tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-243427582024-03-18T18:51:29.302-04:00The Free State FoundationA Free Market Think Tank......Because Ideas MatterUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-23178069130975013122024-03-18T18:41:00.005-04:002024-03-18T18:50:53.078-04:00State Court Rules that USAC is Tax-Immune in Lifeline Case<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On March 7, the Washington State Supreme Court issued its decision</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">in</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/washington/supreme-court/2024/101-873-8.html">Assurance Wireless USA, LP v. State of Washington Department of Revenue</a></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(2024). At issue in the case is whether funds received by telecommunications carriers participating in the federal Lifeline program are subject to Washington's retail sales tax. In a unanimous 9-0 decision, the Washington Supreme Court concluded that because the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) operates as an instrumentality of the federal government, imposition of the retail sales tax violates the intergovernmental tax immunity doctrine. The effect of the court's decision is that it ensures that tax burdens are not saddled on Lifeline program providers and low-income beneficiaries.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFne_YtW8w_eVjqJSqk6QiYH-zu56Att6nHdIW3o1ClaY-4HwtfKnCVKt3Ud242knkynOHFO4WTtS_YIGyzLiId6NGwewp3xKzSZ6xlFIgkx_CmYhTCwD-5eUOKzO3kWcwQfi9Yc7ClDmMeEm41nZR-g83kE7RxrWQvw-MccINz6QOpw5QVHVGQg/s369/USAC_2022ReportLogo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="369" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFne_YtW8w_eVjqJSqk6QiYH-zu56Att6nHdIW3o1ClaY-4HwtfKnCVKt3Ud242knkynOHFO4WTtS_YIGyzLiId6NGwewp3xKzSZ6xlFIgkx_CmYhTCwD-5eUOKzO3kWcwQfi9Yc7ClDmMeEm41nZR-g83kE7RxrWQvw-MccINz6QOpw5QVHVGQg/s320/USAC_2022ReportLogo.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The USAC is the FCC's appointed non-profit entity for administering the Universal Service Fund and the Lifeline program. The Washington Supreme Court determined that the USAC is the "buyer" from whom telecommunications carrier and Lifeline program participating provider Assurance Wireless should have been collecting the tax. That is to say, the court determined that the incidence of the state retail sales tax falls on the USAC.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>Under the intergovernmental immunity doctrine, the federal government and instrumentalities closely connected to it are immune from all forms of taxation absent express Congressional waiver of immunity. The Washington Supreme Court determined that provisions contained in Section 254(e) and 254(f) of the Communications Act do not constitute Congressional waivers. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Looking to factors identified in U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence for determining whether an instrumentality is closely related to governmental activity and therefore tax-immune, the Washington Supreme Court wrote: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Weighing all the factors, we conclude that USAC is an instrumentality of the federal government. It exists solely to carry out the FCC's mission of advancing universal service, which includes the Lifeline program, and USAC pursues no independent business objectives. Congress has acknowledged the FCC's reliance on USAC and approved of their relationship as the means of implementing universal service programs. Further, although USAC is nominally an independent nonprofit, the FCC's regulatory control over USAC's operations, leadership composition, and finances have produced an entity so closely related to the FCC that we conclude it operates as an instrumentality of the federal government for purposes of the intergovernmental tax immunity doctrine. </span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a November 9, 2024 <i>FSF Blog</i> post, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/11/state-court-weighing-usac-on-tax.html" style="color: #954f72;">State Court Weighing USAC on Tax Immunity for Lifeline</a>," I previewed this case. I suggested that Assurance Wireless USA had a stronger position on the tax immunity of the USAC. Former FCC Commissioners Robert McDowell and Mignon Clyburn were among those who filed amicus curiae briefs favoring tax immunity for the USAC. The effect of such immunity is that it better enables Lifeline to serve its programmatic purpose of providing telecommunications services to qualifying low-income individuals. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Universal service reform and the Lifeline program were topics for discussion during the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qpim76nv1Y" style="color: #954f72;">hot topics in communications law and policy panel</a> at the Free State Foundation's 16th Annual Policy Conference held on March 12.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1qpim76nv1Y?si=NlZxHGHuo1uhICaZ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qpim76nv1Y" style="color: #954f72;">Video</a> of that panel and former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC-f57mQc4k&t=2s" style="color: #954f72;">discussion</a> with former Commissioner Mike O’Rielly and two current Commission members can be found on FSF's video web page. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-13470873229351683282024-03-15T15:51:00.001-04:002024-03-15T20:20:00.550-04:00Divided FCC Imposes New Pricing Requirements on Legacy Video Providers<p><span style="font-size: large;">At its Open Meeting on Thursday, the FCC voted along party lines to require facilities-based video distributors – that is, cable and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers, but not upstart competitors that stream their content over the public Internet – to present <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-votes-require-cable-and-satellite-tv-pricing-transparency" target="_blank">an "all-in" price</a> on their customer bills and in advertising materials. Republican Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington issued Dissenting Statements exposing the agency's general lack of statutory authority to impose such obligations.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The Commission's pending proceeding exclusively targeting <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-23-106A1.pdf" target="_blank">cable and DBS billing practices</a>, in which Free State Foundation President Randolph J. May and I filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FSF-Comments-Cable-Operator-and-DBS-Provider-Billing-Practices-010524.pdf" target="_blank">comments</a> and <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/FSF-Reply-Comments-Cable-Operator-and-DBS-Provider-Billing-Practices-030524.pdf" target="_blank">reply comments</a>, similarly singles out traditional multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) for additional regulatory burdens wholly lacking statutory authority even as they struggle to compete with streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus, among many others.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBH_oynFJsH3ojcJAvrpVWVA8uK0dlLDQdjSFAJK8-vbwEpwCb0CtE6wZhru2Le6WxoJD3sP7GsqltNJGq70gPlRupzZTuxOwAJuNgtrkSJXv1NOszRfMNf93j2U7T59FbqIBAjKtc51_wV5p9L63KGjFa8cwL4zMf1qzn6_J28IL6j85OudDFg/s2400/Found-Icons-in-HK-4-2014111931.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="2400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBH_oynFJsH3ojcJAvrpVWVA8uK0dlLDQdjSFAJK8-vbwEpwCb0CtE6wZhru2Le6WxoJD3sP7GsqltNJGq70gPlRupzZTuxOwAJuNgtrkSJXv1NOszRfMNf93j2U7T59FbqIBAjKtc51_wV5p9L63KGjFa8cwL4zMf1qzn6_J28IL6j85OudDFg/w320-h320/Found-Icons-in-HK-4-2014111931.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner Simington in his <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-401215A5.pdf" target="_blank">Dissenting Statement</a> emphasizes this concern, writing that:</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">[W]e are yet again adding additional regulatory burden and complexity on an industry that is shedding customers by the millions. Traditional linear video is on the way out, but we don't have to shoo them away like the last guest who hasn't gotten the hint that the party's over. For every mote of regulatory complexity we add to legacy providers, unregulated online video providers become more nimble by comparison.</span></blockquote><p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Commissioner Simington also finds fault with each source of statutory authority relied upon by the majority in the as-yet-unreleased Order. Notably, he calls out the fact that (1) the FCC's limited power pursuant to Section 632 to impose customer service requirements not only presupposes the existence of a provider-customer relationship (and thus does not extend to promotional materials targeting potential customers) but also is constrained heavily by the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019, and (2) Section 335(a) – incidentally, the same DBS-specific provision relied upon in the billing practices NPRM referenced above – "relates essentially to the provision of political programming."</span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">In his <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-401215A3.pdf" target="_blank">Dissenting Statement</a>, Commissioner Carr similarly questions the agency's statutory authority to act, conceding that "[o]nly in the case of cable billing does that authority arguably exist." And where Commissioner Simington characterized the majority's misguided reliance upon Section 4(i) ancillary authority as "[t]he authority of the gunslinger," Comissioner Carr describes it as a "Hail Mary [that] falls incomplete."</span></p><p></p>Andrew Longhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02201057982826265377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-22613423753405829502024-03-15T14:23:00.008-04:002024-03-15T14:25:15.691-04:00Videos from #FSFConf16 Released!<p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Videos from #FSFConf16 Released!</span></span></b></p><p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">#FSFConf16</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times;">The Free State Foundation's 16th Annual Policy Conference was held on March 12 in Washington, DC. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FreeStateFoundation/featured" style="color: #954f72;">Videos</a> for the Conference are now available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FreeStateFoundation/featured" style="color: #954f72;">online</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="ql-cursor"><b><span style="background: repeat white; color: red;"></span></b></span><b><span style="background: repeat white; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Welcome and Introduction</span></b><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> by </span></span><b><span style="background: repeat white; color: red; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Randolph May</span></span></b></span><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: large; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> </span><o:p style="font-size: 16.5pt;"></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span style="font-size: large; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: medium;">President, The Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16.5pt;"><br /></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16.5pt;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZZbei70n5-0?si=5EDXluv18ogx9oKS" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Other conference videos, including discussions of hot topics in communications law and policy and lighting round of analyst insights, and can be found on online on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FreeStateFoundation/featured" style="color: #954f72;">FSF's YouTube page</a>. For informative discussion and even debate on net neutrality regulation, digital discrimination rules, USF reform, spectrum policy, broadband investment, and more, be sure to check them out!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></span>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-46394704862113237492024-03-13T15:00:00.004-04:002024-03-15T15:59:10.447-04:00NTIA Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan Announced at FSF Policy Conference<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARBxPKyJyggsd84FU-JwQaxqQyqnu_XeaBkOZihyApzA1h1jcOzTIJYWJI1BltNo3PuuUeMl1dXFeCX6aiGQ75OQUruTCawvWthPQKQkGxewZuuCCoX_ow7diZC622DopZAuGK19xzPd5XtQ__K_Q3CiYbZLRikw4H_GWzxjS184I3MR8l8YNrw/s299/NTIA%20logo%202024.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="274" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARBxPKyJyggsd84FU-JwQaxqQyqnu_XeaBkOZihyApzA1h1jcOzTIJYWJI1BltNo3PuuUeMl1dXFeCX6aiGQ75OQUruTCawvWthPQKQkGxewZuuCCoX_ow7diZC622DopZAuGK19xzPd5XtQ__K_Q3CiYbZLRikw4H_GWzxjS184I3MR8l8YNrw/w183-h200/NTIA%20logo%202024.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At Free State Foundation's 16th Annual Policy Conference held on March 12, the NTIA's Senior Spectrum Advisor <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/page/scott-blake-harris" style="color: #954f72;">Scott Blake Harris</a> announced the release of the its <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/national-spectrum-strategy-implementation-plan.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">National Spectrum Strategy Implementation Plan</a>.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/national-spectrum-strategy-implementation-plan.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">Plan</a> and an accompanying <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2024/ntia-unveils-next-steps-national-spectrum-strategy" style="color: #954f72;">press release</a> briefly summarizing it are available at the NTIA's website. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-onYvjvDRs">Video</a> of Mr. Blake's keynote address is available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-onYvjvDRs">online</a>. If Mr. Blake's prepared remarks at FSF's Annual Policy Conference become available, we will post them. FSF appreciates Mr. Blake's appearance at the Conference.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On January 2 of this year, FSF President Randolph May and Senior Fellow Andrew Long filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Comments-Implementation-of-the-National-Spectrum-Strategy-010224.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">comments</a> with the NTIA on the implementation of the National Spectrum Strategy. In those <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Comments-Implementation-of-the-National-Spectrum-Strategy-010224.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">comments</a>, FSF President May and Mr. Long emphasized the crisis of the empty spectrum pipeline and the need to take action to repurpose mid-band spectrum for commercial use. Stay tuned for more from FSF Scholars on the NTIA's Implementation Plan, spectrum policy, and the 17th Annual Policy Conference.<br /> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(*This post was updated on 3/15/2024 with information and links to the video of Mr. Blake's address at #FSFConf16.)</span></span></p></div>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-18482280502475110942024-03-11T12:00:00.000-04:002024-03-11T12:00:17.071-04:00MEDIA ADVISORY: Reaction to Cruz-Thune "Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2024"<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3HsXm0GhEWFzJfr929foymB-ay7RZHLONJOJwdw0IMVqSMnw20w-nsMuJZr2lfHX8f6esXacxVqpSMbQubdKtanGodCeKQGRTjSMrLANU3jEMjia8gczF1lf2iU13By8fIoFnWvpIE7yuQBX_o0AMwcl18hhD35f2pRM7bfv3rf8wB5BiJJCuA/s320/FSF%20Logo%20for%20Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="320" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3HsXm0GhEWFzJfr929foymB-ay7RZHLONJOJwdw0IMVqSMnw20w-nsMuJZr2lfHX8f6esXacxVqpSMbQubdKtanGodCeKQGRTjSMrLANU3jEMjia8gczF1lf2iU13By8fIoFnWvpIE7yuQBX_o0AMwcl18hhD35f2pRM7bfv3rf8wB5BiJJCuA/s1600/FSF%20Logo%20for%20Blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p><span style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px;"></span></p><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Regarding
the introduction of the proposed “Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2024” by
Senators Ted Cruz and John Thune, the following statement may be
attributed to Free State Foundation President Randolph May:</b></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">“While
the Free State Foundation doesn’t support or oppose specific
legislation, I applaud Senators Cruz and Thune for introducing their
spectrum bill. It has important features that, if adopted, will help
ensure the United States does not lose its leadership position in
wireless, especially in 5G. Today, spectrum is a key part of the
nation’s broadband infrastructure — just like cables and wires. The
Cruz-Thune bill would reestablish the FCC’s lapsed auction authority,
and it would require that a considerable amount of mid-band spectrum be
reallocated for commercial use and be made available by specific dates.
