Today: FCC Proposes to Reclassify Broadband Internet Access Service, FCC Proposes to Streamline Certain Earth Station Rules, California CASF Workshop Agenda
FCC Proposes To Reclassify Broadband Internet Access Service
At its Open Meeting today, the FCC voted to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would reclassify broadband Internet access service (BIAS) from a telecommunications service to an information service. The Notice also proposes to return to the FCC’s original classification of mobile BIAS as a private mobile service and eliminate the catch-all general conduct rule. Additionally, the Notice seeks comment on whether the FCC should keep, modify, or eliminate the bright-line rules (no blocking, no throttling, no paid prioritization) it adopted in 2015 as well as the transparency rule requirements. See our Blog, FCC Gives Us A First Peek At “Restoring Internet Freedom” for more details on the FCC's proposal for replacing the 2015 rules.
In response to the FCC’s action, House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued a statement saying, in part: “Today the FCC took an important step to roll back the Obama administration’s efforts to subject the internet to heavy-handed government regulation…I remain hopeful that Republicans and Democrats, internet service providers, edge providers and the internet community as a whole can come together and work towards a solution. I thank Chairman Pai and Commissioner O’Rielly for their leadership to begin rolling back this Depression-era, utility-style regulatory structure for the internet.”
Acting Federal Trade Commission Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen also issued a statement, saying, in part: “I welcome the adoption of this NPRM as further progress toward restoring the FTC’s ability to protect broadband subscribers from unfair and deceptive practices, including violations of their privacy. Those consumer protections were an unfortunate casualty of the FCC’s 2015 decision to subject broadband to utility-style regulation. This new proceeding offers an opportunity to undo that decision and thereby return broadband consumers to the expert protection of the FTC.”
FCC Proposes To Streamline Certain Earth Station Rules
The FCC voted to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking designed to streamline, consolidate, and harmonize rules governing earth stations used to provide satellite-based services on ships, airplanes, and vehicles. Currently, the regulation of these earth stations, collectively known as “earth stations in motion” (ESIMs), varies depending on the type of vehicle to which they are attached and are covered in various rule provisions. The FCC is proposing to integrate the three types of ESIMs into a single regulatory category and to allow for blanket licensing in additional frequency bands.
California CASF Workshop Agenda
The supporting materials for May 25 Workshop on CASF Reform have been posted. See the Regulatory Mix dated 5/16/17. At the workshop the Communications Division will discuss:
- Proposed rule/application changes for the CASF program’s Infrastructure Grant Account, Consortia Account, and Public Housing Account.
- Strategies to calculate served households and how to meet the 98% served status goal
- Cost estimates to meet the 98% served goal.
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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.
