February 2017

FCC AGENDA

FCC ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR FEB 2017 OPEN MEETING
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission, AUTHOR: Press release]
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 23, 2017:
Universal Service Reform – Mobility Fund; Connect America Fund – The Commission will consider a Report and Order adopting rules to provide ongoing support targeted to preserve and advance high-speed mobile broadband and voice service in high-cost areas that the marketplace does not otherwise serve. (WT Docket No. 10-208, WC Docket No. 10-90)
Connect America Fund, ETC Annual Reports and Certifications – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that (1) resolves a number of issues raised in the Phase II Auction Order FNPRM, including the adoption of weights to compare bids among service performance and latency tiers, and (2) considers several petitions for reconsideration for decisions made in the Phase II Auction Order. (WC Docket Nos. 10-90, 14- 58)
Authorizing Permissive Use of the ‘Next Generation’ Broadcast Television Standard – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to let television broadcasters use the “Next Generation” broadcast television transmission standard associated with recent work of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC 3.0) on a voluntary, market-driven basis. (GN Docket No. 16-142)
Revitalization of the AM Radio Service – The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order that would relax the siting rule for an FM fill-in translator rebroadcasting an AM broadcast station. (MB Docket No. 13-249)
Small Business Exemption From Open Internet Enhanced Reporting Requirements – The Commission will consider an Order granting a five-year waiver to broadband Internet access service providers with 250,000 or fewer broadband connections from the enhanced reporting requirements adopted in the 2015 Title II Order. (GN Docket No. 14-28)
Comprehensive Review of the Part 32 Uniform System of Accounts – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would streamline and eliminate outdated accounting rules no longer needed to fulfill the Commission’s statutory or regulatory duties. (WC Docket No. 14- 130)
benton.org/headlines/fcc-announces-tentative-agenda-february-2017-open-meeting | Federal Communications Commission | B&C
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FAST-FORWARDING TO THE FUTURE OF BROADCASTING
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai]
[Commentary] In December, the world’s first commercial broadcast using a new video transmission standard—one that enables dramatically better picture quality and new services—took place in South Korea. This standard, which some call ATSC 3.0 and others call Next Gen TV, is the first one to marry the advantages of broadcasting and the internet. Feb 1, I shared with my fellow Federal Communications Commission commissioners a proposal to allow broadcasters to use the Next Gen TV standard on a voluntary basis. My view is simple: As in any industry, the FCC should promote innovation in the broadcasting business, not stand in the way of progress. I look forward to receiving feedback on our proposal from broadcasters, consumers, and other stakeholders. And I hope that we can issue a final authorization of the standard later in 2017. We expect and want the United States to lead the world in technological innovation. Moving forward with Next Gen TV would enable us to do just that. With this standard, the FCC could help American broadcasters benefit American consumers in a way befitting the marvels of the digital age. Stay tuned!
[Ajit Pai is the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission]
benton.org/headlines/chairman-pai-op-ed-fast-forwarding-future-broadcasting | Broadcasting&Cable | B&C
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MAKING THE FCC TRANSPARENT AGAIN
[SOURCE: Benton Foundation, AUTHOR: Robbie McBeath]
Since the 2016 elections, we have been looking at the people who will have the greatest impact on telecommunications and media policy in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission. This week, we got a glimpse -- just a glimpse -- at changes we’ll be seeing in how the FCC operates. On February 2, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced a pilot program aimed at improving how the agency communicates with the public. He is hoping, he says, that the move starts to make FCC operations more transparent and as open and accessible as possible. Currently the FCC announces the items it will vote on at its monthly meetings about three weeks in advance of the event. However, the text of the items have not been made public until after commissioners have voted. Historically, some policy analysts say, this was to ensure that the FCC's five members could work better together, allowing them to strike policy compromises without being forced by outsiders to adopt extreme political positions. But although the secrecy may have once helped commissioners broker agreements, the FCC has grown deeply divided in recent years.
benton.org/headlines/making-fcc-transparent-again | Benton Foundation
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MAKE FCC GREAT PLACE TO WORK
[SOURCE: Forbes, AUTHOR: Roslyn Layton]
[Commentary] The Federal Communications Commission’s outmoded structure contributes to employee dissatisfaction. The issues before the FCC contemplate a converged world, but its siloed organizational structure limits the ability of staff not only to work across bureaus, but to think intelligently and conceptually. In any event, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai observes that the FCC’s employees are “rare combination of dedication, expertise, and collegiality.” Imagine what they could do if they actually enjoyed their jobs. To achieve his goals to “bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans”, Chairman Pai must overcome deeply entrenched corporate interests and pro-regulatory pessimism which resists change. But if his courageous actions and dissents are any indication, Chairman Pai is a fearless and magnanimous leader who will make the FCC a great place to work again.
[Layton was part of President Trump’s FCC transition team; she is a visiting fellow at American Enterprise Institute]
benton.org/headlines/make-fcc-great-place-work-again | Forbes
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INTERNET/BROADBAND

