Wireless carriers should lose federal USF funding if they don’t do more to fight robocalls, said Mississippi Public Service Commission Chairman Brandon Presley Wednesday. He directed PSC staff to investigate whether carriers profit from robocalls. “No one could do more to stop the scourge of robocalls than cellular companies,” Presley said. “Some have apps, some don’t but all of them should explain to the PSC what they are doing to stop these calls before we approve one more penny of federal money. We should require them to create free robocall blocking technology and develop a plan to stop Caller ID spoofing along with other efforts.” The PSC has been alleging telemarketers broke the No-Call law (see 1803290033 and 1801310013), and has an app for consumers to complain (see 1711010042). “Aggressive FCC and FTC enforcement of bad actors is key to combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls," said CTIA Assistant Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Krista Witanowski in a statement. "We take this issue seriously, and to protect wireless consumers, CTIA and its members have implemented a multifaceted approach that includes technical solutions such as new applications and network-based tools, and industry initiatives such as work to deploy call authentication to mitigate caller id spoofing."
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai invited Commissioner Mike O'Rielly's ideas and proposals on the USF budget and rural telco funding. Pai responded Wednesday to our questions after speaking at a rural broadband event at the Department of Agriculture (see 1804180023), including about O'Rielly's recent suggestions at an NTCA conference that rural telco high-cost USF support could be increased somewhat (see 1804160043). While Pai said he hadn't read about O'Rielly's comments, he looks forward to hearing more about his colleague's ideas and any specific proposals. O’Rielly’s office didn’t comment Wednesday but noted he's scheduled to speak at the American Enterprise Institute Thursday. In a statement on a recent rural USF order and notice, O'Rielly voiced interest in setting an overall USF budget and concern about aspects of the notice, particularly the possible removal of capital and operating expense limits (see 1803230025).
The U.S. needs a "national strategy" to advance rural broadband and "e-connectivity," said Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Wednesday at a department event organized by a rural stakeholder coalition. He said USDA loves to be a "convener" and wants to work with the FCC, the Department of Commerce and others to help expand and sustain rural broadband networks. "I don't think the awareness has ever been stronger" about the need and opportunities, he said. "I get excited" thinking about rural connectivity and its potential to usher in "transformative" gains in telemedicine, distance learning, precision agriculture and digital commerce, he added. "Now's the time. Let's get it done."
The FCC broadened its focus in the national security NPRM, approved by commissioners Tuesday, beyond just the USF. Commissioner Brendan Carr discussed the change at the meeting (see 1804170038). And review of the text posted Wednesday shows a new paragraph. Rural Wireless Association General Counsel Carri Bennet said she appreciates the FCC’s change in focus, but RWA members are concerned about reports that Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE could exit the U.S. market.
The FCC unanimously approved rural calling and business data service items at its commissioners' meeting Tuesday. An order and Further NPRM seek to improve rural call completion (RCC) by making originating long-distance providers accountable for intermediate carrier performance and by launching a rulemaking to implement a new rural call quality law. A separate NPRM looks at allowing certain rural telcos to shift their BDS offerings from rate-of-return regulation to incentive-based price caps. Commissioners cited some changes made to drafts (here and here) circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai (see 1803280046). Commissioner Mike O'Rielly again backed an extended jurisdictional separations freeze (see 1802230019).
The FCC approved 5-0 an NPRM that proposes to bar use of money in any USF program to buy equipment or services from companies that “pose a national security threat” to U.S. communications networks or the communications supply chain, as expected (see 1804110032). Commissioners said the NPRM was expanded while on the eighth floor to ask additional questions, including on what the FCC could do beyond the USF. Small carriers, especially members of the Rural Wireless Association, expressed concerns because many use devices and equipment provided by Chinese suppliers Huawei and ZTE. For other ZTE news Tuesday: 1804170018.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he welcomed lawmakers' E-rate input but didn't address their concerns about possible cuts to "category two" funding of internal connections in the school and library USF discount program. With a public notice comment cycle closed, Wireline Bureau staff "is carefully reviewing the submissions," Pai wrote in response to Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and other senators in an exchange posted Friday. "Your views are important and will be considered as the Bureau prepares its report for the Commission," as will "the issues and concerns presented by all stakeholders." Pai noted a previous order mandated the report be done before the funding year 2019 filing window opens next year. The senators' November letter urged him "to protect the E-Rate program and resist any proposal to prematurely modify category two funding."
Former Obama adviser Phil Weiser pledged to take on the Republican FCC and support local broadband if elected Colorado attorney general in November. Weiser supports state legislation to provide open-internet protections for Coloradans and would join other Democratic state AGs’ net neutrality lawsuit against the FCC, he said in an interview. Also, Weiser supports eliminating Colorado’s ban on municipal broadband to increase internet access across the mountainous state. “I’m the partner for every county commission and local community.” Weiser, in his first bid for office, was deputy assistant attorney general and senior adviser for technology and innovation for President Barack Obama.
FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said rural telco subsidies could be increased somewhat while better fiscal discipline is brought to the overall USF mechanism. The "real issue" for USF is the budget, he said, and while the high-cost program has been relatively "stagnant," other programs have grown over the years. "We can't constantly double" funding for E-rate, Lifeline and rural healthcare, he said at an NTCA policy conference Monday, noting he was pushing for a hard Lifeline budget. O'Rielly, who was interviewed by NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield, wants a "happy medium" for high-cost funding: rural telcos may not get everything they want but "hopefully" regulatory changes could "get you most the way there" and remove "barriers to your offerings."
On the eve of the FCC vote on an NPRM on the security of U.S. communications networks, CTIA warned in a report Monday that the U.S. has fallen behind China in the race to 5G. Commissioners also will vote Tuesday on a public notice on the first auctions of millimeter-wave spectrum for 5G. The auction notice appears likely to get a 5-0 vote, industry and agency officials said Monday.