Oklahoma’s transition to a connections-based state USF contribution mechanism is “so far, so good,” said Brandy Wreath, the Oklahoma USF (OUSF) administrator, in an interview. Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) members ordered the interim change in August to try to stabilize the OUSF while parties work on writing recommendations for the legislature (see 2108050049). In Tuesday comments at the California Public Utilities Commission, wireless companies and consumer groups panned a staff recommendation to shift to a flat, per-line surcharge.
The “sky’s the limit” on how many more broadband dollars California can get beyond a minimum $100 million the state is to receive under the recently enacted infrastructure law, Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., said at a California Forward webinar Tuesday. The infrastructure law’s $65 billion for broadband includes $42.45 billion for NTIA grants to states under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program (see 2111240021). President Joe Biden signed the law but not checks, said Padilla. To get its “fair share,” California must be “proactive” as NTIA defines programs to make sure projects and applications are ready, he said. California is “ahead of the game” because it already invested much money over many years, he said: The state knows well which areas remain unserved and underserved and about how much it will cost to bring them high speeds. How much money each state gets beyond $100 million is based on a formula in the law, and exact amounts won’t be known until FCC maps come out, possibly in early summer 2022, said NTIA acting Administrator Evelyn Remaley. NTIA plans listening sessions and to seek comments as it develops its notice of funding availability, she said. California is "ready and willing" to work with the federal government, said Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes.
It’s a “real stretch” to say Ohio's privacy bill would protect consumer privacy, said American Civil Liberties Union Ohio Chief Lobbyist Gary Daniels in an interview. ACLU seeks a private right of action, but HB-376 requires only AG enforcement, which companies would be able to avoid by fixing any raised problems within 30 days, he said. ACLU prefers opt-in to the proposed opt-out approach, and the bill would give consumers only a right to request certain information, he said. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted’s (R) support for the bill doesn’t guarantee it passes the Republican-majority legislature because some legislators in his own party have clashed with him and Gov. Mike DeWine (R) over government authority responding to COVID-19, said Daniels. At a September hearing, HB-376 sponsors said they think the bill strikes the right balance between protecting consumers and being fair with businesses (see 2109280042).
State broadband leaders see opportunity for transformational change with at least $100 million coming to each state from the infrastructure law’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. States are in planning stages as NTIA prepares to distribute funding, said officials and other experts in interviews after President Joe Biden signed the bill Nov. 15 (see 2111150074).
Massachusetts legislators heard bills to rein in facial recognition technology at a Joint Judiciary Committee virtual hearing Tuesday. Facial recognition dangerously facilitates government surveillance, and the technology discriminates against people of color, said Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem (D). “This is happening,” said Creem, including in Massachusetts schools where districts are using facial identification on kids without parents’ knowledge. Her bill (S-47) would ban such government ID in public locations. Police could perform a facial recognition search with a warrant or in emergencies. Several municipalities including Springfield already ban facial surveillance, said state Rep. Orlando Ramos (D) in support of his similar H-135. The tech is “inconsistent, inaccurate and overall dangerous” for people of color who are frequently misidentified, he said. Current state law regulates law enforcement but not non-police entities like schools and public transportation, he said. Regulating government use of facial recognition is a “good start,” but Rep. Dylan Fernandes (D) is more concerned about a private company using the tech for profit, he said. His H-117 would cover anyone “including corporate affiliates, that collects, stores, or processes facial recognition data,” but not government. Facial ID could have “vast consequences for our society, but there are very few rules guiding it,” said Fernandes.
Verizon closed its Tracfone acquisition, the company said Tuesday. Verizon paid about $3.1 billion cash and 57.6 million shares, it said: If TracFone keeps achieving certain operating metrics, Verizon will pay up to $650 million more cash. “The addition of the TracFone brands firmly establishes Verizon as the provider of choice in the value segment,” said Verizon Consumer Group CEO Ronan Dunne. Conditions from the FCC’s Monday OK (see 2111220069) “can have real-life benefits for consumers -- if they’re vigorously followed and enforced,” said Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Conn.; Sheldon Whitehouse, R.I.; Dianne Feinstein, Calif.; Ron Wyden, Ore.; and Ed Markey, Mass. “This deal reflects the firm, important commitments public interest groups and we fought for to preserve Lifeline and budget services.” The completed deal lets Verizon be "aggressive in the prepaid sector without harming its postpaid branding," said GlobalData analyst Tammy Parker. It "should help reenergize the prepaid sector, amping up the competitive fervor" among national carriers' secondary brands including AT&T's Cricket Wireless and T-Mobile's Metro, she said. "On the negative side, despite consumer protections required by federal and state regulators, TracFone’s acquisition removes an independent service provider from the market."
Verizon expects to close on buying Tracfone this week following FCC OK Monday, the carrier’s spokesperson said. Three commissioners approved and Commissioner Brendan Carr concurred with the order clearing the wireless deal with consumer protection conditions. The California Public Utilities Commission last week conditionally approved the takeover (see 2111180068).
States should use “mind-blowingly huge” broadband dollars from the recently signed infrastructure law as a “hook to really do transformative change,” said Colorado state Sen. Kerry Donovan (D) at a livestreamed NewDEAL annual conference Thursday. The author of Colorado’s net neutrality law advised colleagues in the progressive state and local leaders group that rather than “write a policy that just says, here’s how we’re going to spend the dollars,” they can “address structural flaws that you’ll never be able to pass again if you don’t have the dollar figure tied to that policy.” That’s because the telecom industry “is one of the most challenging, well-resourced lobbying groups to ... take on,” she said. Government must step in where businesses won’t go, even if they won’t yet admit they won’t, said Florida state Sen. Loranne Ausley (D). “Now we have the money." Don’t exclude industry from talks, she cautioned: “I tried to get things done without bringing the industry to the table. It can’t be done.”
The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously cleared Verizon buying Tracfone (see our report here), leaving the FCC as the final regulatory approval needed for the acquisition that would affect many low-income customers. CPUC commissioners voted 5-0 at a virtual meeting Thursday to allow the deal. FCC officials told us they expect the agency to move forward in coming weeks, following the CPUC action.
The National League of Cities has been meeting with the Commerce Department and Economic Development Administration to ensure small and rural communities have access to grant dollars available for broadband under the recently enacted infrastructure bill, NLC Executive Director Clarence Anthony said at an NLC City Summit virtual news-media briefing Wednesday. “Most of that funding is going to be routed through state governments,” but local governments can compete for some grants, plus some state funding “is intended to be passed directly to localities,” said Director-Federal Advocacy Irma Esparza Diggs: Cities also will pay attention to digital equity programs.