OPASTCO Visits Hill to Press for USF, Video Access Action
Small phone companies went to Capitol Hill Tuesday to make the case for legislation including broadband in the universal-service program. Another priority is having this year’s must-pass satellite measure change retransmission- consent rules to give small phone companies easier access to video programming. But lawmakers warned that communications issues face stiff competition for attention in a Congress focused on the economy, health care, energy and a Supreme Court nominee.
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“We need the universal service program to include broadband,” Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., said in a meeting with the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies. He told us in an interview that Congress should exempt the program from accounting rules under the federal Antideficiency Act that bar programs from spending money that isn’t in their budgets. Funding for USF typically lags spending because of the way it is collected, and the program has been granted several exemptions over the years. The most-recent expires at year- end.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., has introduced S-348 to exempt the program permanently. Though the rules’ purpose “on the surface, sounds great,” strict compliance has caused problems for the industry, Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, told OPASTCO. Begich has co-sponsored S-348. A similar bill in the House, HR-2135, has two co-sponsors.
Begich promised to help ensure that the USF program -- which he said has brought Alaska up-to-date in technology -- is sustainable long-term. “It will take a lot of work” to agree on USF legislation, he said. Connolly said he didn’t envision Congress taking up legislation anytime soon.
“We are a little slow” right now on the committee, because Rockefeller injured his knee, Begich said. The chairman hasn’t returned to his office, and he must do seven hours a day of physical therapy, Begich said. But “don’t assume he’s not there,” Begich added, saying Rockefeller is in constant contact with members and staff. Begich said he also supports exploring ways to broaden the public’s access to video content. But he didn’t offer any detailed suggestions.
OPASTCO hopes to get members to send letters to the FCC supporting the group’s requested exemption from local number portability rules. The commission has tentatively decided to reduce the time limit for switching customers between carriers to 48 hours from four business days. But that requirement would be difficult for rural companies that lack automated porting systems to fulfill, so OPASTCO wants the commission to allow them to keep the four-day limit. “This exemption would affect very few customers,” the group said.
On video access, OPASTCO hopes Congress will change retransmission-consent rules so multichannel video programming distributors can get content from broadcasters outside their designated market areas. “MVPDs should be permitted to engage in free-market negotiations with broadcasters in other DMAs in order to obtain relevant news and other programs at affordable rates,” an OPASTCO position paper said. The group also wants the “terrestrial loophole” in program access rules changed to eliminate what it calls discrimination by programmers allied with large cable systems against small MVPDs.
Separately, OPASTCO and the Western Telecommunications Alliance endorsed Mignon Clyburn as a nominee to be an FCC commissioner (CD May 1 p1).