Communications Daily

Consumer groups endorsed CEA's 2-way plug-and-play proposal over cable's, asking FCC Chmn. Martin to open a rulemaking to solicit comments on the proposal, as he's expected to do (CD June 11 p1). The letter, sent by Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Free Press, Knowledge Ecology International, Media Access Project, New America Foundation, Public Knowledge and U.S. Public Interest Research Group, is an early salvo in an emerging battle over who controls how cable users access programming:… more

Net neutrality advocates are pressing the FCC to adopt "openness" principles in rules for the 700 MHz auction, in addition to urging that the agency require auction winners to adopt net neutrality principles. Net neutrality supporters sent the FCC nearly 250,000 letters on open access Mon., following up previous filings urging buildout requirements and limits on incumbents' participation in the auction. The campaign urges the FCC to require all licensees to carry Internet and voice traffic without degradation and allow… more

Potential bidders and public interest groups urged the FCC Fri. to keep bidders' identities anonymous in the upcoming 700 MHz auction. By maintaining anonymity, bidders wouldn't be able to signal or use blocking techniques to exclude new entrants from participating in the auction, panelists at a New America Foundation lunch said. The process would help yield a better return to the public for auction of the public licenses."Anonymous bidding is the best route," said Greg Rose, economist with… more

Chmn. Martin plans a vote on rules for the 700 MHz auction at the April 25 agenda meeting -- though he didn't circulate an order Wed. giving colleagues the usual 3 weeks to study the item, sources said Thurs. Martin asked other FCC members to waive this rule. He's expected to circulate an item as early as today (Fri.)...

Commissioners and staff have been meeting this week with representatives of parties interested in the 700 MHz auction. Commissioners hope to… more

The U.S. needs a wireless broadband policy as community networks "pop up everywhere," said Sascha Meinrath, exec. dir.-Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless. Speaking at the Freedom to Connect conference near D.C., he and others said before the feds can act, they need better information...The U.S. needs to "explicitly pursue federal policy" to stop telcos from getting states to preempt local govts. from doing it, said Michael Calabrese, Dir.-New America Foundation Wireless Future Program. Lack of broad wireless broadband adoption isn't… more

Cyren Call CEO Morgan O'Brien's spectrum proposal largely could solve America's broadband access problems and deliver a fully interoperable safety network, he said. On a Hill panel at the New America Foundation, O'Brien said Fri. he'd have more details of the proposal Mon. in a filing with the FCC. It will answer questions about how the company can succeed financially serving public and private needs, he said.O'Brien's plan has stirred a "considerable amount of controversy," because… more

Talks on the 8th floor about an oft-delayed digital radio order include consideration of whether the FCC should issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on multicast reporting obligations, said an agency official and activists involved in the issue. An order to permit FM multicasting and nighttime digital AM broadcasts already has the backing of Chmn. Martin and the other 2 Republican commissioners (CD Aug 14 p3). At stake now is what compromises might bring Comrs. Adelstein and Copps aboard. more

Emergency communications need "fundamental" reform, the New America Foundation said Thurs., urging a shift in focus from local to national control. A national system exploiting commercial networks as appropriate would be cheaper and more effective than today's, the report said.

"We throw a lot of money at trying to make incremental changes, trying to do things that maybe this system was not designed to do," study author Jon Peha, a Carnegie Mellon U. prof., said: "Incremental changes sometimes are good,… more

The FCC's next meeting could see the Commission vote on a kids' TV ad limit deal that would cement a compromise reached Dec. 15 between large broadcasters and advocacy groups, said an agency official. The final order likely will resemble a voluntary accord (CD Dec 16 p1) in which ABC, NBC and other broadcasters agreed to provide 3 hours of educational shows on each multicast digital channel and during that time limit ads including display of web addresses, said the… more

The FCC also delayed by 60 days the date by which Clear Channel, CBS Radio and other firms must answer a letter of inquiry on payola, the staffer said.

Chmn. Martin's office again extended the vote on radio multicasting until at least Fri., said the FCC source. A revised draft of the order, which broadcast executives expect will permit FM multicasts and nighttime AM digital radio hasn't circulated among all commissioners, said the agency official.

The radio order delay may arise from… more