Ajit Pai’s Federal Communications Commission is hitting its stride in regulatory rollbacks. On the agenda of this week’s meeting: axing a 40-year-old rule on media ownership that prevented a single company from owning multiple types of media outlets in a single market; targeting illegal robocalls to consumers; making changes to the Lifeline program for subsidizing broadband use for low-income households; lifting some regulations on utility pole siting in order to speed up small cell deployments; and looking at making more spectrum available for “5G”. Some of those items gained bipartisan support, while others decidedly did not.
The media ownership change is a hot-button issue, which supporters see this as media ownership modernization that reflects the current landscape, while foes call it a boon for mega-media consolidation and companies like conservative giant Sinclair Broadcasting. The two Democrats on the commission opposed the rollback of the rule.
Today will be remembered as one when the @FCC majority abdicated its responsibility to uphold the core values of #localism #competition & #diversity in #broadcasting. #FCCLive
— Mignon Clyburn (@MignonClyburn) November 16, 2017
Changes to the Lifeline program for subsidized broadband services also drew Democrats’ ire, as the FCC Republican pushed more of that responsibility toward the states as well as supported limiting overall funding for the program.
FCC votes to limit program funding internet access for low income communities: https://t.co/UcSf87wqSo pic.twitter.com/WYnnUKalra
— The Hill (@thehill) November 17, 2017
You know who uses #Lifeline? Students, veterans, elderly, single moms, tribal residents., homeless youth. What the @FCC does today is not real reform. It's a cruel and misguided effort to update this program in a way that will only expand the #digitaldivide.
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) November 16, 2017
In terms of the FCC’s approach to fighting robocalls, which Pai has made a priority, the move allows phone companies to “proactively block calls that are likely to be fraudulent because they come from certain types of phone numbers.” Clyburn joined the GOP majority in approving the new rule, and Rosenworcel approved in part and dissented in part.
#Business AG Brnovich applauds new FCC rules to help block robocalls https://t.co/qPHOJA2oHF
— Wright Law Offices (@AZBankruptcyPro) November 17, 2017
First up at @FCC meeting: robocalls.
They're awful. They're ridiculous. we should do EVERYTHING possible to get rid of them.
— Jessica Rosenworcel (@JRosenworcel) November 16, 2017
I‘m for blocking the scammers, thieves, criminals etc — i.e. illegal robocalls— but must protect legitimate commerce & companies! Prior @FCC’s TCPA approach is flawed; it must be fixed. https://t.co/vxv0TNQDWb
— Mike O’Rielly (@MPORielly) November 17, 2017
The FCC drew industry praise — and a full five votes in favor — for a vote to streamline deployment rules for small cell infrastructure, what Pai called “a first step in streamlining the rules for wireless infrastructure deployment.” The new rule excludes utility poles from most historic preservation rules when a pole is being replaced by a basically identical pole replacement.
FCC today: no need for replacement utility poles to undergo historic preservation review under certain conditions. #OpenMtgFCC https://t.co/BJG2xKCK4Z
— The FCC (@FCC) November 16, 2017
The FCC also made a mostly-unanimous call to advance spectrum availability for “5G” technology, with Rosenworcel joining the Republican majority to open up another 1700 megahertz of millimeter wave for terrestrial wireless services. Clyburn dissented in part, though, because she disagreed with the commission’s decision to not limit the amount of the spectrum that could be accumulated by a single entity. The Competitive Carriers Association has asked the FCC to ensure that millimeter wave spectrum can’t be hoarded by larger carriers.
Next up: the net neutrality vote is on the agenda for the FCC’s December meeting.
Elsewhere on Twitter, things to keep in mind as Black Friday and Thanksgiving approach:
Everything in this 1991 RadioShack ad is in your smartphone 📱 pic.twitter.com/Q2Nkp2Rx5a
— Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) November 15, 2017
And T-Mobile US CEO John Legere shares his secret ingredient for slow-cooker use.
No, I’m not sponsored by PAM. Should I be though? Probably! Go check out this week’s #SlowCookerSunday and you’ll understand why. 😉 #PAMattack pic.twitter.com/ESllG28mLq
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) November 15, 2017