INCREASING BROADBAND ACCESS? IT ALL COMES DOWN TO POLES
[SOURCE: Medium, AUTHOR: Katie Watson]
[Commentary] It may come as a surprise to city leaders that one of the biggest barriers to bringing high-speed fiber internet to your community and ensuring your residents can tap the power of next-generation internet is as simple as the utility pole this fiber hangs from. But it’s true. What’s more, utility poles often become a battleground between longtime companies and newer network providers, and access (or lack thereof) to those poles can determine whether a new provider is able to easily and cost effectively deploy broadband in an area. Unfortunately, right now the process is often long, difficult, and expensive in too many places, making the barrier to entry incredibly high. That is why Next Century Cities, a non-profit membership organization that supports cities and leaders as they seek to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, reliable, and fast internet, created a comprehensive Pole Attachment Guide. This guide offers an in depth guide to pole authority by state and additional resources to support local leaders.
[Katie Watson is a Policy and Program Manager at Next Century Cities]
benton.org/headlines/increasing-broadband-access-it-all-comes-down-poles | Medium | Next Century Cities | One Touch Make Ready
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BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES
[SOURCE: The Daily Item, AUTHOR: Andrew Schwartzman]
[Commentary] When telecom engineers are shooting the breeze, they often use the phrase "Project Angel" as a punchline. For almost 20 years, AT&T (and its predecessor company, also called AT&T) periodically announced that it was going to use revolutionary and exotic technologies to deliver high-speed wireless service that could replace (at first) copper phone lines and, later, to deliver ultra-fast broadband service. Despite big press announcements (such as these in 1997, 2000 , and 2002), Project Angel never happened. At least until now. This could be very important. AT&T is unveiling (for only the second time) yet another new wireless scheme, one which has been announced only once before. This time, it is calling the new initiative "Project AirGig," but the hype, if not the technology, is similar. Except this time, the market and the technology might actually let this happen. The telecom folks are abuzz again, because this is really audacious. The idea seems to be that AT&T would mount transmitters along electrical power lines and use the proximity to the electricity to help relay ultra high speed Internet along the rights of way. Speculation that AT&T really means it this time has been fueled by the fact that AT&T announced that it will buy FiberTower, a company that controls a large swathe of very high frequency spectrum. Keep an eye on this, because if it works, it could reduce the need for fiber and perhaps greatly reduce the cost of Internet access.
benton.org/headlines/broadband-over-power-lines-we-really-mean-it-time | Daily Item, The
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COMMUNICATIONS AND DEMOCRACY

ORGANIZING AGAINST TRUMP
[SOURCE: Politico, AUTHOR: Tony Romm]
A collection of Silicon Valley executives, engineers and activists are quietly plotting a progressive counterattack against President Donald Trump, a sign of the industry's growing anger at his election victory and actions on immigration. Through a new organization tentatively called Win the Future, or WTF, the likes of LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus are teaming up with former Sierra Club President Adam Werbach to connect political organizers and shore up progressive candidates and causes ahead of the 2018 midterm and 2020 presidential elections. Their early efforts will include building a platform to connect activists and, potentially, a website similar to the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to fund progressive initiatives. The new organization points to a desire by the liberal tech industry to channel its outrage into a broader, more organized resistance.
benton.org/headlines/silicon-valley-leaders-organizing-against-president-trump | Politico
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WIRELESS/SPECTRUM

