Federal Communications Commission

Last year, the Federal Communications Commission pushed through, on a party-line vote, privacy regulations designed to benefit one group of favored companies over another group of disfavored companies. Appropriately, Congress has passed a resolution to reject this approach of picking winners and losers before it takes effect.

It is worth remembering that the FCC’s own overreach created the problem we are facing today. Until 2015, the Federal Trade Commission was protecting consumers very effectively, policing every online company’s privacy practices consistently and initiating numerous enforcement actions. However, two years ago, the FCC stripped the FTC of its authority over Internet service providers. At the time, I strongly opposed usurping the FTC, and the FCC’s struggles to address the privacy issue over the past couple of years (along with its refusal to recognize consumers’ uniform expectation of privacy) has only strengthened that view.

Moving forward, I want the American people to know that the FCC will work with the FTC to ensure that consumers’ online privacy is protected though a consistent and comprehensive framework. In my view, the best way to achieve that result would be to return jurisdiction over broadband providers’ privacy practices to the FTC, with its decades of experience and expertise in this area.

By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) names Charles Mathias as the ombudsperson to serve as the single point of contact for issues related to contraband wireless devices in correctional facilities and the deployment of technologies used to combat this vital public safety problem. Mathias will also continue serving in his current position as Associate Chief in WTB.

Our office is pleased to release a final version of the #Solutions2020 Call to Action Plan. We believe these recommendations, if acted upon in a timely manner, can deliver robust, affordable, and reliable connectivity within the next four years. Taken together, these recommendations would narrow the opportunities divide, support the growth of our economy and greatly improve the quality of life for all Americans. Implementation will require bipartisan action, support from leaders at the federal, state and local levels as well as buy-in from representatives of the technology and telecommunications industries. I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners, Members of Congress, state and local government partners, the public interest community and industry to bring about real and lasting change by the end of this decade.

Overall Recommendations:
1) Ensuring Affordable Communications
2) Empowering Communities
3) 5G and Beyond for All Americans
4) Enhancing Consumer Protections
4) Broadband as a Driver of Imporved Health Services
6) Promoting a More Diverse Media Landscape

The Federal Communications Commission is alerting consumers to be on the lookout for scam callers seeking to get victims to say the word “yes” during a call and later use a recording of the response to authorize unwanted charges on the victim's utility or credit card account.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement on the announcement by Charter Communications on broadband investment: “The FCC’s top priority is making sure that any American who wants high-speed Internet access, or broadband, is able to get it. To do that, since January, we have been working to set rules of the road that encourage companies to build and upgrade broadband networks across the country. I’m pleased to see that our investment-friendly policies, along with the Administration’s overall regulatory approach, are already producing results. I applaud Charter Communications for its announcement today that it intends to spend $25 billion in broadband infrastructure and technology over the next four years. I am optimistic that this massive investment will help to close the digital divide and to strengthen our economy.”

This Public Notice solicits input on competition in the mobile wireless industry for the Federal Communications Commission’s Twentieth Annual Report on the State of Competition in Mobile Wireless, including Commercial Mobile Radio Services.

The Communications Act requires the submission to Congress each year of reports analyzing competitive conditions with respect to commercial mobile services. With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (the Bureau) seeks information and data for the Commission’s analysis of competition in the mobile wireless industry for the Twentieth Report.

Interested parties may file comments on or before May 8, 2017 and reply comments on or before June 7, 2017.

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Federal Communications Commission is seeking comment on rules that would codify the “Do-Not-Originate” initiative proposed by the FCC and launched by the industry strike force, allowing the effort to continue to grow and help more consumers. The proposed rules would allow carriers to block spoofed caller ID numbers associated with phone lines that do not actually dial out, without running afoul of FCC rules requiring carriers to complete all calls. A test of this concept, conducted by Strike Force members with the FCC’s permission, reduced IRS scam calls by about 90 percent in the third quarter of 2016.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to simplify the process for Contraband Interdiction Systems (CIS) operators to obtain FCC Authorization to operate, allowing for quicker and easier deployment of these systems in correctional facilities. Specifically, this Order introduces a range of solutions including:

• FCC Authorization Process: The rules adopted today will streamline the process so CIS operators can obtain authorizations faster and with fewer filings.
• Carrier Cooperation: A CIS operator must have arrangements with every carrier providing service in its area in order for the system to be effective. The rules will require wireless carriers to cooperate with CIS operators and correctional facilities in a timely manner.
• FCC Ombudsperson: The Commission will designate an Ombudsperson to serve as the single point of contact for CIS operators and wireless carriers

The Federal Communications Commission approved new rules to improve the quality and efficiency of video relay services. Video relay services (VRS) enable people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech disabled to make calls over broadband through intermediaries using American Sign Language and a videophone. These changes respond to requests from VRS users for improved relay services – and a more robust marketplace of service providers – that are functionally equivalent to those available to hearing individuals.

Specific provisions of the new rules include:

• Specialized Interpreters: The FCC authorizes, on a trial basis, routing VRS calls that require the use of legal, medical, and computer support terminology to interpreters who have special skills in interpreting these technical conversations, and bringing in qualified deaf interpreters to help on calls from people with limited ability in signing or comprehension.
• Comparison Shopping for VRS Companies: The FCC will begin taking action to publish providers’ speed-of-response history to help consumers make informed choices when shopping among providers. The FCC will also explore the development of new service quality data to help consumers make informed choices.
• Direct Video Calls with Hearing People: Video phone numbers will be made available to hearing people who know American Sign Language, so they can have direct-dialed video calls with deaf consumers.
• At-Home Interpreting: The Order authorizes a pilot program for VRS calls to be handled from home-based work stations under strict requirements to maintain call quality and confidentiality.

The Federal Communications Commission moved to reform certain outdated rules applicable to the 800 MHz Cellular Service band to facilitate the use of Cellular spectrum for mobile broadband services such as long term evolution (LTE), which provides high-speed connectivity to today’s mobile consumers. To accommodate continued skyrocketing demand for mobile broadband, the revisions will allow providers to use Cellular spectrum to provide mobile broadband service to the public more efficiently, reduce barriers to innovation and investment and ease administrative burdens. At the same time, the rules will continue to safeguard public safety operations.

Specific reforms include:

• Power Reform: The FCC will facilitate broadband technologies by changing its technical rules to permit Cellular licensees to transmit the same amount of power across the spectrum band, whether they are deploying a legacy (narrow bandwidth) technology or modern (wider bandwidth) technology like LTE.
• Co-existence with Public Safety: The FCC will continue to ensure co-existence of Cellular and neighboring public safety systems by retaining Cellular-specific interference resolution rules and procedures and by engaging stakeholders via a public forum.
• Consistent Treatment with Similar Spectrum Bands: The FCC will treat Cellular spectrum consistently with other similar commercial wireless spectrum bands by conforming rules related to power measurement, out of band emissions, field strength, and discontinuance of operations.
• Unnecessary rules/burdens: The FCC will eliminate unnecessary rules and burdens related to application filings, domestic and international coordination, and comparative renewal.