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March 2010

Benton Reaction to FCC Universal Service recommendations for the National Broadband Plan

Submitted by benton on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 10:18

At a press event earlier today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to reform the Universal Service Fund (USF) as part of the National Broadband Plan. The following statement may be attributed to Benton Foundation Chairman and CEO Charles Benton:

Federal Communications Commission
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
2:00 pm -- 3:00 pm

Education Director Steve Midgley discusses the National Broadband Plan's working recommendations for using broadband to improve education.


POSTPONED

FCC Open Meeting

This meeting has been rescheduled for 12/21/2010


FCC Open Meeting

Tuesday, November 30
10:30 am


FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, October 14
10:30 am

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the following items will be on the tentative agenda for the next open meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 14, 2010:

  1. Bill Shock NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on rules requiring mobile carriers to provide usage alerts and related information that will assist consumers in avoiding unexpected charges on their bills.
  2. Mobility Fund NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a proposal to use recently reserved universal service funds to create a Mobility Fund to support private investment in current- (3G) and next-generation mobile services in areas where consumers currently lack such services.
  3. CableCARD Third R&O and Order on Reconsideration: A Third Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that will make changes to the FCC's CableCARD rules to improve the consumer experience with the video navigation devices used with cable services and promote the development of a competitive market for such devices.

FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, September 23
10:30 am

Tentative agenda:

  1. TV White Spaces Second MO&O: A Second Memorandum Opinion and Order that will create opportunities for investment and innovation in advanced Wi-Fi technologies and a variety of broadband services by finalizing provisions for unlicensed wireless devices to operate in unused parts of TV spectrum.
  2. E-Rate Broadband Order: An Order that improves connectivity for students and library patrons, and accelerates the National Broadband Plan's goal of affordable access to 1 gigabit per second broadband at community anchor institutions across the country, by upgrading, modernizing, and streamlining the E-Rate program.
  3. E911 Location Accuracy Second R&O: A Report and Order enabling a more effective emergency response system by establishing a timeline and benchmarks for wireless carriers to provide more granular E911 location information at either a county-based or PSAP-based geographic level.
  4. E911 Location Accuracy FNPRM and NOI: A Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry seeking to improve E911 location accuracy and reliability for existing and new voice communications technologies, including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and, consistent with the National Broadband Plan, to understand the ways in which voice communications enabled by broadband and next generation 911 technologies could support enhanced first response.

FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, August 5
10:30 am

Agenda

  • Hearing Aid Compatibility R&O and FNPRM: A Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that benefits consumers with hearing loss by ensuring that advanced and innovative devices that provide telephone voice communications are hearing aid-compatible.
  • Wireless Backhaul NPRM and NOI: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry seeking to remove regulatory barriers to the use of spectrum for wireless backhaul and other point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communications, to promote broadband competition and investment in rural and non-rural areas.

FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, July 15
10:30 am

Here's the agenda:

  • Rural Health Care Reform NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiating reforms to the Universal Service Rural Health Care Fund to expand the reach and use of broadband connectivity by health care providers throughout the nation.
  • Spectrum Flexibility NPRM and NOI: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on ways to encourage investment in terrestrial broadband services within spectrum allocated to mobile satellite services, while maintaining robust mobile satellite capability.
  • Electronic Tariff Filing NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on streamlining the tariff filing and formatting process by transitioning from paper to electronic filing to reduce industry burden and promote an open, transparent, and efficient flow of information.

FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, June 17
10:30 am

Tentative agenda

Framework for Broadband Internet Service NOI: A Notice of Inquiry to begin an open, public process to consider possible legal frameworks for broadband Internet services in order to promote innovation and investment, protect and empower consumers, and bring the benefits of broadband to all Americans.

Background: Until the recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Comcast Corp. v. FCC, the Commission's approach to broadband Internet service combined minimal regulation with meaningful agency oversight. The Comcast opinion, however, cast serious doubt on prior understandings about the FCC's ability to ensure fair competition and provide consumers with basic protections when they use today's broadband Internet services. Moreover, nearly a decade has passed since the Commission gathered the record on which the current legal classification of broadband Internet service is based; Congress has recently reaffirmed the FCC's limited-but-vital role with respect to broadband; and the Commission has fulfilled Congress's mandate to develop a National Broadband Plan recommending specific agency actions to encourage deployment and adoption.

In light of these developments, the Notice asks for public comment on questions including:

i) Whether the Commission's "information service" classification of broadband Internet service remains legally sound and adequate to support effective performance of the Commission's responsibilities;

ii) The legal and practical consequences of classifying broadband Internet connectivity as a "telecommunications service" to which all the requirements of Title II of the Communications Act would apply; and

iii) A possible "third way" under which the Commission would reaffirm that the Internet remains unregulated and Internet-based information services remain generally unregulated under Title I of the Communications Act; identify the Internet connectivity service that is offered as part of wired broadband Internet service as a telecommunications service; and forbear under Section 10 of the Act from applying all provisions of Title II other than the small number that are needed to implement fundamental universal service, competition, and consumer protection policies.

The Notice also seeks comment on the appropriate classification of terrestrial wireless and satellite broadband Internet services, as well other issues.


FCC Open Meeting

Thursday, May 20, 2010
10:30 am

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced that the following items will be on the agenda:

  1. Mobile Wireless Competition Report: The 14th edition of the Mobile Wireless Competition Report, analyzing the state of competition in the mobile industry by expanding upon previ¬ous FCC inquiries and considering the broader mobile wireless ecosystem.
  2. WCS-SDARS Report and Order: A Report and Order that enables robust mobile broadband use of 25 MHz of spectrum in the 2.3 GHz Wireless Communications Service (WCS) band while protecting neighboring incumbent operations.
  3. E-Rate NPRM: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiating reforms to the E-Rate program to make broadband more accessible in schools and libraries, and to cut red tape.
  4. Pole Attachments Order and FNPRM: An Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement the National Broadband Plan recommendations to foster competition and broadband deployment by ensuring nondiscriminatory, just, and reasonable access to utility poles.
  5. Local Number Portability Report and Order: A Report and Order standardizing the processes for transferring telephone numbers in one business day to ensure the benefits of competition for consumers.

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