify and modify the procedures for NHPA and NEPA review of wireless infrastructure deployments.
• Robocalls:  A Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address the problem of unwanted calls to reassigned numbers.
• Location-Based Routing for Wireless 911 Calls:  A Notice of Inquiry examining location-based routing of wireless 911 calls to ensure that calls are routed to the proper 911 call center.
• 4.9 GHz Band: A Sixth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to stimulate use of and investment in the 4.9 GHz band.
• Television Satellite Station Reauthorization: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to streamline the reauthorization process for television satellite stations that are assigned or transferred in combination with a previously approved parent station.
• Consumer Signal Boosters: A Second Report and Order that would remove the personal use restriction for Provider-Specific Consumer Signal Boosters and a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on ways to further expand access to Consumer Signal Boosters.

US Congress Hearing On Telecom Bills

The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology announced it will hold a hearing on March 22, 2018, to consider several communications-related bills.  This includes:

• H.R. 2345, National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act, which directs the FCC to study and report on the feasibility of designating an N11 dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system. 
• H.R. 2903, Rural Reasonable and Comparable Wireless Access Act, which directs the FCC to promulgate rules to establish a national standard for determining whether rural areas have reasonably comparable wireless and broadband services to services provided in urban areas.
• H.R. 3787, Small Entity Regulatory Relief Opportunity (SERRO) Act, which directs the FCC to complete a rulemaking to establish streamlined procedures for filing, considering, or resolving petitions with regard to small entities.
• Discussion Draft, Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act, which would increase fines for illegal pirate operations and empower state and local law enforcement in combating illegal pirate operations.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.