The wireless lobby is pushing for a Senate amendment that would d...

State (CJS) appropriations bill (S- 1585) that would delay the implementation of LNP for 60 days past the current Nov. 24 deadline. “This move is particularly disingenuous for the companies who have publicly told their customers they are prepared for November 24th while they are privately negotiating eleventh-hour deals to stave off competition,” CU CEO James Guest said: “Our question is simple: What are they afraid of? Competition?” CU said the amendment was an attempt to lock in customers to long-term contracts during the busy holiday season. However, it remained unclear whether the CJS bill would make it to the floor as a stand-alone bill. The Senate has several appropriations bills yet to consider and CJS has several controversial communications amendments already, including the 35% broadcast ownership cap and giving Multichannel Video Distribution & Data Services (MVDDS) access to spectrum without going through the FCC’s auction process (the so- called “Northpoint Amendment"). But Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) has dropped a hold on the bill, clearing it for the floor at any time. It still was unclear whether CJS would have to be wrapped into an omnibus appropriations bill, which sources said could be more difficult to amend. On Tues., several senators wrote the FCC praising the implementation of LNP requirements, but also expressing concern that the Commission hadn’t given proper guidance on wireline-wireless porting issues (CD Oct 29 p8).