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April 2016

Tribal Internet Access: Increased Federal Coordination and Performance Measurement Needed

High-speed Internet service is viewed as a critical component of the nation's infrastructure and an economic driver, particularly to remote tribal communities. This testimony examines: (1) perspectives of tribes and providers on high-speed Internet access and barriers to increasing this access; (2) the level of interrelation and coordination between federal programs that promote high-speed Internet access on tribal lands; and (3) existing data and performance measures related to high-speed Internet on tribal lands. This statement is based on GAO's January 2016 report (GAO-16-222). For this report, the Government Accountability Office visited or interviewed officials from a non-generalizable sample of 21 tribal entities and 6 service providers. GAO also reviewed Federal Communications Commission and US Department of Agriculture fiscal year 2010 through 2014 program data, funding, and materials and interviewed federal officials.

In January 2016, GAO recommended that FCC take the following actions in tribal areas: (1) develop joint training and outreach with USDA; (2) develop performance goals and measures for improving broadband availability to households; (3) develop performance goals and measures for improving broadband availability to schools and libraries; and (4) improve the reliability of FCC data related to institutions that receive E-rate funding by defining “tribal” on the program application. FCC agreed with the recommendations.

Comcast is raising its data caps — and the fee to get rid of them

Comcast is more than tripling the amount of data many of its subscribers are allowed to use in a month before they hit a cap, the company said. Comcast may be trying to make some preemptive moves as Charter nears approval for its massive takeover of Time Warner Cable. Regulators are instructing Charter to enter new cable or telecom markets as a condition of the deal, and it could lead to direct, head-to-head competition between Charter and Comcast in some regions. Charter will not be allowed to impose broadband data caps under the conditions regulators are seeking to impose, so if it really happens and consumers are given a choice between Charter and Comcast, a sky-high data cap might help Comcast defend its territory. "Comcast is doing this to remain competitive," said Jeff Kagan, an independent telecom analyst. "If they don't do this, [their] angry customers would end up leaving them, going to a competitor."

The announcement comes as Comcast reported strong growth in its cable Internet and TV business. It added 438,000 high-speed Internet customers over the past quarter. That's 7.6 percent more additions to the network than the same quarter a year ago. Most of Comcast's Internet customers, roughly 77 percent, get upwards of 50 Mbps service, the company said. The new data cap raises the monthly usage limit from 300 GB of data to 1 terabyte (equivalent to roughly 1,000 GB). The change takes effect on June 1, affects all of the markets where Comcast has been testing data caps — such as Atlanta and parts of Florida — and covers all speed tiers in those markets.

Comcast: We can make 5G work

Comcast is preparing to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's upcoming incentive auction of 600 MHz spectrum, which could pit the broadband behemoth against wireless carriers just as 5G technologies come to market. And Comcast CFO Mike Cavanagh said the company has what it takes to make 5G work. "5G is an exciting new platform," Cavanagh said. "We're still in early days. Antennas are going to need to go up, and we need space and power and backhaul. The spectrum doesn't pass through trees and buildings." Cavanagh suggested Comcast has some assets that will be crucial for the deployment of 5G: It can handle backhaul with its massive fixed-line footprint, and it has the municipal infrastructure and rights-of-way deals to create a wireless network in some key markets. Finally, it has the necessary personnel to build and maintain a wireless network.

Rupert Murdoch’s ‘man in Washington’ is leaving top lobbyist post at 21st Century Fox

Michael Regan, the longtime chief lobbyist for Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, is leaving the media empire at the end of June. Regan has been the company’s executive vice president of government relations for 15 years, overseeing its DC lobbying operations and political donations. In 2013, the year the media conglomerate spun off into two divisions — 21st Century Fox and News Corp. — Regan’s role expanded beyond Washington to include legislative and regulatory affairs in Brussels, London and Hong Kong. Regan’s announced departure comes less than a year after 21st Century Fox elevated Murdoch’s sons, James and Lachlan Murdoch, to chief executive and executive chairman, respectively. A successor for Regan has yet to be named. The company said Regan will stay on as an adviser to help with the transition process.

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