Not a completely hands-off approach. Overall, to me, Pai is saying the right
things. Some examples:
"The FCC has tools that it can use to help close this digital divide. First, we
can more wisely apply federal funds under the Universal Service Fund programs
that we administer. Second, we can revise regulations that deter the private
sector from investing in next-generation networks. Finally, we can aid state
and local governments, as well as the private sector, by creating
deployment-friendly best practices. With these tools, we could bring down the
cost of deploying broadband and create incentives for providers to connect
consumers in hard-to-serve areas."
"In order to solve this problem, the FCC adopted, on a bipartisan basis, a plan
to bring 4G LTE service to millions of rural Americans who don't have it today.
Over ten years, we will spend over $4.5 billion to bring mobile broadband to
unserved areas. And by distributing this money through a reverse auction, we
will ensure that we do so in a fiscally responsible way."
"Turning to the second order, the FCC also voted on February 23 to finalize the
rules for allocating nearly $2 billion from the Connect America Fund, which
aims to advance fixed broadband service across the country. Here again, we will
direct financial support to deploy fixed broadband in unserved rural areas
using a competitive reverse auction. My aim is to get the best deal for the
American people with the limited funds we have available. And I am pleased that
we were able to adopt this order on a bipartisan basis."
Does not sound much different from what Tom Wheeler said. Glad to see the FTTH
mantra isn't being chanted, especially when public funds are involved.
"This Next Gen TV standard, also known as ATSC 3.0, is the first one to
leverage the power of the Internet, and it promises to dramatically transform
broadcasting. With Next Gen TV, broadcasters could offer innovative
technologies and services to consumers, including ultra-HD picture and
immersive audio, improved over-the-air reception, and more localized content.
This new standard would also enable better accessibility options for those with
disabilities. It could enable advanced emergency alerting with alerts tailored
to particular communities and wake up sleeping devices to warn consumers of
imminent emergencies. And it could give consumers the ability to watch
over-the-air programming from their mobile devices."
A little hyped up, but at least no one is claiming that ATSC 3.0 provides
broadband access. BTW, "immersive audio" depends entirely on what *your* TV
set, sound bar, or A/V receiver, supports. My bet is that you'll be hard
pressed, in most real-world homes, to do anything more "immersive" than the
ATSC 1.0 supported 5.1, or at most, 7.1 audio. I suppose some people might be
encouraged to install 24 speakers, including mounted to the ceiling, but most,
by far, will not.
"That's why I have teed up an aggressive agenda to target and eliminate
unlawful robocalls. As a first step, the Commission will vote this month on my
proposal to let carriers block spoofed robocalls, that is, calls in which a
scammer conceals his identity on Caller ID by using a fake number, such as a
number associated with the IRS. The proposed rules would allow carriers to
block spoofed calls where the owner of the number being spoofed requests it as
well as calls that purport to come from unassigned or invalid phone numbers
(there's a database that keeps track of all phone numbers, and many of them
aren't assigned to a voice service provider or aren't otherwise in use). There
is no reason why any legitimate caller should be spoofing numbers in this
way-it's just a way for scammers to evade the law."
This is on the overly-timid side. "... my proposal to let carriers block
spoofed robocalls, ..." Why should carriers care? Good to see some attention on
this problem, but this measure lacks teeth. Carriers won't do anything that
costs them money. Why should they?
And, good to see no libertarian rhetoric against mandated net neutrality.
Bert
-----------------------------------
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0308/DOC-343814A1.pdf
TESTIMONY OF FCC CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI
BEFORE THE SENATE COMMERCE, SCIENCE,
AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
"OVERSIGHT OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION"
MARCH 8, 2017
Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, and Members of the Committee, thank you
for giving me the opportunity to testify today. For almost five years, it has
been an honor to work with many of you on a wide variety of issues. Now, in my
new role as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, I look forward
to continued collaboration as we try to bring digital opportunity to all
Americans.
I would like to discuss four areas I will be emphasizing so long as I am
privileged to serve as Chairman: closing the digital divide; promoting
innovation; protecting consumers and public safety; and reforming the FCC's
processes.