The pipeline established would include a much-needed supply of licensed
spectrum, while not ignoring the need for more unlicensed spectrum,
which also is an increasingly important part of the broadband
infrastructure.</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">No
doubt there may be different views regarding the specific dates and
amounts identified for reallocation contained in the bill. But there
should be widespread agreement that it provides a good basis for moving
forward <span>promptly</span><span> </span>to develop a bipartisan, bicameral plan to address the nation’s now-lagging spectrum efforts." <br /></span></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-3825215524559299932024-03-07T20:05:00.004-05:002024-03-07T20:08:45.342-05:00Sen. Ted Cruz Offers Eight Principles for USF Reform<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BrUG2BsjKG1jgqyiXqQ0xBTWy-I1-2cmygyX5BwUUxjZLbKuyo7fe_2JThAqz5dLpNAZGwxwqUFXcdgT1pPt9eK9FzKVuI0rQzCEs8AI_UEnb4XX7BUHjZ32bNBMiA5MJr-ahwJRX_Cl81lDjVyf4H-0M7AVFEBKXSOQTfFo5BlpLcHB88XTUw/s887/cruz_portrait_compressed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BrUG2BsjKG1jgqyiXqQ0xBTWy-I1-2cmygyX5BwUUxjZLbKuyo7fe_2JThAqz5dLpNAZGwxwqUFXcdgT1pPt9eK9FzKVuI0rQzCEs8AI_UEnb4XX7BUHjZ32bNBMiA5MJr-ahwJRX_Cl81lDjVyf4H-0M7AVFEBKXSOQTfFo5BlpLcHB88XTUw/w159-h200/cruz_portrait_compressed.jpg" width="159" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">On March 6, Sen. Ted Cruz released a white paper, "<a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/45983F37-2FA5-4586-BCCA-8E044955E3AF">Protecting Americans from Hidden FCC Tax Hikes: A Blueprint for Universal Service Fund Reform</a>." Credit due to Sen. Cruz for addressing the need for reforming the USF Program. The white paper puts forth Sen. Cruz's priorities for overhauling and updating the USF system to work more efficiently at connecting those who need it while protecting consumers from over taxation and wasteful spending. Sen. Cruz's white paper includes a list of eight principles to guide USF reform that merit careful attention. Those principles also are provided in a <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/2024/3/sen-cruz-releases-plan-to-protect-americans-from-biden-s-hidden-phone-bill-tax">press release</a>:</span><div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Put Congress back in the driver’s seat;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Move social welfare spending on-budget;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Eliminate program duplication;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Stop subsidizing networks that face unsubsidized competition;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Do not subsidize Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act-funded (IIJA) networks’ ongoing operational costs;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Target low-income subsidies to those who truly need them;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Ensure E-Rate is truly improving education and not aggravating kids’ screen addictions;</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Establish better controls to stop waste, fraud, and abuse.</span></li></ol><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Among other things, Sen. Cruz's <a href="https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/45983F37-2FA5-4586-BCCA-8E044955E3AF">white paper</a> insists that USF distribution reform should come before contribution reform, or else the program will continue to expand and further burden consumers. It also addresses the FCC's recent expansion of the Lifeline program to include subsidies for Wi-Fi equipment on public school buses. Free State Foundation President Randolph May and I address this subject in our February 2024 <i>Perspectives from FSF Scholars</i>, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/FCCs-School-Bus-Wi-Fi-Subsidy-Lacks-Statutory-Support-020124.pdf">FCC's School Bus Wi-Fi Subsidy Lacks Statutory Support</a>."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">USF reform will be one of the topics to be discussed at <a href="https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ek7ztb6na9bc9a21&oseq=&c=&ch=">FSF's Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference</a> – <a href="https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ek7ztb6na9bc9a21&oseq=&c=&ch=">#FSFConf16</a> – which will take place in Washington DC on March 12. There still is time to <a href="https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ek7ztb6na9bc9a21&oseq=&c=&ch=">register online</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-60687396890873636072024-03-05T19:38:00.004-05:002024-03-05T19:40:16.348-05:00One week from today! #FSFConf16! Register Now!<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: repeat red; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0in; width: 447.5pt;" valign="top" width="597"><div style="text-align: center;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">FREE STATE FOUNDATION</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span face="Tahoma, sans-serif"></span></b><b><span style="color: blue;">Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0in; width: 447.5pt;" valign="top" width="597"><div style="text-align: center;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">One of the nation's premier policy conferences!</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001_cABLDv6id2SuMlevem-tkWr6xa-9xNyEgKGwqDdqxx5Q_7GGJsCayoT-SPV5XFAG7yKG9-vlJU5IwdNo3GAn9AksWqsx_c7W7d3qM7k_82EtkKRjhHMPLKK8HPZOjCD2w3JpNX7irm2AcfPUNdcaJTo247EYRPb5vhEtTYq-I0tbTnrj-B6vX90Kmgx4iiDVnSLyzbi6m-tUPD-sSd_I0x65XEIsP3vOkmQ1Vvu5iPhKjgHU5koxA==&c=BCNeX6Xxyk4Y6ii6T7NYl1TMFAKi9GMGdSHm60gBh83jkVWZ4QiyIw==&ch=iY8dsmk-ukKS_1b2agM_r6dGmb-RVLaaOKE8Ko49GX75YxmLMIXCZg==" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 19.5pt;">REGISTER NOW!</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg854DSu33DdAn1Upay5XWMCIl8mgjzRWb7vDwxvuOqlrPEUYrKiVFhJfe0sgqhOaskosilNBBEjDkO_BmI-sTV9c1VfVQPF-rsjASpHjQa1Qh4cxBIEwSjCXS3VFa7cVn4Cmnt9hAmgqVJglPqhw5ysaWK2IubbBP0pTCKgq4tf2bPDVrpVNBtwg/s1200/TMTwMOR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg854DSu33DdAn1Upay5XWMCIl8mgjzRWb7vDwxvuOqlrPEUYrKiVFhJfe0sgqhOaskosilNBBEjDkO_BmI-sTV9c1VfVQPF-rsjASpHjQa1Qh4cxBIEwSjCXS3VFa7cVn4Cmnt9hAmgqVJglPqhw5ysaWK2IubbBP0pTCKgq4tf2bPDVrpVNBtwg/s320/TMTwMOR.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;"></span></b><b><span style="color: blue;">This Keynote Session Will Become </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">the Inaugural Videocast </span></b><b><span style="color: blue;">of </span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: times; font-size: large;">"TMT With Mike O’Rielly"!</span></b></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="background: repeat white; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span>WHAT: FSF's Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span> </span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span>WHERE: National Press Club, Washington, DC</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span> </span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span>WHEN: March 12, 2024 – 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>The Free State Foundation will hold its Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference on March 12, 2024, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. This annual conference is widely acknowledged to be one of the nation's premier law and policy events.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>As always, a truly outstanding lineup of senior officials and prominent experts from the FCC, other government agencies, industry, academia, and think tanks will discuss and debate the most important communications and Internet policy issues of the day. Topics will include net neutrality, broadband subsidies, ACP extension, USF reform, spectrum reform, the First Amendment and free speech, AI, and more!</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Confirmed Speakers Include:</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Robert Branson</span> – President and CEO, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Brendan Carr</span> – Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">David Chorzempa</span> - Vice President & Associate General Counsel, AT&T</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Mignon Clyburn</span><span> - Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, and Principal, MLC Strategies, LLC</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Michelle Connolly</span> - Professor of the Practice, Economics Department, Duke University, and member of the Board of Academic Advisors of the Free State Foundation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Seth Cooper</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> –</span> Director of Policy Studies and Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">David Don </span>- Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Comcast Corporation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Paul Gallant</span> - <span>TD Cowen’s TMT Policy Analyst</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Scott Harris</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>– Senior Spectrum Advisor, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Blair Levin</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>– Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro, and Policy Analyst, New Street Research</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Andrew Long</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>– Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Randolph May</span> – President, Free State Foundation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Michael O’Rielly</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>– Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, and Adjunct Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Jeffrey Rosen</span> - Former Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="color: red; font-weight: bold;">Nathan Simington</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>– Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p><p style="background: repeat white; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>Registration is complimentary, including continental breakfast and lunch. But space is always limited. You must register to attend!</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">This is an in-person event only!</span></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001_cABLDv6id2SuMlevem-tkWr6xa-9xNyEgKGwqDdqxx5Q_7GGJsCayoT-SPV5XFAG7yKG9-vlJU5IwdNo3GAn9AksWqsx_c7W7d3qM7k_82EtkKRjhHMPLKK8HPZOjCD2w3JpNX7irm2AcfPUNdcaJTo247EYRPb5vhEtTYq-I0tbTnrj-B6vX90Kmgx4iiDVnSLyzbi6m-tUPD-sSd_I0x65XEIsP3vOkmQ1Vvu5iPhKjgHU5koxA==&c=BCNeX6Xxyk4Y6ii6T7NYl1TMFAKi9GMGdSHm60gBh83jkVWZ4QiyIw==&ch=iY8dsmk-ukKS_1b2agM_r6dGmb-RVLaaOKE8Ko49GX75YxmLMIXCZg==" style="color: #954f72; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 19.5pt;">Register Now!</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times;"><b><span>#FSFConf16</span></b></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-52106585682527582182024-02-29T16:57:00.002-05:002024-02-29T16:57:18.798-05:00FCC Issues 2.5 GHz Spectrum Licenses, But Agency Still Needs Auction Authority<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyM5qplMcJ42-NJ5KItf4-HRJYEXRR6yXukfXqcxIvZzfT25nbWeXW0SGe8I_DHWEwlGswpajBsBiKJr09MNCm21y_KzGw42rLKibsCdai0a0BcKbwJSCLnXVakZTuXevBBRuAxVjt2cy_t62wp_PDHfNSBKX433uVDs2dth7O8H7Pm8lPZS4qw/s759/FCC%20Logo%20New.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="759" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyM5qplMcJ42-NJ5KItf4-HRJYEXRR6yXukfXqcxIvZzfT25nbWeXW0SGe8I_DHWEwlGswpajBsBiKJr09MNCm21y_KzGw42rLKibsCdai0a0BcKbwJSCLnXVakZTuXevBBRuAxVjt2cy_t62wp_PDHfNSBKX433uVDs2dth7O8H7Pm8lPZS4qw/w200-h171/FCC%20Logo%20New.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On February 29, 27, and 1, the FCC</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-183A1.pdf" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">granted</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">long-form applications to wireless providers, including T-Mobile, for several thousand spectrum licenses in the 2.5 GHz band won in </span><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/tags/auction-108" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Auction 108</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The results of Auction 108 were announced way back in September 2022. Yet the Commission's authority to conduct spectrum license auctions lapsed in March 2023, and Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel has determined that the lapse of that authority prevented the agency from issuing those licenses. At the end of last year, <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/search/label/2.5%20GHz%20Band" style="color: #954f72;">Congress passed the 5G Sale Act</a>, conferring on the FCC a 90-day window to grant licenses won in Auction 108. The Commission's February orders granting the 2.5 GHz band licenses were based on the Act.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is welcome news that parties who successfully bid on spectrum licenses at auction receive the licenses they won and paid for. Also welcome is the news that more mid-band licensed spectrum finally will be put into use for commercial wireless services as a result of Auction 108. However, the lapse in FCC spectrum license auction authority remains, and there also remains a <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/05/report-more-licensed-commercial.html" style="color: #954f72;">shortage</a> of licensed spectrum for supplying growing wireless data demands on 5G and future 6G networks. <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2024/02/report-shows-us-needs-to-allocate-and.html" style="color: #954f72;">Spectrum allocation and harmonization</a> by the NTIA, FCC, and other agencies is a priority. But it also is necessary that Congress spectrum license auction authority to the Commission. