Conventional wisdom on the AT&T-BellSouth merger is that it faces a smooth regulatory path, especially in light of recent mega-mergers led by SBC’s takeover of AT&T late last year. But questions remain about how the arrival of Comr. Robert McDowell could affect FCC handling of the merger.
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
FCC Chmn. Martin reassured Gulf Coast residents Mon. the FCC remains committed to improving public safety communications in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the region in a storm that hit last Aug. Martin opened a meeting of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks in Jackson, Miss. Martin, along with Comr. Tate, was also scheduled to tour the Jackson Police Dept.’s PSAP. The hearing continues today (Tues.)
The federal govt. is unlikely to force federal agencies to “pay” for the spectrum they use, a major topic of last week’s conference by NTIA investigating govt. spectrum use, experts agree. Instead, the likely next step is a more complete inventory of govt. controlled spectrum, listing which frequencies are used and whether they're used efficiently.
Broadband providers are growing increasingly concerned that FCC attention to protecting customer proprietary network information (CPNI) means a pending rulemaking probably will produce a requirement that they protect such data. Cramming, slamming and truth in billing also were raised in a notice of proposed rulemaking the FCC released in Sept.
Results in nations emerging as leaders in spectrum reform have been mixed, speakers said Wed. on an NTIA panel on international issues.
Identities of high bidders in June’s advanced wireless services (AWS) auction would be secret until the sale ends, under rules apparently headed for FCC approval. Sources said despite wireless carriers’ opposition, the Wireless Bureau seems inclined for the first time to embrace nondisclosure provisions. The proposal got backing this week from the FTC’s Bureau of Economics.
Govt. officials and economists clashed Tues. as the NTIA opened a 2-day meeting in D.C. -- part of the build-up to an NTIA report on improving the efficiency of govt. spectrum use. NTIA is investigating whether govt. entities like DoJ should compete for spectrum, subject to budget limits on capital outlays such as buying cars that agents drive.
The FCC, under growing congressional and high-tech sector pressure, is closer to approving a rulemaking opening unused TV channels to unlicensed use, sources said. The final “white spaces” rule could come this summer and would take effect after the DTV transition ends in 2009.
800 MHz rebanding is going about as well as expected, given the complexity of the regions completed, a top Sprint Nextel executive said. Of 500 regions in wave 1, about 66 went into alternate dispute resolution when talks failed. About a dozen regions appear headed to the FCC for a decision. The Sprint official spoke on the eve of an 800 MHz Transition Administrator (TA) report being released today (Thurs.).
The Technology CEO Council Wed. called on the FCC and NTIA to complete a full analysis of which spectrum bands aren’t being put to the highest and best use. The report should look closely at govt. bands that could be used more efficiently by business, public safety or others, the report said.