1. Closing the Digital Divide.-High-speed Internet access, or broadband, is
critical to economic opportunity. But there are still too many parts of this
country where broadband is unavailable or unaffordable. There is a real and
growing digital divide in America. In wealthier, metropolitan areas, 4G LTE is
ubiquitous, and gigabit fixed service is expanding. But many rural areas are
being left behind.
I've seen this firsthand in my travels across the country. In West Virginia,
for example, Senator Capito and I met with small business owners who were
frustrated by their lack of high-quality broadband access-and we heard how
fixing the problem could revitalize their economy. I've been to the far reaches
of Alaska and heard from Alaska Natives that a lack of middle-mile connectivity
has made it harder to connect their communities. And I have listened to people
in Kansas and South Dakota and Nevada and Mississippi and elsewhere who worry
that without broadband, they and their children won't have the ability to
compete and prosper in the 21st century.
The FCC has tools that it can use to help close this digital divide. First, we
can more wisely apply federal funds under the Universal Service Fund programs
that we administer. Second, we can revise regulations that deter the private
sector from investing in next-generation networks. Finally, we can aid state
and local governments, as well as the private sector, by creating
deployment-friendly best practices. With these tools, we could bring down the
cost of deploying broadband and create incentives for providers to connect
consumers in hard-to-serve areas.
We are already using these tools and turning the aspiration of ubiquitous
Internet access into reality.
First, with respect to subsidies: On February 23, the FCC adopted two separate
orders to spur the buildout of mobile and fixed broadband networks in rural
America, and with that took two major steps toward connecting rural America.
One order involves what is known as Mobility Fund Phase II. The goal of the
Mobility Fund is to ensure that all Americans have access to advanced wireless
services. But not all do. I myself was struck, during a recent drive from
Wichita, Kansas to Des Moines, Iowa, how often the signal on my mobile phone
was either weak or nonexistent. And that was even on relatively major roads
such as Interstate 35.
In order to solve this problem, the FCC adopted, on a bipartisan basis, a plan
to bring 4G LTE service to millions of rural Americans who don't have it today.
Over ten years, we will spend over $4.5 billion to bring mobile broadband to
unserved areas. And by distributing this money through a reverse auction, we
will ensure that we do so in a fiscally responsible way.
I appreciate the bipartisan support this initiative has received in Congress
(including on this Committee) and at the Commission. And I look forward to
working with my colleagues and all of you as we start implementing our plan.
Turning to the second order, the FCC also voted on February 23 to finalize the
rules for allocating nearly $2 billion from the Connect America Fund, which
aims to advance fixed broadband service across the country. Here again, we will
direct financial support to deploy fixed broadband in unserved rural areas
using a competitive reverse auction. My aim is to get the best deal for the
American people with the limited funds we have available. And I am pleased that
we were able to adopt this order on a bipartisan basis.
And in the FCC's very first vote under my leadership, we approved-yet again on
a bipartisan basis, and this time with bipartisan cooperation from Congress-a
partnership with New York State to combine up to $170 million in federal
universal service funds with state funds to deploy broadband in unserved areas
in Upstate New York. This means that for the first time, thousands of people in
the Empire State will finally have high-speed Internet access.
In addition to providing targeted funding to expand broadband deployment in
rural America, the FCC also can lower the cost of deployment through regulatory
reform. We need to reduce the red tape and make it easier for broadband
providers to build or expand next-generation networks. That's why, on January
31, I announced the creation of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, or
BDAC. This advisory committee will focus on the best ways to promote broadband
deployment. One of the BDAC's key tasks will be to draft a deployment-friendly
model code that any city or town could use as a template. And the BDAC will
also look at reforms the FCC can adopt to lower the cost and expedite the
process of broadband deployment. The response to the announcement of the BDAC's
formation has been tremendous. Over 380 individuals applied, and we are
currently in the process of selecting the members and setting up the committee.