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For more on what Congress needs to do, see Senior Fellow Andrew Long's July 2023 blog post, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/07/congress-should-reinstate-fccs-spectrum.html" style="color: #954f72;">Congress Should Reinstate the FCC's Spectrum Auction Authority</a>," as well as his August 2023 blog post, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/08/commissioner-carr-to-congress-renew.html" style="color: #954f72;">Commissioner Carr to Congress: Renew FCC's Auction Authority</a>."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-17187751237148449092024-02-28T22:23:00.001-05:002024-02-28T22:23:20.057-05:00Smaller Networks Marshall the Evidence for Broadband Market's Competitiveness<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIhbCR2U5lBMSX6IRvmqg6dSMBOgCumQN_c-BBZc5nNHxqF8PGIGig8NGF43kmaVhXYCrNhdfdyd9Fgb2llbznhxRVcnrt6u8pjLKvfuPUFyFlKfHaDF9xIaqEasACnfnuFHPoIcsrxt-2uM3O8BOYYDw86Qr1hL8a8u-Kra3Yn19XHKYcHtvfw/s1200/broadband.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIhbCR2U5lBMSX6IRvmqg6dSMBOgCumQN_c-BBZc5nNHxqF8PGIGig8NGF43kmaVhXYCrNhdfdyd9Fgb2llbznhxRVcnrt6u8pjLKvfuPUFyFlKfHaDF9xIaqEasACnfnuFHPoIcsrxt-2uM3O8BOYYDw86Qr1hL8a8u-Kra3Yn19XHKYcHtvfw/w200-h134/broadband.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1022384986455/2" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">report</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">by ACA Connects – included in a February 22</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1022384986455/1" style="color: #954f72;">ex parte<span style="font-style: normal;"> filing</span></a></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">with the FCC – provides a window into the competitiveness of the broadband market from the vantage point of medium and smaller providers. Members of ACA Connects collectively serve nearly 32 million households – or about 25% of all U.S. households – including 7.3 million households in rural communities – or about 29%.<br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Insightful data points about communities served by ACA members include the following:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Members reached 31% more households via FTTH over the last year, a rate far higher than their overall increase in coverage."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"96% of households have two or more fixed broadband options—and 85% have three or more options."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Over a third of all households (37%) in areas served by ACA Connects Members have access to gigabit broadband service."</span></li><li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">"The ACA Connects Members increased gigabit service availability in [] rural communities from 24% in 2022 to 33% in 2023."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ACA Connects <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1022384986455/2" style="color: #954f72;">report</a> also includes figures about trends in the wider broadband market. This includes a breakdown of the share of U.S. households with competitive presence by technological capabilities of 100/20+ Mbps. According to FCC and Cartesian data for 2022-2023, almost 95% of households are in census blocks where there is an actual or potential presence of a cable, fiber, or licensed fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband provider offering speeds of 100/20+ Mbps. For 89.1% of households, a cable provider offering those speeds has a competitive presence, for 49.7% a fiber provider has a competitive presence, and for 39.6% a licensed FWA has a competitive presence. While those figures are higher than actual access figures for households, there are strong pro-deployment and pro-competitive trends. Back in 2017, only 69% of households had access to a provider offering 100/20+ Mbps, with a cable/fiber/licensed FWA competitive presence breakdown in 2017 of 59.3%/19.4%/1.7%.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The ACA Connects <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1022384986455/2" style="color: #954f72;">report</a> was filed with an <i>ex parte</i> regarding the FCC's proposal to reclassify broadband Internet services as Title II telecommunications services and subject them to public utility regulation, including conduct-based restrictions that could eliminate consumer choice for reduced pricing options such as usage-based billing or free-data mobile offerings.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In December 2023, the Free State Foundation filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FSF-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-121423.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">comments</a> opposing the FCC's Title II reclassification proposal. And in January of this year, FSF filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Reply-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-011724.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">reply comments</a>. If the Commission adopts its proposal, the harm to private market investments and the ability to generate returns on future investments would come to all broadband providers, with small and medium providers almost certainly being hit the hardest. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-75488154479178112962024-02-20T19:40:00.017-05:002024-02-20T19:43:46.883-05:00Three Weeks from Today! FSF's Premier Policy Conference - Register Now!<p style="background: repeat white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMHtwUr2awTBYDJTMr4XaaJYtzqg8TAS8JQlHi8cUHAThJDPhapmqBm_-Bt6Re4eaMY8jl_vhKq7__v76hrH7Z6y7SV7m7WfR1qt45EdAXJB-w-R_3icpIEVJsiPrk9ruY-x2Dx_1nI0K3VZ5wnNSK9djUi5Euk44a1coPzTzZ7UirUzrdkN35Q/s1200/FSFAnnualRegister2024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMHtwUr2awTBYDJTMr4XaaJYtzqg8TAS8JQlHi8cUHAThJDPhapmqBm_-Bt6Re4eaMY8jl_vhKq7__v76hrH7Z6y7SV7m7WfR1qt45EdAXJB-w-R_3icpIEVJsiPrk9ruY-x2Dx_1nI0K3VZ5wnNSK9djUi5Euk44a1coPzTzZ7UirUzrdkN35Q/s320/FSFAnnualRegister2024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001CrY6G_H01xvqfuuFp7_BCKS1C616A863QANjD1vUehJ452_FXt8tRGzrhFd8diEUTBHq8203VHcPgfJzXZbxLOfGhr69QoN4QMC7FWmp_w97QqyX239FCp9Kc53r9R4nok_EtEBCvvpZQJf0Yhiu4wTdbGenNITD3W2mF1fXUInzZZUB3cDi9cPnvMEyc-SIfqzRCtxrttWfvDV1rEMPpqRzSyM1U1dcLWFYXYllXLVSiP9X71IsUg==&c=4vnem4qamwib0Er_xbQtcUBZFz-XKUJvqfpBiWOMHfmi04-UD3FBaw==&ch=aU4mMgtIDGQnY0GzTlhk0CF-bhslPy2F6KOj0KuTtMx6hxPOHoqgsQ==" style="color: red; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: bold; orphans: 2; widows: 2; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">REGISTER NOW!</span></a></div><p></p><p style="background: repeat white; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>The Free State Foundation will hold its Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference on March 12, 2024, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. This annual conference is widely acknowledged to be one of the nation's premier law and policy events.</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>As always, a truly outstanding lineup of senior officials and prominent experts from the FCC, other government agencies, industry, academia, and think tanks will discuss and debate the most important communications and Internet policy issues of the day. Topics will include net neutrality, broadband subsidies, ACP extension, USF reform, spectrum reform, the First Amendment and free speech, and more!</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Confirmed Speakers Include:</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Robert Branson</span></b><span> – President and CEO, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC)</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Brendan Carr</span></b><span> – Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Michelle Connolly</span></b><span> - Professor of the Practice, Economics Department, Duke University, and member of the Board of Academic Advisors of the Free State Foundation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Seth Cooper</span></b><b><span> –</span></b><span> Director of Policy Studies and Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">David Chorzempa</span></b><span> - Vice President & Associate General Counsel, AT&T</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Mignon Clyburn</span></b><span> - Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, and Principal, MLC Strategies, LLC</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">David Don </span></b><span>- Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Comcast Corporation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Scott Harris</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span>– Senior Spectrum Advisor, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Blair Levin</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span>– Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro, and Policy Analyst, New Street Research</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Andrew Long</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span>– Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Randolph May</span></b><span> – President, Free State Foundation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Michael O’Rielly</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span>– Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, and Adjunct Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Jeffrey Rosen</span></b><span> - Former Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and former General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Management and Budget</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Nathan Simington</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span><span>– Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span>Registration is complimentary, including continental breakfast and lunch. But space is always limited. You must register to attend!</span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background: repeat white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001CrY6G_H01xvqfuuFp7_BCKS1C616A863QANjD1vUehJ452_FXt8tRGzrhFd8diEUTBHq8203VHcPgfJzXZbxLOfGhr69QoN4QMC7FWmp_w97QqyX239FCp9Kc53r9R4nok_EtEBCvvpZQJf0Yhiu4wTdbGenNITD3W2mF1fXUInzZZUB3cDi9cPnvMEyc-SIfqzRCtxrttWfvDV1rEMPpqRzSyM1U1dcLWFYXYllXLVSiP9X71IsUg==&c=4vnem4qamwib0Er_xbQtcUBZFz-XKUJvqfpBiWOMHfmi04-UD3FBaw==&ch=aU4mMgtIDGQnY0GzTlhk0CF-bhslPy2F6KOj0KuTtMx6hxPOHoqgsQ==" style="color: red; font-weight: bold; word-break: break-word;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Register Now!</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">#FSFConf16</span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-51207846200297470222024-02-16T13:09:00.000-05:002024-02-16T13:09:26.729-05:00Free State Lawmakers Debate Data Privacy Legislation<p><span style="font-size: large;">Maryland soon could join the not-so-exclusive club for states that have forged divergent data privacy regulatory paths. Last month, New Jersey became the fourteenth state (and the first this year) to enact a comprehensive data privacy law, a development that I highlighted in a <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2024/01/new-jersey-passes-2024s-first-state.html">January 2024 post to the Free State Foundation's blog</a>. Yet another <a href="https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/pdf.aspx?id=24117&q=billVersion" target="_blank">bill</a> awaits the signature of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As I detailed most recently in "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/More-States-Compound-the-Dreaded-Privacy-Patchwork-Problem-072423.pdf" target="_blank">More States Compound the Dreaded Privacy 'Patchwork' Problem</a>," a July 2023 <i>Perspectives from FSF Scholars</i>, the longstanding lack of a federal data privacy regime – specifically, one that preempts inconsistent state-specific approaches – has fostered an unworkable situation that creates compliance headaches for companies and confusion for consumers.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmVolTkoSWn0IQWtKfkZ-3jJ0CQ2ejLU2HDC5lmIgLXpLQ-y85-C8Zc7Z4Mx0bR5fO49JCMigje-CgUjJderr2X_IL6KIRz6dWzTbeL3aGCuZkjtI8pHpGsS5vJwQRvh0KSC9m3cGXI1lxIsb3k2x7-W9TmOKX1BErLOHr29fuKhtp2kOmLMwMA/s615/MD%20flag.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="615" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmVolTkoSWn0IQWtKfkZ-3jJ0CQ2ejLU2HDC5lmIgLXpLQ-y85-C8Zc7Z4Mx0bR5fO49JCMigje-CgUjJderr2X_IL6KIRz6dWzTbeL3aGCuZkjtI8pHpGsS5vJwQRvh0KSC9m3cGXI1lxIsb3k2x7-W9TmOKX1BErLOHr29fuKhtp2kOmLMwMA/w320-h187/MD%20flag.gif" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Hearings on the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act of 2024 (the Act) were held on February 13, 2024, by the <a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Committees/Media/false?cmte=ecm&ys=2024RS&clip=ECM_2_13_2024_meeting_1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmgahouse.maryland.gov%2Fmga%2Fplay%2F6aff6c1c8ca9420c94867090094ad81e1d%3Fcatalog%2F03e481c7-8a42-4438-a7da-93ff74bdaa4c%26playfrom%3D749659" target="_blank">House Economic Matters Committee</a> (<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2024RS/bills/hb/hb0567f.pdf" target="_blank">House Bill 567</a>) and on February 14, 2024 by the <a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Committees/Media/false?cmte=fin&ys=2024RS&clip=FIN_2_14_2024_meeting_1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmgahouse.maryland.gov%2Fmga%2Fplay%2Fbbc11dca1fb44abfb27b0e0ede8fd0111d%3Fcatalog%2F03e481c7-8a42-4438-a7da-93ff74bdaa4c%26playfrom%3D2961153" target="_blank">Senate Finance Committee</a> (<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2024RS/bills/sb/sb0541f.pdf" target="_blank">Senate Bill 541</a>).