Bernadine Joselyn just sent to me Jonathan S. Adelstein Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission Statement To The Subcommittee On Telecommunications and the Internet On July 24. This encouraged me to look at everyone’s testimony at that meeting.
I have taken quick notes – and added them below. At times I quoted or paraphrased. As I read I took fewer notes on items that had mentioned above.
The full reports are available on the FCC web site.
Notes from Jonathan S. Adelstein
On a National Policy
“We need to make broadband the dial-tone of the 21st Century.” (I love that!) He expresses concern that we have not kept pace with global competitors saying that blaming that on the fact that we have vast rural areas does not get us off the hook. Yes, we may be rural but that means we need to address the broadband issues in rural areas.
We need a comprehensive broadband deployment plan. Connecting rural areas would help rural economy. We have workers in rural areas that could do the jobs that are currently going overseas.
We need a broadband strategy that includes “benchmarks, deployment timetables, and measurable thresholds to gauge our progress.” That begins with better statistics on speeds and availability. “W e must also work to preserve the open and neutral character that has been the hallmark of the Internet…”
Congress must provide adequate funding for Rural Utilities Service (RUS) broadband loans and grants, must ensure that those funds are well spent, must provide incentive for broadband investment, and encourage math and science education.
We must update the universal service funds.
On Wireless
The 700 MHz band auction is an opportunity to encourage a third broadband channel – wireless. One challenge is deciding how to make that available. Is the country better served by encouraging large companies who can provide nationwide coverage or by encouraging smaller, more local providers?
“Unlicensed spectrum is free and, in most rural areas, lightly used. It can be accessed immediately, and the equipment is relatively cheap because it is so widely available… We have opened up 255 MHz of spectrum in the 5 GHz band – more spectrum for the latest Wi-Fi technologies – and are looking at ways to increase unlicensed power levels in rural areas… We adopted rules to make spectrum in the 3650 MHz band available for wireless broadband services.”
On Media Ownership
The public is concerned about media consolidation. We need to encourage women and minority ownership. We need to look at impact of digital broadcasting.
We are transitioning to Digital TV in 18 months. We need to make sure that the public is completely aware of this.
Notes from FCC Chairman Kevin Martin
The FCC has been working on increasing broadband deployment, encouraging wireless deployment, promoting competition, protecting consumers, and enhancing public safety.
The FCC recently made is easier for new providers to offer voice and video services to apartment dwellers but making sure that they could use existing wiring. They updated the disability access laws to include VoIP providers.
The FCC is looking to gather better information in regards to access to broadband. The FCC has been looking at media ownership and has hearings coming up this Fall.
The 700 MHz Auction
The upcoming auction is an opportunity to create a third channel of broadband access – that suits rural areas as well as urban. “A coalition of companies that support a national wireless broadband alternative, Intel, Skype, Yahoo, Google, DIRECTV, and EchoStar, urged the Commission to structure the auction in such a manner that it would maximize the opportunity for a national wireless broadband service to emerge. They urged the Commission to make available at least one 11MHz paired block, offered over large geographic areas, with combinatorial bidding so that a national service could be established. I put forward a proposal that would meet these requirements.”
Smaller providers would get an opportunity to buy spectrum as well. We are encouraging stringent build-out requirements.
We also encourage a nationwide public safety networks within the spectrum.
“The upcoming auction provides a rare chance to promote a more open platform without disrupting existing networks or business plans. I have not, however, proposed to apply these same principles to the entire 700 MHz band or to other existing networks. Nor have I proposed to apply network neutrality obligations or mandatory wholesale requirements for this block or any other block.”
The Digital TV Transition
(I haven’t been following this as much – except to say that I gave up cable when they told me I had to go digital, which looked terrible on my ancient TV.)
About 50% of cable subscribers today subscribe to analog not digital cable. Those people are going to be hurting in 18 months when there full switch to digital TV is supposed to happen. So, the FCC is trying to get providers to still cater to those folks.
The people who sell TVs need to help promote the transition. And we need to promote other places.
Public Safety
For public safety I would have preferred a dedicated, federally-funded network reserved solely for first responders but that’s not going to happen. A shared public-private network can work if we make sure that we adhere to public safety standards and requirements.
Media Ownership
We made some bad rules a few years ago – but we seem to be righting them. We need to really re-look at an organization when it is time fro license renewal – and not make assumptions that all is well.
Digital TC
This is a big issue. TC is about to change. People’s old TVs are going to quit working and consumers don’t know it’s coming. We need to reach these people through analog TV – not just brochures and web sites.
Broadband
We’re not doing well with broadband. Studies show that “we’re dedicated, federally-funded network reserved solely for first responders.” We need to “include broadband as part of comprehensive Universal Service Fund reform to keep our nation competitive in the global economy.”
Finally the closed meeting rule is making it difficult for us to get our work done effectively.
Notes from Deborah Taylor Tate
Television
It is important that children’s television not be too violent or includes too many ads. We are having hearings to look at the importance of local ownership. The public needs to be informed of digital TV issues and vendors need to support this education.
ADA
To improve access for people with disabilities the FCC has extended regulations regarding disabilities to VoIP providers
Privacy
The FCC has strengthened “our privacy rules to prevent the abhorrent practice of pre-texting to obtain consumer’s private phone records to ensure the privacy of consumer information maintained by telecommunications carriers.”
Broadband Deployment
The FCC is improving the way it gathers information and the type of info it gathers in regards to broadband access and speeds.
700 MHz Auction
“The inherent propagation characteristics of the 700 MHz band could make it less expensive to construct new networks covering larger geographic areas, making the spectrum ideal for expanding the availability of broadband in rural areas. At the same time, the band potentially provides better inbuilding coverage than higher frequencies, which not only would facilitate the provision of advanced services in urban areas but also could help improve 911 access and location system performance. The sooner the auction begins, the closer we will be to reaping the benefits of services provided via this prime spectrum. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this forward expeditiously.”
The FCC has also been working on Public Safety use of the spectrum.
Wireless
I would classify wireless as an information service. The FCC is looking into options for the Spectrum Auction. The FCC is testing a number of unlicensed options.
Media
The FCC adopted orders that should facilitate digital radio options. They worked to further the transition of digital TV. And have been working on promoting the transition to digital TV.
The FCC should encourage market competition by treating cable, telephone companies, and new entrants like and with a light regulatory touch.
Public Safety
The FCC has taken steps to improve the Emergency Alert System specifically EAS participants must accept messages using Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), when it is made available by FEMA. Also common carriers who provide video must participate in EAS as television does now. Let state governments use these channels too.
Satellite
Satellite providers must now accommodate provisions for Alaska and Hawaii.