Federal Communications Commission Open Meeting (November 2017)

Open Meeting

Federal Communications Commission
November 16, 2017
10:30 -- 12:30
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the November Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 16, 2017:

Blocking Unlawful Robocalls – The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would
expressly authorize voice service providers to block certain types of robocalls that falsely appear
to be from telephone numbers that do not or cannot make outgoing calls. It also would prohibit
voice service providers from blocking 911 calls under these rules, encourage voice service
providers to provide a mechanism to allow subscribers whose legitimate calls are blocked in error
to stop such blocking, and clarify that providers may exclude calls blocked under these rules from
their call completion reports. (CG Docket No. 17-59)

Spectrum Bands Above 24 GHz – The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order,
Order on Reconsideration, and Memorandum Opinion and Order that would make available 1,700
MHz of additional high-frequency spectrum for flexible terrestrial wireless use; provide 4
gigahertz for core satellite use; and adopt, refine, or affirm a number of service rules to promote
robust deployment in these bands, and a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking
comment on certain related earth station, buildout, and licensing issues. (GN Docket No. 14-177;
IB Docket No. 15-256; WT Docket No. 10-112; IB Docket No. 97-95)

Replacement Utility Poles Report & Order – The Commission will consider a Report and
Order to eliminate the requirement for historic preservation review where utility poles are
replaced with substantially identical poles that can support antennas or other wireless
communications equipment, and to consolidate the Commission’s historic preservation review
rules into a single rule. (WT Docket No. 17-79)

Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment – The Commission will consider a Report and
Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order that will revise
and seek comment on further changes to the Commission’s pole attachment rules, network
change disclosure processes, and section 214(a) discontinuance processes to remove barriers to
infrastructure investment and promote broadband deployment, and will seek comment on taking
targeted actions to facilitate rebuilding and repairing broadband infrastructure after natural
disasters. (WC Docket No. 17-84)

Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers – The Commission will consider a
Fourth Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, Memorandum Opinion and Order, Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking, and Notice of Inquiry to adopt and propose measures to effectively and
efficiently bridge the digital divide for Lifeline subscribers and reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in
the Lifeline program. (WC Docket No. 17-287)

Reconsideration of Broadcast Ownership Rules – The Commission will consider an Order on
Reconsideration and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that updates the Commission’s broadcast
ownership and attribution rules to reflect the current media marketplace, denies various other
requests for reconsideration, finds that the Commission will adopt an Incubator Program to
promote ownership diversity, and seeks comment on how to structure and administer such a
program. (MB Docket Nos. 14-50, 09-182, 07-294, 04-256, 17-289)

Modernizing Cable Data Collection – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking that seeks comment on whether to eliminate Form 325, Annual Report of Cable
Television Systems, or, in the alternative, on ways to modernize and streamline the form. (MB
Docket Nos. 17-290, 17-105)

‘Next Generation’ Broadcast Television Standard – The Commission will consider a Report
and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking authorizing television broadcasters to use
the Next Generation television transmission standard (ATSC 3.0) on a voluntary, market-driven
basis. (GN Docket No. 16-142)