</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The Act establishes a familiar set of consumer rights: to know that personal data is being collected; to access, correct, delete, and receive a copy of personal data; to obtain a list of the categories of third parties to which personal data is disclosed; to opt out of the processing of personal data for targeted advertising and automated profiling; and to opt out of its sale.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps most notably, the Act goes further than other state laws in limiting the personal data that companies may collect – that is, "data minimization" ("A controller shall … [l]imit the collection of personal data to what is reasonably necessary and proportionate to provide or maintain a specific product or service requested by the consumer to whom the data pertains.")</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">On its face, the Act does not create a private right of action. As was the case with the New Jersey law reference above, however, the Act's draft language has prompted concerns that it "<a href="https://www.bsa.org/files/policy-filings/02122024bsamdondatapriv.pdf" target="_blank">do[es] not explicitly provide for <i>exclusive</i> Attorney General enforcement</a>" (emphasis added). Specifically, Section 14-4613, which defines a violation of the Act as "[a]n unfair, abusive, or deceptive trade practice … [s]ubject to the enforcement and penalty provisions contained in Title 13 of this article," also ambiguously asserts that it "does not prevent a consumer from pursuing any other remedy provided by law."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Breaking from the approach embraced by other states, and thus further complicating compliance for companies, the Act does not provide businesses with an opportunity to cure alleged violations.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If enacted, the Act would go into effect on October 1, 2024.</span></p>Andrew Longhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02201057982826265377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-3618486970142374242024-02-14T20:13:00.008-05:002024-02-14T20:46:37.120-05:00Court Selected to Hear Legal Challenges to FCC's Digital Discrimination Order <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYidD1veKRtKIW_VVLeLqyGk3sSkk6jGIyD7nrSp4lHNjVw_2gZsx6zHXXPYN60YTvvRA1KeEt0n8LGnZBOxrenvnI593hiKtn1jZOYVf6AuPK2HYdqsRS-o72q-64GVqPmPbT5IL5i3zeDThBLWeqm3Q9Ctydzucrz3taSPTKFU3PstzDYI2qQ/s133/8thCir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="126" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYidD1veKRtKIW_VVLeLqyGk3sSkk6jGIyD7nrSp4lHNjVw_2gZsx6zHXXPYN60YTvvRA1KeEt0n8LGnZBOxrenvnI593hiKtn1jZOYVf6AuPK2HYdqsRS-o72q-64GVqPmPbT5IL5i3zeDThBLWeqm3Q9Ctydzucrz3taSPTKFU3PstzDYI2qQ/s1600/8thCir.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">According to a February 9 <a href="https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/sites/jpml/files/MCP-177-Consolidation_Order-2-9-2024.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">order</a> by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, several legal challenges against the FCC's November 2023 Digital Discrimination Order will be consolidated and heard before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Although all acknowledge that Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 authorizes the Commission to adopt rules prohibiting intentional digital discrimination of access to broadband Internet services based on one's membership in a protected class, the Commission's Order exceeds the agency's statutory authority by imposing unintentional disparate impact liability on broadband Internet service providers.<br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In March 2023, the Free State Foundation filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FSF-Comments-%E2%80%93-Prevention-and-Elimination-of-Digital-Discrimination-022123.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">public comments</a> in the Commission's digital discrimination proceeding addressing the legal authority conferred on the Commission:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">The text of the Infrastructure Act requires an intent-based definitional standard for digital discrimination. Section 60506(b) authorizes the Commission to adopt rules that prevent digital discrimination "based on" the specific categories of income level, race, ethnicity, religion, or</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">natural origin. The Infrastructure Act's inclusion of the words "based on" in connection with suspect or prohibited classifications and – most significantly for purposes of statutory interpretation – the absence of any broader catchall terms such as "results in" or "otherwise</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">adversely [a]ffects" indicates that proof of intent is a necessary element of any successful claim of "digital discrimination." </span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Congress undoubtedly also was aware of<i> </i>Supreme Court precedents regarding the use of catchall terms to express intent when it enacted the Infrastructure Act and declined to include in the statute<i> </i>any such catchall terminology. As a result, Section 60506 should be understood as conferring no<i> </i>authority on the Commission to adopt an unintentional disparate impact standard for digital<i> </i>discrimination in broadband deployment.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Given recent developments in Supreme Court jurisprudence, particularly the emergence of the major questions doctrine, the Commission may not be able to rely on <i>Chevron</i> deference to prop up the agency's imposition of unintentional disparate impact liability. The Free State Foundation's April 2023 <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FSF-Reply-Comments-%E2%80%93-Prevention-and-Elimination-of-Digital-Discrimination-042023.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">reply comments</a> addressed this point:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">We agree with comments that the Commission's interpretation of Section 60506 is limited by the major questions doctrine. As explained by the Supreme Court in <i>West Virginia v. </i><i>EPA</i> (2023), the doctrine holds that<span style="color: blue;"> </span>there are certain "extraordinary cases" involving decisions of such "political and economic significance" that a "clear congressional authorization" by Congress is required for the agency to exercise the powers it claims. Section 60506 does not contain clear congressional authorization for redrawing the regulatory landscape of broadband Internet services under the Communications Act… The broader the extent to which the Commission's rules impose liability on ISPs and the more onerous the restrictions and obligations they impose on the details of deployment undertakings, the more likely it is that such rules would be of vast political and economic significance. </span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">FSF's reply comments concluded if the Commission imposed disparate impact liability that the agency's new regulatory apparatus would more likely be considered an extraordinary case that would be unlawful under the major questions doctrine.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-76360696354094043722024-02-09T18:53:00.005-05:002024-02-09T19:08:43.378-05:00Cable Wireless MVNOs Set for Further Growth in 2024<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVsGZ_O1oizz5QH0kg90YglxKmKGgHwnCBINVlY26flu4wCNpSnUBSIrit6reScQvzrE8Y-CWZV81UDwmj2G6B0IHBlj_C8o6jUu2_xHvOBQeHEetvJUF6c_NG76d2ZZSEAcNUJEerEQf3FmI-9c9SoKl3-Fbd__SVctcyE1ui2a2gt0kIztjNA/s500/CompetitionImage.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="500" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVsGZ_O1oizz5QH0kg90YglxKmKGgHwnCBINVlY26flu4wCNpSnUBSIrit6reScQvzrE8Y-CWZV81UDwmj2G6B0IHBlj_C8o6jUu2_xHvOBQeHEetvJUF6c_NG76d2ZZSEAcNUJEerEQf3FmI-9c9SoKl3-Fbd__SVctcyE1ui2a2gt0kIztjNA/w200-h109/CompetitionImage.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Cable wireless mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are important component of the effectively competitive wireless communications market. The two largest cable MVNO services – Comcast's Xfinity Mobile and Charter's Spectrum Mobile – have been in operation only a handful of years. Although their subscribership is far below the three major mobile wireless providers T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T, cable MVNOs have made modest but steady gains ever since they entered into the wireless market. According to recent reports, Xfinity Mobile finished 2023 with 6.58 million subscribers and Spectrum Mobile finished with 7.8 million.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There remains plenty of room for growth in 2024, as cable MVNOs continue to explore using their own licensed CBRS spectrum to carry mobile wireless traffic and reduce reliance on leased spectrum. According to an <a href="https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/cox-goes-official-cox-mobile-verizons-network" style="color: #954f72;">article</a> published on January 10 of this year in <i>LightReading</i>, Cox Mobile also is looking to expand its wireless offerings in 2024, and it is now conducting tests on licensed CBRS spectrum for fixed wireless access (FWA) applications. As noted in a February 2023 <a href="https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/cox-goes-official-cox-mobile-verizons-network">article</a> in <i>FierceWireless</i>, Cox paid $200 million for CBRS spectrum licensees auctioned by the FCC. Cox Communications is not publicly traded and doesn't publish subscriber numbers. </span></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-36929079263589055842024-02-08T20:24:00.005-05:002024-02-09T14:59:54.124-05:00FCC Commissioners Carr and Simington Keynoters at #FSFConf16 - March 12<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: repeat red; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0in; width: 447.5pt;" valign="top" width="597"><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">FREE STATE FOUNDATION</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0in; width: 447.5pt;" valign="top" width="597"><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VOHkwu9dQlQMC4LV3irUpmZlbJKG_CAK5rE_MVXhSYnXKZJXgXjRbLDI-oaF8WYpwXffSGP28dcx3AdKkYSRNgONoaWpIntih8DAKyDa4QGTff-V9SYGpEeehiKUZBssDCOd4bbG1lUkQ4vA8OFhCbHDB_3ZyCd8ckDoHdKEpElv9txrXVooL7kfNpiisqoVdcskUwFD7Q6HkhZwtB3_ZJfTwjBjnvM9HYMHVU4wv90GNppp8czagw==&c=6If3vddHrufHIcCteS4ARjjR6F3hm3B34Fw9cnCMnXtWmnOUFEBi0g==&ch=zIVgzuGgmd068AD5IK8bZzCx1hawZAbTl70CRHKg8XnrIaUbkwflnA==" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 19.5pt;">REGISTER NOW!</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 18pt;"></span></b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18pt;">Keynote Speakers Include:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18pt;">FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LKKrQw-_4BAzoqnyRfWEo1JHZSuDHpxr_5OO6D0_QrytX1bOkdmh-RPXD3YM06TGygkX6Hz4UeZZdjZJlRPFcWfesYq4ox4uRH6crBuOGWOwAenfQLJVFG9ej4ATLCxVxxYz1WX6pnBpioPU6MLBeL_wKxl73ETQzflGmBr44pkue4ap8OHqTg/s240/carr.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LKKrQw-_4BAzoqnyRfWEo1JHZSuDHpxr_5OO6D0_QrytX1bOkdmh-RPXD3YM06TGygkX6Hz4UeZZdjZJlRPFcWfesYq4ox4uRH6crBuOGWOwAenfQLJVFG9ej4ATLCxVxxYz1WX6pnBpioPU6MLBeL_wKxl73ETQzflGmBr44pkue4ap8OHqTg/s1600/carr.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18pt;"></span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18pt;">FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP9Y25ONhUTQNQkdG71irm2nmwGv4ZMIegCm0godP9362vQEs1oGfQFswYeyeYKD5i6hI8A43lkZ0vDB18CbhvIRNsdKPY9bUKv5pnculV_mLVqklXFIbfHYFq2aOcmqOVOzRJ6DNTDsQipzR3t1IRK5LJFDVxpcTCVOJ3QdSXDBHO8zuWzYVqg/s1462/nathan-simington-press-photo-07142022.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP9Y25ONhUTQNQkdG71irm2nmwGv4ZMIegCm0godP9362vQEs1oGfQFswYeyeYKD5i6hI8A43lkZ0vDB18CbhvIRNsdKPY9bUKv5pnculV_mLVqklXFIbfHYFq2aOcmqOVOzRJ6DNTDsQipzR3t1IRK5LJFDVxpcTCVOJ3QdSXDBHO8zuWzYVqg/s320/nathan-simington-press-photo-07142022.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"></p><div align="center"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 7.5pt 15pt;" valign="top"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">WHAT: FSF's Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">WHERE: National Press Club, Washington, DC</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">WHEN: March 12, 2024 – 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Free State Foundation will hold its Sixteenth Annual Policy Conference on March 12, 2024, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. This annual conference is widely acknowledged to be one of the nation's premier law and policy events.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As always, a truly outstanding lineup of senior officials and prominent experts from the FCC, other government agencies, industry, academia, and think tanks will discuss and debate the most important communications and Internet policy issues of the day. Topics will include net neutrality, broadband subsidies, ACP extension, USF reform, spectrum reform, the First Amendment and free speech, and more!