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FCC’s Digital-Discrimination Rules Could Delay Broadband

Popular Media When Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) near the end of 2021, it included a short provision that required the Federal Communications . . .

When Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) near the end of 2021, it included a short provision that required the Federal Communications Commission to adopt rules to prevent “digital discrimination.” At the time, it was understood the law intended to prohibit broadband providers from intentionally discriminating in their deployment decisions based on “income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin.”

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Spectrum Pipeline Act a Promising Start that Needs Balance

Popular Media Given how important digital connections are to Americans’ daily lives, it’s urgent that Congress move to renew the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction parts . . .

Given how important digital connections are to Americans’ daily lives, it’s urgent that Congress move to renew the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to auction parts of the public airwaves.

That authority lapsed a little over a year ago and efforts to reinstate it have been repeatedly stuck in partisan gridlock.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Section 214: Title II’s Trojan Horse

TOTM The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed classifying broadband internet-access service as a common carrier “telecommunications service” under Title II of the Communications Act. One . . .

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed classifying broadband internet-access service as a common carrier “telecommunications service” under Title II of the Communications Act. One major consequence of this reclassification would be subjecting broadband providers to Section 214 regulations that govern the provision, acquisition, and discontinuation of communication “lines.”

In the Trojan War, the Greeks conquered Troy by hiding their soldiers inside a giant wooden horse left as a gift to the besieged Trojans. Section 214 hides a potential takeover of the broadband industry inside the putative gift of improving national security.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Blackout Rebates: Tipping the Scales at the FCC

TOTM Cable and satellite programming blackouts often generate significant headlines. While the share of the population affected by blackouts may be small—bordering on minuscule—most consumers don’t . . .

Cable and satellite programming blackouts often generate significant headlines. While the share of the population affected by blackouts may be small—bordering on minuscule—most consumers don’t like the idea of programming blackouts and balk at the idea of paying for TV programming they can’t access.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Internet for All Won’t Happen Without Real Pole Access Reform

Popular Media 2024 will be a make-or-break year for the $42 billion taxpayer-funded Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. . . .

2024 will be a make-or-break year for the $42 billion taxpayer-funded Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Making BEAD a success and achieving the Biden Administration’s vision of “Internet for All” requires an ambitious “all-of-the-above approach” from federal, state, and local policymakers to take much-needed action on utility pole reforms – an often-neglected issue that is critical to ensuring unserved, rural communities are connected to reliable, high-speed internet.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

FCC’s Digital-Discrimination Rules: An Open Invitation to Flood the Field with Schlock

TOTM Ahalf-dozen lawsuits have been filed to date challenging the digital-discrimination rules recently approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These cases were consolidated earlier this month and will now . . .

Ahalf-dozen lawsuits have been filed to date challenging the digital-discrimination rules recently approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These cases were consolidated earlier this month and will now be heard by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Read the full piece here.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Are Early-Termination Fees ‘Junk’ Fees?

TOTM Cable and satellite companies often get a bad rap for early termination fees (ETFs). Consumer advocates portray them as “junk fees” or billing traps meant . . .

Cable and satellite companies often get a bad rap for early termination fees (ETFs). Consumer advocates portray them as “junk fees” or billing traps meant to cheat customers. And the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) appears to accept these allegations at face value, characterizing ETFs as “junk fee billing practices … that penalize subscribers for terminating video service or switching video service providers.”

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

Gus Hurwitz on the Spectrum Pipeline

Presentations & Interviews ICLE Director of Law & Economics Programs Gus Hurwitz joined an online panel hosted by the Technology Policy Institute on where telecom industry observers can . . .

ICLE Director of Law & Economics Programs Gus Hurwitz joined an online panel hosted by the Technology Policy Institute on where telecom industry observers can expect to see movement in spectrum reauthorization, mid-band clearing, and results from newly deployed shared bands. Video of the full event is embedded below.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities

The Curious Case of the Missing Data Caps Investigation

TOTM In an announcement that was treated to mild fanfare (meaning it was reported by certain tech blogs, but largely ignored elsewhere), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) . . .

In an announcement that was treated to mild fanfare (meaning it was reported by certain tech blogs, but largely ignored elsewhere), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Jessica Rosenworcel asked her fellow commissioners in June 2023 to support a formal notice of inquiry (NOI) to learn more about how broadband providers use data caps on consumer plans. The FCC simultaneously opened a “data portal” soliciting “narrative information” about consumers’ experiences with data caps.

But more than half a year later, the NOI has not been issued and none of the information from the data portal has been publicly released.

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Telecommunications & Regulated Utilities