The FCC will take a series of steps aimed at addressing cybersecurity challenges during the commissioners' June 6 open meeting (see 2405150042). A draft NPRM released Thursday would seek comment on a proposal to impose specific reporting requirements on nine service providers as part of the agency's effort to increase border gateway protocol and resource public key infrastructure security, which assist routing traffic across the internet.
House Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee members questioned FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Thursday on the commission's funding request for increased staffing across the agency and the affordable connectivity program. During the hearing on the FCC's FY 2025 budget proposal (see 2403110056), some legislators raised concerns about the FCC's work on combating illegal robocalls and its spectrum authority.
Industry representatives and members of the Fiber Broadband Association's middle-mile and public policy working groups emphasized the need for more public-private partnerships to promote middle mile connectivity during a webinar Wednesday. "Middle mile is like that middle child that keeps getting ignored," said Sachin Gupta, Centranet director-government business and economic development. "If we continue ignoring it," he warned, "we will not be able to connect all of these new last mile connections that we are planning on building."
The FCC will address "additional measures to combat emerging security challenges of the digital age" during the commissioners' open meeting June 6, said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a note Wednesday. Commissioners will consider a proposal requiring that ISPs comply with new rules concerning border gateway protocol (BGP) security and a pilot program supporting cybersecurity services for E-rate participants. Also on the agenda is a proposal that would change existing bank rating standards for high-cost programs and updates to the commission's low-power television rules.
LTD Broadband asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Wednesday to overturn the FCC's denial of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase (RDOF) I auction long-form application. It filed a partially redacted petition (docket 24-1017). LTD was the largest RDOF winner, receiving an award of roughly $1.3 billion to deploy broadband to 528,088 locations across more than a dozen states (see 2012070039).
Industry representatives raised concerns about potential negative effects for consumers should the FCC adopt an NPRM Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated among fellow commissioners last month that bans bulk billing arrangements between ISPs and multi-dwelling unit (MDU) owners (see 2403050069). "We built our business around" MDUs because "there was a gap in the marketplace" and a "demand to provide an alternative to the incumbent providers," said Pavlov Media President-MDU Bryan Rader.
The FCC released the final text of an order restoring net neutrality and reclassifying broadband internet access service as a Communications Act Title II telecom service Tuesday. Commissioners approved the item during their April open meeting in a 3-2 vote. An initial comparison between the final text and the draft shows several changes, including "no rate regulation, no tariffing, no unbundling of last-mile facilities, and no cost accounting rules" as part of the Title II reclassification (see 2404250004). The order also clarified that "we have not determined that regulation of zero-rating and interconnection is detrimental, leaving room for states to experiment and explore their own approaches within the bounds of our overarching federal framework." The FCC added to the state preemption section that “the mere existence of a state affordability program is not rate regulation.” The commission won’t “address any particular program here,” it said. “Nevertheless, we find that states have a critical role to play in promoting broadband affordability and ensuring connectivity for low-income consumers.” The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld New York state’s affordable broadband law one day after the FCC adopted the Title II decision (see 2404260051).
The Universal Service Administrative Co's. (USAC) role in administering the FCC's Universal Service Fund programs "is purely administrative," the FCC told the U.S. Supreme Court in response to Consumers' Research's challenge of how the commission determines quarterly contribution factors (see 2401100044). USAC "must comply with detailed regulations issued by the FCC" and "helps the FCC compute the amount of each quarterly payment" carriers must contribute, the agency said in an opposition brief filed in docket 23-456.
Policymakers, industry officials and broadband experts emphasized the demand for additional rural broadband deployment and affordability programs during an NTCA policy conference Wednesday in Washington. With uncertainty looming around the FCC's affordable connectivity program, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks urged Congress to replenish the program and keep rural communities connected (see 2405010055).
Most industry groups opposed the FCC's decision restoring net neutrality rules and reclassifying broadband internet access service (BIAS) as a Communications Act Title II service Thursday. Most disagreed with Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on the order's legal standing, warning it could likely be overturned if a challenge is brought (see 2404250004). The Wireless ISP Association will "carefully review" the order and "determine what legal recourse we should take," Vice President-Policy Louis Peraertz said. Several consumer advocacy groups praised the order.