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Confirmed Speakers Include:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Robert Branson</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> – President and CEO, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Brendan Carr</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> – Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Michelle Connolly</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> - Professor of the Practice, Economics Department, Duke University, and member of the Board of Academic Advisors of the Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Seth Cooper</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> –</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> Director of Policy Studies and Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">David Don </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">- Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Comcast Corporation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Scott Harris</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– Senior Spectrum Advisor, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Blair Levin</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Metro, and Policy Analyst, New Street Research</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Andrew Long</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Randolph May</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> – President, Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Michael O’Rielly</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– Former Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission, and Adjunct Senior Fellow, Free State Foundation</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Jeffrey Rosen</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> - Former Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and former General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the White House Office of Management and Budget</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Nathan Simington</span></b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">– Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Registration is complimentary, including continental breakfast and lunch. But space is always limited. You must register to attend!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VOHkwu9dQlQMC4LV3irUpmZlbJKG_CAK5rE_MVXhSYnXKZJXgXjRbLDI-oaF8WYpwXffSGP28dcx3AdKkYSRNgONoaWpIntih8DAKyDa4QGTff-V9SYGpEeehiKUZBssDCOd4bbG1lUkQ4vA8OFhCbHDB_3ZyCd8ckDoHdKEpElv9txrXVooL7kfNpiisqoVdcskUwFD7Q6HkhZwtB3_ZJfTwjBjnvM9HYMHVU4wv90GNppp8czagw==&c=6If3vddHrufHIcCteS4ARjjR6F3hm3B34Fw9cnCMnXtWmnOUFEBi0g==&ch=zIVgzuGgmd068AD5IK8bZzCx1hawZAbTl70CRHKg8XnrIaUbkwflnA==" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 19.5pt;">Register Now!</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">#FSFConf16</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-8100950166473910612024-02-07T22:23:00.005-05:002024-02-07T22:27:16.185-05:00Report Shows U.S. Needs to Allocate and Harmonize More Mid-Spectrum for Wireless Use<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNwKYBXcAL7zvubHiuKWn_UqGBTADWt8_QDdrWgJyHY58PApIOWMwU75GsTW8dBnuTq_cc_ZYc7DaO99rX3XHr1PAniOQt5OAKupMAiZlYrV4hiaq6_xA90Tg69v9SrRfbtt2gc6z2P4jLOvEsOUebbj2HLR6cD3lWl8PgwkzIcipRnQgHeT2NQ/s300/AccentureRpt.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="232" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNwKYBXcAL7zvubHiuKWn_UqGBTADWt8_QDdrWgJyHY58PApIOWMwU75GsTW8dBnuTq_cc_ZYc7DaO99rX3XHr1PAniOQt5OAKupMAiZlYrV4hiaq6_xA90Tg69v9SrRfbtt2gc6z2P4jLOvEsOUebbj2HLR6cD3lWl8PgwkzIcipRnQgHeT2NQ/w155-h200/AccentureRpt.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On February 7, CTIA released a report by Accenture titled "</span><a href="https://www.ctia.org/news/advancing-u-s-wireless-excellence-the-case-for-global-spectrum-harmonization" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Advancing U.S. Wireless Excellence – The Case for Global Spectrum Harmonization</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">." The report itself is excellent in describing both the economic benefits of allocating mid-band spectrum for commercial wireless use and the benefits of harmonizing U.S. spectrum allocations in the mid-band range with other nations.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But to reap those benefits, the U.S. needs to maintain its leading role by making more mid-band spectrum available. In its <a href="https://www.ctia.org/news/advancing-u-s-wireless-excellence-the-case-for-global-spectrum-harmonization" style="color: #954f72;">report</a>, Accenture found that, as of 2023, the five leading countries in mid-band spectrum availability dedicated an average of 652 MHz to commercial wireless use. But the U.S. faced a 202 MHz mid-band spectrum deficit compared to those nations. Accenture projects that in the year 2027, the five leading nations will dedicate an average of 970 MHz of mid-band spectrum to commercial wireless use. But due to the lack of spectrum in the pipeline in the U.S., our nation's spectrum deficit will grow to 520 MHz in 2027.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Accenture identifies the 3.3-3.45 GHz band, the 4.4-4.94 GHz band, and the 7.125-8.5 GHz band as ideal for commercial use and global spectrum harmonization. As explained in the report, spectrum harmonization could benefit U.S. consumers and businesses to the tune of tens of billions of dollars: </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">Spectrum harmonization can standardize network equipment and wireless device production, resulting in less market variation in radio requirements for these technologies. With more harmonization, fewer variations of network radios and wireless devices must be produced, and complex devices that support a wide range of frequencies can be simplified. These efficiencies result in cost savings for end users and drive additional downstream benefits (e.g., accelerated network deployment, earlier adoption of industry use cases, etc.) unlocking approximately $23B-$44B in value for industry and consumers over the next 10 years. Additionally, harmonization will improve network performance through minimized downtime, reduced interference, and better roaming.</span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the Accenture report estimates that the overall economic benefits of industry expansion, innovation, and job creation from future U.S. leadership in a more harmonized wireless ecosystem total between $125 billion and $155 billion over a decade. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">But the U.S. will miss out if it fails to promptly replenish the spectrum pipeline with mid-band spectrum for licensed commercial wireless use. On January 2 of this year, Free State Foundation Randolph May and Senior Fellow Andrew Long submitted <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Comments-Implementation-of-the-National-Spectrum-Strategy-010224.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">public comments</a> to the NTIA regarding the agency's implementation of the <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/publications/national_spectrum_strategy_final.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">National Spectrum Strategy</a>. As explained in FSF's comments, although the NTIA's November 13, 2023 Strategy</span><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif;"> identifies 2,786 MHz of spectrum for study, that is no guarantee that a single megahertz actually will be dedicated for commercial wireless use and the Strategy "fails to tackle the difficult work necessary to rationally balance government and commercial demands for this high-value, limited resource." FSF's comments conclude: "The reality… is that NTIA must embrace the challenging work required to identify – </span><i><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPS, serif;">and in fact repurpose </span></i><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif;">– government-held spectrum that would better serve our nation's interests were it put to commercial use, whether on a licensed or unlicensed basis. And do so in a timely manner." </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT, serif;">For more, see my November 2023 blog post, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/11/ntia-releases-national-spectrum.html" style="color: #954f72;">NTIA Releases National Spectrum Strategy, But Pipeline Remains Empty</a>."</span></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-57480123413375033062024-02-06T20:43:00.002-05:002024-02-06T20:43:12.234-05:00Joint Resolution in Congress Would Repeal FCC's Digital Discrimination Rule<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn13Gl77QR9zeCRW5MOuxyjGZKMQEMATXWgLPRKH46xuGxd3sOas0dxZliONfYu-e-BtCxjRA4b4AoL5xTYz8-NjeDkt_YQI1IuWcJGanxdHQnzHllezbW6MhD2xYeSV9SWPAvESIjRiTXFwZFpBCygaSXHosuV2T7BK39xA0ftENI6Kt0cJUOSA/s1983/congress3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="1983" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn13Gl77QR9zeCRW5MOuxyjGZKMQEMATXWgLPRKH46xuGxd3sOas0dxZliONfYu-e-BtCxjRA4b4AoL5xTYz8-NjeDkt_YQI1IuWcJGanxdHQnzHllezbW6MhD2xYeSV9SWPAvESIjRiTXFwZFpBCygaSXHosuV2T7BK39xA0ftENI6Kt0cJUOSA/w200-h194/congress3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On January 30, Representatives</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=11631" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Earl L. "Buddy" Carter</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">and Andrew Clyde introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://buddycarter.house.gov/uploadedfiles/clyde_carter_cra_fcc_digital_equity_rule_final_text.pdf" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">joint resolution of disapproval</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">to overturn the FCC's "digital discrimination" regulation. The Commission's</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-adopts-rules-prevent-and-eliminate-digital-discrimination" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">November 15, 2023 Order</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">adopted the rule on a 3-2 vote. The joint resolution is worthy of support because the Commission's imposition of unintentional disparate impact liability on broadband Internet service providers (ISPs) is unlawful and bad policy.<br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The CRA provides a fast-track mechanism for Congress to repeal new agency regulations that it is opposed to. But a CRA joint resolution passed by Congress is still subject to the signature or veto of the President. For further background on the CRA, see FSF Board of Academic Advisors’ Member Daniel Lyons' June 2018 <i>Perspectives from FSF Scholars</i>, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Congressional-Review-Act-and-the-Toxic-Politics-of-Net-Neutrality-060818.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">The Congressional Review Act and the Toxic Politics of Net Neutrality</a>."<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As explained in further detail in the Free State Foundation’s February 2023 <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FSF-Comments-%E2%80%93-Prevention-and-Elimination-of-Digital-Discrimination-022123.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">public comments</a> and March 2023 and April 2023 <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FSF-Reply-Comments-%E2%80%93-Prevention-and-Elimination-of-Digital-Discrimination-042023.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">reply comments</a> filed in the FCC's proceeding on digital discrimination, Section 60506 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorizes the Commission to facilitate equal access to broadband insofar as it is technically and economically feasible. And the Act directs the Commission to adopt rules prohibiting intentional digital discrimination of access against individuals of protected classes such as race, religion, ethnicity, and income level. But the Act does not contain language authorizing liability based on unintentional disparate impact. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Moreover, there is zero evidence of digital discrimination of access taking place and it's contrary to the financial interests of ISPs to deny would-be subscribers access to engage in for. The Commission's rule will not expand or speed up deployment to more Americans. And if allowed to stand, the agency's rule will subject nearly every broadband ISP business and network decision to scrutiny under the agency's rule. This will most likely deter investment in the infrastructure buildout to harder-to-reach areas. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In short, the FCC's digital discrimination rule is well suited for the CRA joint resolution of disapproval. The House should pass it. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-49583438538654215472024-02-05T12:32:00.003-05:002024-02-05T12:32:18.727-05:00PRESS RELEASE: The FCC's "Cable Operator and DBS Provider Billing Practices" Proposal Will Harm Consumers<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlz5Yrnduy-WCTmiDsLiblLoipC3Zno0ZGFbEIdjkibadShTuLrJVz4t4W5BhvLud6FPl8rj0EhyAPlVKmsnioPXLCHl8NH9CNQ0FMrEERmB8dFCdmL-2KTndXGEOXn1CnoHV6jJI6s3XcsK2cUk7RdrxCtyhR5ZYbP11_5RpzmgKO75Zqg8q/s448/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="448" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlz5Yrnduy-WCTmiDsLiblLoipC3Zno0ZGFbEIdjkibadShTuLrJVz4t4W5BhvLud6FPl8rj0EhyAPlVKmsnioPXLCHl8NH9CNQ0FMrEERmB8dFCdmL-2KTndXGEOXn1CnoHV6jJI6s3XcsK2cUk7RdrxCtyhR5ZYbP11_5RpzmgKO75Zqg8q/w342-h220/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span>Today Free State Foundation President