SUBCOMMTECH NTIA HEARING
[SOURCE: House of Representatives Commerce Committee, AUTHOR: Press release]
The House Communications Subcommittee, chaired by Rep Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), held its first hearing of the 115th Congress with a holistic examination of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). In her testimony, Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO at CTIA and former Acting Administrator at NTIA, discussed the importance of NTIA’s role moving forward, stating, “There are limited additional opportunities for the Federal Communications Commission to make more spectrum available on its own. That is why NTIA’s role is so important – more so than ever before. … In light of the extraordinary value of spectrum to private and public entities, NTIA must have the prominence and resources to perform its critical tasks.” John M.R. Kneuer, President and Founder of JKC Consulting and former NTIA Administrator, noted NTIA’s role when it comes to cyber defense and security, commenting, “By providing the perspective of industry into the inter-agency process, NTIA can help bridge the gap between the executive branch interests with national and homeland security responsibilities and key private sector interests so that they all support our collective cyber-defenses."
benton.org/headlines/house-communications-subcommittee-examines-ntias-reauthorization-and-its-role-21st-century | House of Representatives Commerce Committee
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SENS URGE PAI TO SPUR MOBILITY FUND
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MI) and Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV), joined by a bipartisan host of others, have asked new Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to prioritize mobile broadband in rural and underserved areas. In a letter to the chairman, the Sens called on the FCC to "move forward" with Phase II of the Universal Service Fund's Mobility Fund. The FCC has been migrating its subsidies for essential communications from phone to broadband, including mobile broadband. "We need to continue moving the needle on broadband deployment in hard-to-reach areas, such as rural Mississippi,” said Sen Wicker. “Providing this access promotes business innovation and job creation. This is especially important for small businesses, which support tens of thousands of Mississippi families."
benton.org/headlines/senators-urge-chairman-pai-spur-mobility-fund | Broadcasting&Cable
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EDUCATION

SILICON VALLEY AND EDUCATION
[SOURCE: Financial Times, AUTHOR: Hannah Kuchler]
Technology is transforming the classroom, with personalised learning at the heart of the curriculum. Is this the future? Leading venture capitalist Marc Andreessen predicts a future with two types of job: people who tell computers what to do, and people who are told what to do by computers. Silicon Valley wants to equip young people to rule the machines by focusing on what makes them individuals. But how far can this reinvention of learning be extended from the wealthy environs of northern California to the broader US education system, where some state schools struggle to provide up-to-date textbooks, let alone personalised, digital tutoring?
benton.org/headlines/can-silicon-valley-really-hack-education | Financial Times
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SATELLITES

HAROLD ROSEN
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Zach Wichter]
Whether you are reading these words online or in print, there is a strong chance that Harold A. Rosen played a part in getting them to you. He was a driving force in the invention of modern communication satellite technology. His inspiration came in 1957, when, as a young engineer, he watched the Sputnik satellite, the first ever launched, streak across the night sky in Los Angeles on its historic journey. From its orbit, the Soviet Sputnik could transmit only beeps back to Earth. But Rosen could see that the future of relaying information over long distances was in space, and he began imagining the possibilities. In those days, telephones were the best way to communicate between two points, but the terrestrial telephone system was reaching its operational limits. Long-distance phone calls were made by means of overtaxed cables and radio towers, and connectivity was limited. Some parts of the world were unreachable. Rosen set out to design a satellite that would usher in a new era of telecommunications.
benton.org/headlines/harold-rosen-who-ushered-era-communication-satellites | New York Times
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February 2017

February 3, 2017 (Harold Rosen)

Harold Rosen, Who Ushered in the Era of Communication Satellites

Silicon Valley leaders organizing against President Trump

Make The FCC A Great Place To Work Again

Can Silicon Valley really hack education?

Never before have big employers tried so hard to hand over chunks of their business to contractors

Making the FCC Transparent Again

House Communications Subcommittee Examines NTIA’s Reauthorization and its Role in the 21st Century

The Schedule and the Stream

Broadband Over Power Lines -- We Really Mean It This Time