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October 2015

Targeted Surveillance, Civil Rights, and the Fight for Democracy

The decentralized power of the Internet has made much of this moment possible. But I ask myself, will the technology serve a future of equity and democracy? Will it fuel a new era of civil action, a renaissance of human rights? Or will it drive a widening wealth gap, a more militarized state, a political economy characterized by structural inequality and persistent discrimination?

I submit that the answer to that question is up to you. Look around, see who is and who is not in this room. On the one hand, this digital age and era of big data holds extraordinary promise for all of us. It allows us to reach into parts of the world we never could before, learn in seconds what might have taken months or years. But, while these technological advances may speed and ease what this nation and economy can do, the issue at hand is what we will do.

Opening Bid Prices for FCC Reverse Auction Announced

The Federal Communications Commission’s Incentive Auction Task Force and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released the opening bid prices for each full power and Class A station eligible to participate in the reverse auction (Auction 1001).

To participate in the reverse auction, a full power or Class A broadcast television licensee must file an application during the filing window specified in the Auction 1000 Application Procedures Public Notice. The filing window for the reverse auction will open at noon ET on December 1, 2015, and close at 6:00 p.m. ET on December 18, 2015. The application must be submitted prior to the closing of the filing window. Late applications will not be accepted.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said, “For potential Incentive Auction participants, today is a watershed moment. For all practical purposes, we’ve fired the starting gun: the release of final opening bid prices – combined with the detailed application procedures and other data released yesterday – provides broadcasters with all of the information they need to decide whether to apply to participate in the auction. Stations that miss the December 18th deadline will not be able to participate in this historic auction. Commission staff stand ready to educate and assist applicants as they prepare.”

How next year's wireless auction could give T-Mobile a shot in the arm

T-Mobile has found itself in an unlikely position, one that bodes well for its prospects in next year's government auction of wireless spectrum.

T-Mobile, Sprint and a cavalcade of regional carriers spent the past two years lobbying for the Federal Communications Commission to set aside a swath of spectrum specifically for smaller players. Spectrum is the radio airwaves that ferry voice calls, text messages and cat videos to our smartphones. With that reserve in place, it appears T-Mobile may be the only player still interested. Sprint said it would skip the auction, and some regional carriers now appear gun-shy as well. It's unclear whether Google, satellite TV provider Dish Network or cable companies will participate. It's a surprising turn for the auction, which could shake up the wireless industry by giving more players access to the kind of low-band spectrum that can cover wider distances and improve in-building coverage.

FCC’s Consumer Bureau Chief Appoints Open Internet Ombudsperson

Federal Communications Commission Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Chief Alison Kutler appointed Michael A. Janson to serve as the next Open Internet ombudsperson, the public’s primary point of contact within the agency for formal and informal questions and complaints related to the Open Internet rules.

Janson succeeds Parul Desai who will return to her previous position as an attorney advisor within the FCC’s Audio Division in the Media Bureau, where she will lead outreach efforts. During her tenure as the agency’s first ombudsperson, Desai helped establish protocols and systems for managing incoming questions and for helping move concerns toward resolution.

The Open Internet rules established “an ombudsperson to assist consumers, businesses, and organizations with open Internet complaints and questions by ensuring these parties have effective access to the Commission’s processes that protect their interests.” The establishment of the ombudsperson position came as a result of suggestions from a wide array of commenters during the Open Internet proceedings. The FCC’s ombudsperson helps ensure that small and often unrepresented groups reach the appropriate bureaus and offices to address specific issues of concern.

FCC Chairman Wheeler Names Twelve Members to the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler appointed 12 members to the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company:

  • Representative for incumbent local exchange carriers (Bell Operating Companies): Joel Lubin, Consultant, AT&T;
  • Representative for libraries: Robert Bocher, Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction;
  • Representative for state consumer advocates: Wayne Jortner, Attorney, State of New Hampshire, Office of Consumer Advocate;
  • Representative for commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers: Matt Gerst, Director for Regulatory Affairs, CTIA – The Wireless Association;
  • Representative for cable operators: Jose Jimenez, Executive Director, Cox Communications, Inc.;
  • Representative for schools: Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators (AASA);
  • Representative for schools: Brian L. Talbott, Ph.D., Executive Director Emeritus, Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA);
  • Representative for low-income consumers: Ellis Jacobs, Senior Attorney, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.;
  • Representative for competitive local exchange carriers: Joseph Gillan, Economic Consulting, Gillan Associates;
  • Representative for rural health care providers that are eligible to receive supported services pursuant to section 54.601: Katharine Hsu Wibberly, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center.
  • Representative for incumbent local exchange carriers (non-Bell Operating Companies) with $40 million or less in annual revenues: Geoffrey A. Feiss, General Manager, Montana Telecommunications Association; and
  • Representative for interexchange carriers with annual operating revenues of $3 billion or less: Atilla Tinic, Vice President of IT, Level 3

FCC Seeks Nominations for Six Board Member Positions on the Universal Service Administrative Company Board of Directors

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau seeks nominations for the following Board member positions on the Board of Directions of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) for a three-year term.

The FCC seeks representatives for:

  • Incumbent local exchange carriers (other than the Bell Operating Companies) with annual operating revenue in excess of $40 million, (position currently held by Kenneth Mason);
  • Information service providers (position currently held by Olivia Wein);
  • Interexchange carrier with revenue more than $3 billion (position currently held by Raquel Noriega);
  • Rural health care providers that are eligible to receive supported services pursuant to section 54.601 (position currently held by Eric Brown);
  • Schools that are eligible to receive discounts (position currently held by Julie Tritt Schell); and
  • State telecommunications regulators (position currently held by Commissioner Ronald A. Brisé).

All nominations must be filed with the Office of the Secretary by November 16, 2015.

Sens Tester, Daines and FCC Chairman push for more broadband

With laptops and tablets for all elementary students and the support of local Internet providers, the students at Fairfield Elementary School are faring pretty well when it comes to Internet accessibility. But as Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, Montana's senators, school officials and providers discussed, only 49 percent of Montana's public schools have access to high-speed Internet.

"Fairfield was a school that was an early adopter (of technology) and worked diligently," said Kirk Miller, executive director of School Administrators of Montana. "That isn't the case with much of the rest of Montana." According to a report given to the Montana Legislature's interim economic affairs committee in August, only 13 percent of Montanans have access to Internet with speeds of 25 megabits per second, compared with 83 percent of the U.S. population, according to a 2014 report from the FCC.

Utah Effect: Why the state has faster Internet than most of the nation — especially Idaho

Believe it or not, Utah has the highest Internet speeds in the Intermountain West and among the highest in the nation, while Idaho is at the other end of the spectrum. The difference, according to experts, comes down to competition among Internet providers, government investment and a population packed tightly.

"One of the things Utah has done to set us apart is the level of collaboration between public and private," said Kelleigh Cole, the broadband outreach director for the state of Utah. As an example, she said the Utah Department of Transportation works with Internet service providers to install fiber during construction, and if a partner isn't available, the state will install conduits it will later exchange for other services. The Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) also helps schools districts get federal grants to boost Internet availability, allowing more students to do more online in a given classroom. This coordinated effort means high-speed service can reach even the state's more far-flung places.

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