Randolph May and Senior Fellow Andrew Long filed comments opposing the FCC’s
proposal to prohibit cable and DBS service providers from imposing early
termination fees and to require these providers to grant a prorated credit
for the remaining days in a monthly or periodic billing cycle after the
cancellation of service.</span></b><span><br />
<br />
A complete copy of the comments, with the footnotes, is attached. Here is an
excerpt from the <b>Introduction and Summary</b>:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span> * * *</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The Billing Practices
NPRM proposes (1) "to prohibit cable and DBS service providers
from imposing a fee for the early termination of a cable or DBS video service
contract" – that is, to deny traditional MVPDs the benefit of their
open-eyes bargains with consumers in a manner that certainly will result in
higher prices – and (2) "to require cable and DBS service providers
to grant subscribers a prorated credit or rebate for the remaining whole days
in a monthly or periodic billing cycle after the cancellation of
service" – that is, to require that traditional MVPDs establish a daily
price for their service despite a statutory prohibition against rate
regulation. In short, the Commission's proposal would reduce consumers' options
and lead to higher prices, while contravening Congress's bar on rate regulation
of cable services. This misguided effort to implement an ill-conceived instance
of "Regulatory Bidenomics" should be abandoned.<br />
<br />
Forty years ago, in the 1984 Cable Act, Congress articulated a clear intent to
leverage competition, rather than regulation, to generate efficiencies – lower
prices, greater options, enhanced innovation – for consumers of video content.
Today that competition undeniably exists, and the variety of billing
arrangements offered to consumers – including those vilified and proposed to be
prohibited in this proceeding – is evidence, not of consumer harm, but of
competition-fueled consumer choice. Nevertheless, employing some linguistic
legerdemain that would make George Orwell blush 75 years after publication of
his masterpiece, the coincidentally titled 1984, the Commission proposes
to not just regulate rates, but to dictate – and, for existing relationships,
disregard – the specific terms of the informed voluntary agreement between
(1) empowered purchasers of video programming, and (2) the shrinking
subset of providers over which it has some regulatory authority: traditional,
facilities-based MVPDs. If adopted, these proposals would diminish consumer
welfare directly, through higher monthly prices and fewer billing options, and
indirectly, by further hindering the ability of subscriber-shedding cable
operators and DBS providers to compete with ascendent streaming alternatives.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
kbakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05609000850935578191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-29625471799380786752024-02-01T20:53:00.008-05:002024-02-02T00:48:27.302-05:00FirstNet's Public Safety Communications Network Continues to Grow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclpkgndEdvi_tuaRhjstBOYCQtvUoQWgqQPa9hcUCR6Xy2YPt3fxy2tNbABtGpPDV2g40zeIy9cAiwjUluMgwb6cRvzYlkieEtAF-ZkmmrWMnYpEgU6f35QcMMPvtHtcPhLxWQurYtPcBc5rnkZqAM0IvTsyKLtQl0y9fJHqFBCOX2VKtbfkUug/s400/WinsA_8l_400x400%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclpkgndEdvi_tuaRhjstBOYCQtvUoQWgqQPa9hcUCR6Xy2YPt3fxy2tNbABtGpPDV2g40zeIy9cAiwjUluMgwb6cRvzYlkieEtAF-ZkmmrWMnYpEgU6f35QcMMPvtHtcPhLxWQurYtPcBc5rnkZqAM0IvTsyKLtQl0y9fJHqFBCOX2VKtbfkUug/w200-h200/WinsA_8l_400x400%20(1).jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">On January 24, AT&T released its <a href="https://investors.att.com/financial-reports/quarterly-earnings/2023" style="color: #954f72;">report</a> for the fourth quarter of 2023. AT&T announced that the FirstNet nationwide public safety broadband network it constructed has increased its total connections to more than 5.5 million across 27,500 law enforcement and first responder agencies. FirstNet is overseen by <a href="https://firstnet.gov/">FirstNet Authority</a>, an agency within the NTIA.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="background: repeat white; color: #222222;">The widespread adoption by law enforcement and first responder agencies of FirstNet and other enterprise networks is significant because it undermines the FCC's attempted partial rebranding of public utility regulation of residential mass-market retail broadband Internet access services as a vital public safety measure. The Commission's Notice proposing to reclassify broadband Internet access services as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act even acknowledges that </span>"much of the communications between public safety entities and first responders take advantage of enterprise-level dedicated public safety broadband services." Indeed, enterprise-level dedicated networks with quality-of-service guarantees are more ideally suited for government agencies such as emergency first responders. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: repeat white; color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">On December 14, 2023, the Free State Foundation filed public <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FSF-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-121423.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">comments</a> opposing Title II reclassification and imposition of public utility regulation on broadband Internet access services. FSF's comments called attention to the glaring disconnect between imposing public utility regulation on commercial broadband Internet access services in the name of national security and public safety when the military, law enforcement, and emergency responders rely heavily on dedicated networks. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Also, in the Free State Foundation's <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Reply-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-011724.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">reply comments</a>, filed on January 17, 2024, we observed that "it is a weighty matter to impose government controls over private services and property catering to civilians in the name of national security and public safety." And thus, "[i]t is unlikely that Congress intended to alter the balance between public power and private rights through such an expansive reading of Title II." Our reply comments voiced agreement with the proposition that national security and public safety have never before been relied upon by the Commission as a justification for common carrier regulation of broadband.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">For more on the empty national security and public safety rationale for regulating residential commercial broadband Internet services as public utilities, see FSF’s comments and reply comments. See also my October 2023 <i>Perspectives from FSF Scholars</i>, "<a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Net-Neutrality-Regulation-Is-Not-a-Public-Safety-Measure-101823.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">Net Neutrality Regulation Is Not a Public Safety Measure</a>."</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-47117201863910788062024-01-26T19:21:00.004-05:002024-01-26T19:40:59.076-05:00Fixed Wireless Services Made Big Strides in 2023<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On January 25, it was</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.nexttv.com/news/t-mobile-added-21-million-fixed-wireless-customers-in-2023-but-it-just-quietly-raised-5g-home-internet-prices-to-dollar60-a-month" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">reported</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">that T-Mobile added 541,000 fixed wireless access (FWA) subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2023. T-Mobile reportedly gained about 2.1 million subscribers to its 5G-enabled FWA residential broadband Internet services in 2023. Also, it was reported that Verizon gained 375,000 FWA subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year. According to</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.rcrwireless.com/20240123/carriers/verizon-makes-gains-in-mobile-fwa-subs-says-c-band-investments-are-paying-off" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">reports</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, upwards of 80% of Verizon’s FWA subscriber additions are served in markets where Verizon obtained mid-band spectrum through the Commission's C-Band spectrum license auction. All told, T-Mobile and Verizon have a combined total of nearly 8 million FWA subs, with T-Mobile having about 4.78 million.</span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLdQYsur-qOOENP15JRgYihuW5aJJOLrSQHAk96szUF5sYSsjEo1-wH0gvAmInBO_QgkoSBqCeyUPJZRx7IBiID0eAK4CruatnS1oDdI9-5-_IkA7_nrjksYiXk_BakBGCC7gJaeMI84aGm0HK87EXY6LtvgQSQutA8y-4awl-7dAJc-pZ4dRrg/s500/CompetitionImage.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="500" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLdQYsur-qOOENP15JRgYihuW5aJJOLrSQHAk96szUF5sYSsjEo1-wH0gvAmInBO_QgkoSBqCeyUPJZRx7IBiID0eAK4CruatnS1oDdI9-5-_IkA7_nrjksYiXk_BakBGCC7gJaeMI84aGm0HK87EXY6LtvgQSQutA8y-4awl-7dAJc-pZ4dRrg/w200-h108/CompetitionImage.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Importantly, AT&T launched its FWA services mid-way through 2023. AT&T is just getting started and it</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/att-reports-526000-q4-2023-postpaid-phone-net-adds-prepaid-saw-losses" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">reportedly</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">gained 67,000 FWA subscribers in the fourth quarter, bringing AT&T's total up to about 93,000.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">FWA has perhaps been the biggest breakthrough in the broadband internet services market to take place since the FCC released its <i>Restoring Internet Freedom Order</i> in 2018. Market entry by three nationwide FWA providers provides an ideal platform for accessing broadband in many rural areas. And in many cases, FWA entry boosts the number of fixed broadband access competitors for Americans in local markets already served by cable, fiber, and satellite broadband services. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the <i>RIF Order</i>, the Commission "conclude[d] that reclassification of broadband Internet access service from Title II to Title I is likely to increase ISP investment and output." The launch and rapid rollout of FWA is a critical output and it has been enabled by heavy capital investment, including investment in spectrum licenses won at competitive bidding auctions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On January 17, Free State Foundation President Randolph May and I filed reply comments in the FCC's Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet proceeding. In those <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Reply-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-011724.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">reply comments</a>, we recommended that the Commission keep the free market-oriented, light-touch regulatory framework for broadband Internet services established under the <i>RIF Order</i>. In FSF's reply comments, we quoted many of the doomsday predictions made by pro-public utility regulation supporters about how the Internet would grind to a slow halt or stop and everyday users would be shuffled off into Internet slow lanes while fat cats would ride high on Internet fast lanes. None of that ever happened. In fact, the opposite happened, as speeds have continued to increase since early 2018 and next-generation broadband services like FWA deployed nationwide to boost access and competition. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-68049348057913357482024-01-24T12:09:00.001-05:002024-01-24T12:10:19.995-05:00PRESS RELEASE: Mike O’Rielly Joins FSF as Adjunct Senior Fellow to Launch a New Videocast<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0RgHo28EdRYUTpipdi8MXrmrKFv5r1g9uIACbzYt8rF5C02bwN1mazz1kRJ0frrJKVoudGLBgT1eYyp8YPSs6mZmb7AJVpWQQUXhFglaOGrdSYpXBaaaO2XstAveBxl3gPdr8A66n8jh-bKQagJB2tNzmbJoQgdFPHGvSXi4lEfwi9FRWUZS/s448/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="448" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0RgHo28EdRYUTpipdi8MXrmrKFv5r1g9uIACbzYt8rF5C02bwN1mazz1kRJ0frrJKVoudGLBgT1eYyp8YPSs6mZmb7AJVpWQQUXhFglaOGrdSYpXBaaaO2XstAveBxl3gPdr8A66n8jh-bKQagJB2tNzmbJoQgdFPHGvSXi4lEfwi9FRWUZS/s320/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span>The Free State
Foundation, one of the nation’s leading free market-oriented think tanks
focusing on telecommunications, media, and Internet law and policy, is pleased
to announce that former Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O’Rielly is
joining FSF as an Adjunct Senior Fellow. FSF will be hosting Mr. O’Rielly’s
soon-to-be launched new video podcast, “TMT With Mike O’Rielly.”</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The videocast, which
will air approximately twice a month, will feature informative,
thought-provoking discussions regarding all things TMT – technology, media, and
telecommunications – between Mike and leading figures from all branches of
government, including the FCC and Congress, and industry, academia, and other
think tanks. Topics will include not only the hot-button issues of the day – of
which there is certainly no shortage – but also those requiring “looks around
the corner” that sharpen thinking about issues only beginning to come into
focus.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Mr.