We also have already taken some important steps to clear regulatory burdens
which inhibit broadband deployment. In February, for example, we ended the
requirement that price cap carriers maintain a separate set of accounting books
merely for regulatory purposes. Carriers were spending millions each year to
maintain these accounts, even though career staff told us that in the last few
years the FCC has never needed to rely on data they generated. By clearing away
this regulation, carriers will be able to use those resources to invest in new
networks rather than unnecessary paperwork. Later this month, we will also vote
on reforming our cellular license rules. This will allow carriers to have
greater flexibility in using their cellular licenses so they can more easily
deploy 4G and 5G mobile services. These types of common-sense regulatory
reforms aren't particularly flashy, but they are vital to promoting aggressive
buildout throughout our nation.
2. Promoting Innovation.-Another key priority for the FCC is to create a
regulatory environment in which innovation can thrive. Entrepreneurs are
constantly coming up with new technologies and services. But consumers aren't
well-served when outdated rules and bureaucratic inertia stand in the way of
bringing them to the market.
Under my leadership, I want the FCC to facilitate, not frustrate, innovation.
That's why last month, for example, we started a proceeding aimed at allowing
television broadcasters to innovate and fully enter the digital era. Engineers
in the broadcast industry have been hard at work developing a new transmission
standard that would let broadcasters merge the capabilities of over-the-air
broadcasting with broadband connectivity. This Next Gen TV standard, also known
as ATSC 3.0, is the first one to leverage the power of the Internet, and it
promises to dramatically transform broadcasting.
With Next Gen TV, broadcasters could offer innovative technologies and services
to consumers, including ultra-HD picture and immersive audio, improved
over-the-air reception, and more localized content. This new standard would
also enable better accessibility options for those with disabilities. It could
enable advanced emergency alerting with alerts tailored to particular
communities and wake up sleeping devices to warn consumers of imminent
emergencies. And it could give consumers the ability to watch over-the-air
programming from their mobile devices. But this new standard can't be deployed
without the approval of the FCC.
Fortunately, last month, the Commission unanimously proposed to allow
broadcasters to deploy Next Gen TV on a voluntary, market-driven basis. I hope
that we will be able to give final approval for the standard by the end of the
year.
But our work to promote innovation doesn't stop there. Last month, the FCC
authorized the firstever LTE-U (LTE for unlicensed) devices in the 5 GHz band-a
significant advance in wireless innovation and spectrum sharing. This means
wireless consumers will get to enjoy the best of both worlds: a more robust,
seamless experience when their devices are using cellular networks and the
continued enjoyment of Wi-Fi, one of the most creative uses of spectrum in
history.
The Commission has also ended its investigation into the free-data offerings of
wireless carriers. Innovative offerings like T-Mobile's Binge On have been
popular with consumers, particularly lowincome Americans, and have enhanced
competition in the marketplace. I firmly believe the Commission should favor
permissionless innovation in this fiercely competitive market-and rely on
consumer choice to sort out what innovations best serve the public interest.
3. Protecting Consumers and Public Safety.-The FCC's core mission has always
been to serve the broader public interest, and that means protecting consumers
and keeping the public safe. We have made progress on each front in just a
month and a half.
One thing that seems to unite all Americans is the ever-rising tide of
robocalls that disrupts family dinners and target vulnerable populations like
older Americans with scams. Robocalls are the number one consumer complaint to
the FCC from the public, and it's no wonder: Every month, U.S. consumers are
bombarded by about 2.4 billion robocalls. It's time to end this threat.
That's why I have teed up an aggressive agenda to target and eliminate unlawful
robocalls. As a first step, the Commission will vote this month on my proposal
to let carriers block spoofed robocalls, that is, calls in which a scammer
conceals his identity on Caller ID by using a fake number, such as a number
associated with the IRS. The proposed rules would allow carriers to block
spoofed calls where the owner of the number being spoofed requests it as well
as calls that purport to come from unassigned or invalid phone numbers (there's
a database that keeps track of all phone numbers, and many of them aren't
assigned to a voice service provider or aren't otherwise in use). There is no
reason why any legitimate caller should be spoofing numbers in this way-it's
just a way for scammers to evade the law.
Another consumer protection is improving communications services for Americans
who are deaf and hard of hearing. For 15 years, video relay service (VRS) has
enabled deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to call friends, family members,
and others using American Sign Language (ASL) and a videophone, and to have
their calls interpreted from signs to voice and vice versa. And for four years,
I have been pushing to improve the quality of these services and make them more
functionally equivalent to the voice services available to hearing individuals.
