Today:  FCC Webinar on Robocalls, Scams, and Accessible Communications, FCC Open Meeting - May 2017

FCC Webinar On Robocalls, Scams, and Accessible Communications

In honor of Older Americans Month, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau announced a webinar focused on a range of telecommunications and video programming issues related to older Americans.  The webinar will take place on May 22nd from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  It will provide older Americans and their family and friends with information and tips about the value of broadband connectivity (i.e., staying engaged, telehealth) dealing with robocalls, reporting suspicious calls to the FCC’s Consumer Complaint Center, and benefitting from the FCC’s rules requiring disability access to communications, including rules that require hearing aid compatibility, telecommunications relay services, emergency access, and closed captioning.  The event will be streamed live online at www.fcc.gov/live.

FCC Open Meeting - May 2017

The FCC announced the agenda for its May 18, 2017, Open Meeting.  The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am and will be broadcast live at www.fcc.gov/live.  The agenda includes:

• Restoring Internet Freedom – A NPRM proposing to restore the Internet to a light-touch regulatory framework by classifying broadband Internet access service as an information service and seeking comment on the existing rules governing ISP practices.

• Connect America Fund – A NPRM proposing to eliminate a rule requiring rural telecommunications service providers receiving USF support to impose higher minimum monthly rates on their customers than the rates paid by some of their urban counterparts, or otherwise lose some USF support.  The FCC will also consider a related Order that would freeze the current rate.
• Facilitating the Use of Earth Stations:  A NPRM that would both facilitate the deployment of and reduce regulatory burdens on the three types of Fixed-Satellite Service earth stations authorized to transmit while in motion: Earth Stations on Vessels, Vehicle-Mounted Earth Stations, and Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft.
• Part 95 Reform –A Report and Order that would amend provisions of the Personal Radio Services located in Part 95 of the FCC’s rules in order to address two Petitions for Rulemaking, update and modernize various rules to reflect current uses and technologies, remove outdated regulatory requirements, and reorganize the rules to make them easier to read and understand.
• Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative – A Public Notice that would launch a review of the FCC’s rules applicable to media entities and seek comment on what rules should be modified or repealed.
• Proposed Elimination of Main Studio Rule – A NPRM proposing to eliminate the FCC’s main studio rule based on a tentative finding that the rule is now outdated and unnecessarily burdensome for broadcast stations.

 The FCC will also receive the Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau’s final report on its investigation into the VoLTE 911 outage AT&T Mobility experienced on March 8, 2017, and consider a Media Bureau consent item.

 In connection with the meeting, the FCC issued a Guidance on the sunshine period in the “Restoring Internet Freedom” proceeding.  Specifically, the sunshine period will begin on May 12, 2017, and will continue until the Commission releases the text of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking or removes it from the meeting agenda.  Presentations, including comments, that are received during the Sunshine Agenda period and that do not meet an exception to the rules will be marked in the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) as “SUNSHINE.”  As such, they will be associated with, but not made a part of, the record in the proceeding.  Presentations made by the public after the end of the Sunshine Agenda period will be made a part of the record of the proceeding.

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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’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 a TMI Briefing.