O’Rielly is a principal at MPORielly Consulting, LLC, and a member of APCO’s
International Advisory Council<span>. </span>Before being unanimously confirmed as FCC
Commissioner, Mr. O’Rielly held a variety of top staff positions during twenty
years in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>In
announcing the new affiliation, Free State Foundation President Randolph May
said: “I’m thrilled and proud that FSF will be hosting Mike’s new video podcast
and affiliating with us as an Adjunct Senior Fellow. It’s no secret that I
greatly admired Mike’s tenure as an FCC commissioner. His leadership was
exemplary, including on key issues like spectrum matters and agency
institutional reform. And, of course, even before Mike became a commissioner, I
admired his work in senior staff positions on the Hill. I have great respect
for Mike’s intelligence, expertise, integrity, and his willingness and ability
to seek common ground to find solutions to difficult problems.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Mr.
O’Rielly stated: “Well, it’s no secret either that for many years now, I have
cherished the work of the Free State Foundation’s scholars and Randy’s
leadership of the think tank. When I served as an FCC commissioner, I often
relied on the Free State Foundation’s research and its free market-oriented
publications, including in the area of FCC process reform, where FSF generated
a wealth of sound ideas. And I always looked forward to participating in FSF
events. So, I couldn’t be more pleased than to have my new videocast hosted by
FSF. I am so excited to use this new videocast as a tool to explore and shed
light on all of the timely TMT issues facing industry, government, and
consumers.”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">Mr.
O’Rielly will retain sole control over the selection of guests and the
programming content of the “TMT With Mike O’Rielly” videocasts.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A PDF of this press release is <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PRESS-RELEASE-Mike-ORielly-Joins-FSF-as-Adjunct-Senior-Fellow-o-Launch-a-New-Videocast-012424.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">here</span></a>. </b></span><span style="mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;"></span></span></p>
kbakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05609000850935578191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-42746543820001985562024-01-19T14:30:00.000-05:002024-01-19T14:30:05.501-05:00New Jersey Passes 2024's First State Privacy Law<p><span style="font-size: large;">The privacy plot thickens: New Jersey just became the first state in 2024 – and (<a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/09/delaware-privacy-law-makes-dozen-or.html">by my count</a>) the fourteenth overall – to enact a comprehensive data privacy law. <a href="https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S0500/332_R6.PDF" target="_blank">Bill S332</a>, formally titled "An Act concerning online services, consumers, and personal data and supplementing Title 56 of the Revised Statutes" (the Act), was signed on Tuesday by Governor Phil Murphy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">At the federal level, sadly, there has been <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/More-States-Compound-the-Dreaded-Privacy-Patchwork-Problem-072423.pdf" target="_blank">little news to report</a> in well over a year. Consequently, each additional state that forges its own unique path further muddies the waters, creating more chaos for consumers and more compliance nightmares for companies.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcMsyxaNQhoJEqNETj5FsdOANUm-auCRtg_PCg96GtL3z7XtGZSdyhIdOQAR3zPzNOauA4oa1RKxrdLpkoUeLaAr4Odx7-zPrRjSwj-XaWDBdfuexUvWJVyrfMncqFaALgRu0SDWSd1kXAvhgp27qOZvYtNtlklKOg_s_0PKNkJ8pnGt42Oyscg/s2296/Flag_of_New_Jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="2296" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcMsyxaNQhoJEqNETj5FsdOANUm-auCRtg_PCg96GtL3z7XtGZSdyhIdOQAR3zPzNOauA4oa1RKxrdLpkoUeLaAr4Odx7-zPrRjSwj-XaWDBdfuexUvWJVyrfMncqFaALgRu0SDWSd1kXAvhgp27qOZvYtNtlklKOg_s_0PKNkJ8pnGt42Oyscg/s320/Flag_of_New_Jersey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">The Act establishes a number of familiar consumer rights with respect to personal data: to confirm its collection and processing, to correct, to delete, to receive a portable copy, to opt out of its processing for targeted advertising as well as its sale, and to opt in to the processing of "sensitive data."</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Not surprisingly, however, the Act includes several provisions that distinguish it from other state privacy statutes – and thereby unduly complicate nationwide compliance efforts. For one, it does not set a minimum-revenue threshold for covered companies. For another, its definition of "sensitive data" includes certain types of financial information.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety's Division of Consumer Affairs is tasked with adopting regulations implementing the Act. The New Jersey Attorney General has exclusive enforcement authority. For the first year and a half, companies will enjoy a 30-day cure period.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The Act does not create a private right of action, However, an eleventh-hour amendment deleting the phrase "under any other law" did prompt Governor Murphy to note in his <a href="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240116/da/1f/46/be/fa0e699395c8e1426fe07349/S332_.pdf" target="_blank">Statement Upon Signing</a> that:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;">I understand that concerns have been raised that removing that language thereby establishes a private right of action under other laws for violations of this bill. However, nothing in this bill expressly establishes such a private right of action, and the provision as amended states that the bill shall not be "construed as providing the basis for … a private right of action for violations of [the bill]."</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The bulk of the Act will go into effect on January 15, 2025. The obligation to abide universal opt-out mechanisms (such as web browser-based privacy signals) will kick in six months later.</span></p>Andrew Longhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02201057982826265377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-66779014174024010742024-01-17T12:55:00.000-05:002024-01-17T12:55:36.492-05:00FSF Submits Reply Comments on the Safeguarding and Securing the Open <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2jZnBiEoJe2s6T_pXGleE-Putz5JjydJF5AmxRUDf3wCSNuEw_OVqMEb4ursCObjDQb97E3W-ORK30ap0IN0Zra4LCJ-Al32glZr_uq_yz-DjUt2S_yqzLZvz8jFk6SUdwchM5w_aGuuIxuj4ZUjyBijEJbW5JFvo5yc9f9cu_4pAl4q9hzF/s448/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="448" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2jZnBiEoJe2s6T_pXGleE-Putz5JjydJF5AmxRUDf3wCSNuEw_OVqMEb4ursCObjDQb97E3W-ORK30ap0IN0Zra4LCJ-Al32glZr_uq_yz-DjUt2S_yqzLZvz8jFk6SUdwchM5w_aGuuIxuj4ZUjyBijEJbW5JFvo5yc9f9cu_4pAl4q9hzF/s320/FSF_LOGO_RGB_FINAL%5B1%5D%20compressed%20for%20web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px;"></span></span></p><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Today, Free State Foundation President Randolph May and Director of Communications Policy Studies Seth Cooper filed <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Reply-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-011724.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1705599454141000&usg=AOvVaw0gGABFwvx8TVEyaSC_dV5-" href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/FSF-Reply-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-011724.pdf" target="_blank">reply comments</a> showing why the FCC’s proposal to convert Internet service providers into public utilities is unwise and unlawful.</b></span></div><span style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here are a few key excerpts from the Introduction and Summary:</b></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It's well-documented that proponents of public utility regulation of broadband Internet services decried the <i>RIF Order</i>’s
repeal of that regulation as the unleashing of a dystopian nightmare in
which the Internet would grind to a halt and broadband providers would
prey on consumers, innovators, and small businesses. Of course, their
deliberately outlandish claims were quickly proven wrong. For this
reason alone, the views of these pro-utility regulation advocates should
be given no credence whatsoever. Indeed, were they to be given
credence, the Commission’s own credibility would be further called into
question.”</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span>"Despite being so spectacularly wrong about the effect of the</span><span> </span><i>RIF Order</i><span>,
many of those same pro-regulatory proponents are back, calling for the
reimposition of the short-lived public utility regime established in the
now-repealed 2015</span><span> </span><i>Title II Order</i><span>.
The FCC cannot accord the claims of these parties – or the claims of
allied parties – any credibility whatsoever regarding the future of
broadband services when they were so wrong last time around. If it does
so, it will confirm that the Commission is intent on regulation as an
end in itself, not a means to an end when warranted. Since the</span><span> </span><i>RIF Order</i><span> </span><span>was
adopted in late 2017, Internet speeds have significantly increased.