Later this month, the Commission will vote on concrete steps to do just
that-steps such as a skills-based routing trial, standardized
quality-of-service metrics, and letting VRS users call directly family members
and friends who know ASL.
Another area in which we are working to help the American people is preventing
the use of contraband cell phones in correctional facilities. I have visited
several of these facilities, from a maximum security prison in Georgia to a
minimum security unit in Massachusetts. And I've consistently heard stories of
how contraband cell phones are used to run drug operations, to conduct phone
scams, and to facilitate violent acts, including murders. The FCC proposed
certain reforms four years ago to address this problem. This month, we will
finally vote on some of them, such as enabling the use of radio-based
technologies to detect and block the use of contraband phones in prisons and
jails. I've also asked my colleagues to agree to solicit public input on other
solutions for addressing this pressing problem, including disabling illicit
devices and geo-fencing.
Furthermore, recent events have made clear that the FCC's public safety role
includes urgent short-term action, not just longer-term rulemaking. Last
Wednesday, the agency received requests to grant a waiver to Jewish Community
Centers and telecommunications carriers to allow them to identify the
perpetrator(s) of violent threats to those centers in dozens of locations. I
quickly reviewed the requests and directed the FCC staff to act with dispatch.
They did. This past Friday, our Consumer and
Governmental Affairs Bureau granted the emergency waiver (with Commissioners'
assent, for which I am grateful). I hope this measure helps law enforcement
apprehend and bring to justice any person who has made such threats.
4. Reforming the FCC's Processes.-For many years, those inside and outside the
agency have called for process reforms to make the work of the FCC more
transparent. As a minority Commissioner at the agency, I was not shy about
pressing for changes that would give all Commissioners greater say in the
agency's operations. And as a Chairman, I have made it a priority to implement
those reforms. I have taken meaningful steps to devolve power from the
Chairman's Office and return it to my colleagues and the agency as a whole. I
want to highlight just a couple of those reforms today.
First, I always found it strange that the public was not allowed to see what
the FCC was voting on until after the FCC voted. Of course, well-connected
lobbyists could generally find out much of what was in the Commission's draft
proposals and orders. But hundreds of millions of Americans were left in the
dark.
As a Commissioner, I was told that it simply was not practical to release the
text of the documents prior to Commission meetings. As Chairman, I worked as
quickly as possible to put that proposition to the test. On February 2, three
weeks before our February meeting, I started a pilot program and made public
the full text of two draft items on the meeting's agenda. Things went so well
that last week, I made public the draft text of all six items for our March
meeting, as well as one-page fact sheets and a public blog post describing
them. Allowing anyone, anywhere to see these documents publicly is another step
towards shedding more sunlight on the FCC's operations.
I would like to thank Commissioner O'Rielly for his strong leadership on the
issue of process reform. And I would like to commend Commissioner Clyburn for
her suggestion that fact sheets accompany the release of draft meeting items.
I'm optimistic that after this month's meeting, we will be able to end the
pilot program and establish permanent procedures for releasing items to the
public three weeks in advance of our meetings. This is just one example of how
I intend to make the FCC more open
and accountable to the American people. I look forward to working with my
colleagues to implement more process reforms in the weeks to come.
* * *
In the first six weeks of my Chairmanship, we have hit the ground running. And
let me emphasize the "we." What we have accomplished so far is a tremendous
credit to the nonpartisan, federal employees of the agency-our hard-working
professional staff, who are the agency's strongest assets. It is a credit to my
colleagues Commissioner Clyburn and Commissioner O'Rielly, who have been
integral in moving the agenda forward and doing so time after time on a
bipartisan basis. And it is a credit to you,
our congressional overseers, as well as other elected officials like Senator
Schumer, who have highlighted the many issues the FCC must tackle in a
bipartisan manner. These past six weeks have only re-affirmed my view that no
FCC office or floor holds a monopoly on wisdom.
And as we move forward, I hope we can continue to work together on a bipartisan
basis to close the digital divide, promote innovation, protect consumers and
public safety, and improve the FCC's processes and procedures.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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