Next-generation technologies such as fiber, 5G mobile wireless, and
fixed wireless access have deployed and offer significantly improved
capabilities as well as more competitive choices for consumers. And
broadband service pricing has been more consumer friendly and resistant
to price increases than most other service markets.</span>”</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Title
II reclassification will not protect Internet openness, national
security, or public safety. To the limited extent that pro-utility
regulation comments actually try to prop up the Commission’s dubious
national security, public safety, cybersecurity, and network resiliency
rationales for Title II reclassification, such comments offer no
analysis or facts, or concrete dangers or solutions, to substantiate
those claims. There is no reason to expect government interference,
based on supposed bureaucratic expertise, will make networks perform
better or more safely. Comments opposed to the proposed rulemaking
rightly point out that broadband Internet service providers (ISPs)
already have economic incentives to make available high-performance,
resilient networks. Indeed, ISPs demonstrated their performance
capabilities under the stress of traffic demand spikes amidst
COVID-related government-imposed lockdown orders.”</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">"It
is no surprise that comments by many longtime supporters of public
utility regulation of broadband do not cite any specific credible
examples of ISPs blocking or throttling their subscribers’ access to
legal content of their choice. Instead of the predicted broadband
Internet wasteland following Title II regulation repeal, since early
2018 there is no record evidence that ISPs engage in such harmful
conduct or that they are likely to do so. The fact that ISPs do not
block or throttle indicates that the existing light-touch policy based
on the Commission’s transparency rules and Federal Trade Commission
enforcement of ISP terms of service pledges is working. ISPs’ consensus
against blocking or throttling cannot be explained away by pointing to
state net neutrality laws. Net neutrality laws exist only in a handful
of states, and yet blocking and throttling have not occurred in states
that have no net neutrality laws.”</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;">"We
agree with comments opposed to the proposed rulemaking that the
Commission’s pretensions to secure or safeguard Internet openness,
national security, and public safety are illusory and arbitrary because
the rulemaking focuses on only one aspect of the Internet – Internet
access services – and does not address far more serious concerns posed
by other aspects of the Internet – including Big Tech platforms and
other online edge providers that actively censor, shadow ban, and
deprioritize speech content. Also, the Commission’s myopic focus on ISPs
for supposed security and safety purposes leaves completely untouched
numerous other major providers in the Internet ecosystem that may pose
much greater risks to security and safety than ISPs.”</span></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">A
PDF of the complete FSF reply comments, with footnotes, is </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001861r0am9f_bFTwBU5St9LIF_SOTBNElDOZjVCy_WaXEM-821LSgCZ23U3xEEbbyVRzUP95DEEJzWOrrfXcb0ed-MOyJ3AsJdtlo7uq6j8BjMVNOHp7pgdA725oxeEF2rsRgSAK9Fe_XLVb6K-kTzLBiw2QsiSdlWYXv1-lZU6zlRuYeU60J8RLGK-cYy7ZpfmvDu5rkwGhyiyllxI0ynTySGrGtir1Pkuj5exQ404NTGlFwTG0MwiX5SOK4AiizEey3g2ILyPkts_jZh6dx98i4qD2ubgO6C%26c%3DmFPF1cqnmKxWqCn-5J_YWNHWmU29YMsNAmITWmQ5QWb0xOlLR0aT1w%3D%3D%26ch%3DNnoGW-yGqvJq7nFBW1qGZpz3Zzdmcaa-eh3HkGt978SRfUjKrl2YJw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1705595037558000&usg=AOvVaw3LILGd43GgOOHmJ9LUWaMm" href="https://freestatefoundation.org/comment/fsf-reply-comments-safeguarding-and-securing-the-open-internet/">here</a>.</span></b></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span></span><p></p>kbakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05609000850935578191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-35220943146246911782024-01-16T20:37:00.009-05:002024-01-19T13:46:13.647-05:00Ookla Year-End 2023 Reports Shows Further Rise in U.S. Broadband Speeds<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On January 16, Ookla released its <a href="https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/united-states#market-analysis" style="color: #954f72;">Global Speed Index</a> reports for December 2023, including for the United States. According to Ookla, median upload/download speeds in the U.S. for December 2023 were 227.27/26.59 Mbps for fixed broadband services and 111.01/9.68 Mbps for mobile broadband services. Those overall figures show significant improvement over Ookla'</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">s findings from March 2023 of 197.84/23.02 Mbps for fixed broadband services, and 81.26/9.44 Mbps for mobile broadband services. (For background, see my April 2023</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/04/ookla-reports-rising-fixed-and-mobile.html" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">blog post</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, "Ookla Reports Rising Fixed and Mobile Broadband Speeds in Early 2023.")</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAVuy9W5VORBua2g6SqfUtVWCJkOj6nqOzIFc4HiAVLqxcH92TynG2Xp8dmDp7nUYR5_nnhLa_ZDvTNxWEtoI1KBr-fDWyUm4GHUDRhIVRjGboBw1hgPdZC5W7S3a2Axrmhlc6zdbMwPORerUcb3qNN5dMLOI76SQW-x1jhdOC_Sf68_A7-ST2g/s1200/broadband.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAVuy9W5VORBua2g6SqfUtVWCJkOj6nqOzIFc4HiAVLqxcH92TynG2Xp8dmDp7nUYR5_nnhLa_ZDvTNxWEtoI1KBr-fDWyUm4GHUDRhIVRjGboBw1hgPdZC5W7S3a2Axrmhlc6zdbMwPORerUcb3qNN5dMLOI76SQW-x1jhdOC_Sf68_A7-ST2g/w200-h133/broadband.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ookla's December 2023 findings are yet another indicator of the success of the federal light-touch regulatory framework for broadband Internet access services, which encourages private market investment and innovation. That pro-free market approach was established in the FCC's 2017 <i>Restoring Internet Freedom Order</i>. Supporters of public utility regulation made dire predictions that the <i>RIF Order</i> would cause the Internet to slow to one word at a time or shuffle most Americans off into slow lanes while corporate elites enjoy fast lane privileges. The scare stories have proven totally false. <br /><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On December 14, the Free State Foundation filed <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FSF-Comments-Safeguarding-and-Securing-the-Open-Internet-121423.pdf" style="color: #954f72;">comments</a> in the Securing and Safeguarding the Open Internet proceeding, recommending that the FCC stick to the pro-market policy of the <i>RIF Order</i> as the best way to promote continued advancements in broadband access for all Americans. The <i>RIF Orde</i>r's repeal of the agency's short-lived public utility regulation did not slow anyone’s speeds, and Ookla’s reports instead show that broadband speeds have continued to increase. FSF's comments urged the Commission to <u>not</u> reimpose public utility regulation on broadband Internet access services. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Seth L. Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860040096175918524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-15220783904811644282024-01-11T11:11:00.042-05:002024-01-11T12:02:13.788-05:00Communications Law and Policy Priorities for 2024<p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">It’s usual at the beginning of the year to take stock, look ahead, and articulate priorities for the coming year, and perhaps beyond. Of course, we do that here at the Free State Foundation, not just because it’s usual, but because it is a good management practice that helps us focus more effectively on the tasks ahead. And, truth be told, we don’t just do it at the beginning of the year; we do it all year long.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">There’s widespread agreement that, regarding communications law and policy, 2024 almost certainly will be challenging and consequential. In part this is because there is now a 3-2 Democrat majority at the FCC, so Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will be able to move forward to consider items – think, for example, regulating Internet access providers as public utilities – that otherwise might well lack a majority. And, aside from that, 2024 is an election year. Election years present heightened opportunities for education and agenda-setting as public policy priorities are often fashioned and sharpened.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">So, I want to call attention to the Free State Foundation’s just-published “<a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Public-Policy-Priorities-for-2024-Final-011124.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">Communications Law and Policy Priorities for 2024</span></a>” compiled by FSF’s senior scholars. Please keep in mind that the Priorities document is not intended to be the “final word.” While it’s the way we see things now, the document necessarily is intended to be a “work in progress.” At the Free State Foundation, we take pride in our ability to anticipate what issues will become priorities that aren’t now and our agility to constantly reevaluate and look ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJTH2pXASNM-wWeD190yZZ8ZpRgLWCxSck9QNtrpFNqFLStgEciVkCAPNQ0mH4zwtV4IDiLDn8h7tt00vEAv8zRfw8zYpmtnhrJxjZGZm8bkZzqpT8C-zU7whjlRG90dKm7eN5FkNtFMc4EqtEKi69wwjBFpA6obgMf8nmy3qwHBNd_nyQAnkUA/s1600/Communications%20Law%20and%20Policy%20Priorities.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJTH2pXASNM-wWeD190yZZ8ZpRgLWCxSck9QNtrpFNqFLStgEciVkCAPNQ0mH4zwtV4IDiLDn8h7tt00vEAv8zRfw8zYpmtnhrJxjZGZm8bkZzqpT8C-zU7whjlRG90dKm7eN5FkNtFMc4EqtEKi69wwjBFpA6obgMf8nmy3qwHBNd_nyQAnkUA/w430-h242/Communications%20Law%20and%20Policy%20Priorities.jpg" width="430" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Here are the top-line Priorities addressed in the <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Public-Policy-Priorities-for-2024-Final-011124.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">document</span></a>:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span> <b>Reject Public Utility Regulation of Internet Service Providers</b></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Require Proper Implementation of Massive Broadband Subsidies</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Reopen the Spectrum Pipeline and Act to Fill It</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Reform the Broken Universal Service Subsidy Regime</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Remove Outdated Video Regulations</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Establish a Uniform, National Privacy Framework<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span><!--[endif]--><b>Protect First Amendment Rights and Cultivate a Culture of Free Speech</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">For each of these, there are bullet points that elaborate and contain specific action items. But please understand that the intent here is not to “write a paper” on each one. That’s part of our week-to-week, month-to-month work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I should add that at FSF, we also do important work that falls outside this “Communications Law and Policy” list, such as in the Intellectual Property, Constitutional Law, and Administrative Law areas. </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">A final important word: On our <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a>, we proclaim our mission to be “<span style="background: white;">to promote, through research and educational activities, understanding of free market, free speech, limited government, and rule of law principles . . . and to advocate laws and policies true to these principles.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">In developing the priorities above, and in all our work, we do our best to remain faithful to those principles. So, in this regard, I keep top-of-mind Alexander Hamilton’s exhortation: “In disquisitions of every kind, there are certain primary truths, or first principles, upon which all subsequent reasoning must depend.”</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24342758.post-39485342205021039722024-01-09T14:39:00.000-05:002024-01-09T14:39:03.175-05:00FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel to Congress: Absent Additional Funding, Affordable Connectivity Program Will End in April<p><span style="font-size: large;">In <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-399614A1.pdf" target="_blank">letters to congressional leaders</a> dated January 8, 2024, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel warned that the <a href="https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/" target="_blank">Affordable Connectivity Program</a> (ACP), a broadband-service subsidy relied upon by over 22 million lower-income households, is projected to run out of money at some point in April of this year.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Established by the <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-117hr3684enr/pdf/BILLS-117hr3684enr.pdf" target="_blank">Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act</a> (IIJA) in 2021, the ACP provides eligible households with between $30 and $75 per month to be applied toward (and which, in many instances, covers) a monthly broadband subscription from the participating Internet service provider (ISP) of their choice. Absent additional congressional action, the ACP will end when the hefty initial appropriation – $14.2 billion – is depleted.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhnJKazja0URvd1q7s12QsbQNGCfAkHPaoRWlC-MhuwqS7uDW7tJAqAlCLJ8Kqqxepg9TWGhaxuU6M07tMj8a_3tVmdEXDX9gBMS24buTJv2OCyj1K-h_FBzUe8Qq97Fak6ZEoHAhNO_AWFzy5IdOAyA3DTw0SOkHgqFABMeXJTeKzakH7cjwxg/s309/ACP-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="85" data-original-width="309" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhnJKazja0URvd1q7s12QsbQNGCfAkHPaoRWlC-MhuwqS7uDW7tJAqAlCLJ8Kqqxepg9TWGhaxuU6M07tMj8a_3tVmdEXDX9gBMS24buTJv2OCyj1K-h_FBzUe8Qq97Fak6ZEoHAhNO_AWFzy5IdOAyA3DTw0SOkHgqFABMeXJTeKzakH7cjwxg/w400-h110/ACP-logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">In October 2023, the Biden Administration asked Congress to appropriate sufficient funding to extend the ACP through the end of 2024: <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Summary-of-Funding-Request-to-Meet-Critical-Needs.pdf" target="_blank">$6 billion</a>. Chairwoman Rosenworcel's letters echoed that request, as did a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/build/resources/affordable-connectivity-program-enrollment-fact-sheets/#:~:text=On%20October%2025%2C%202023%2C%20the,for%20the%20Affordable%20Connectivity%20Program." target="_blank">White House Fact Sheet</a> released the same day.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As Free State Foundation President Randolph May noted approvingly in an <a href="https://freestatefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Congress-Should-Extend-and-Revise-the-Affordable-Connectivity-Program-102522.pdf" target="_blank">October 2022 <i>Perspectives from FSF Scholars</i></a>, the ACP "enables millions of lower-income consumers to participate on a relatively equal footing in the competitive marketplace for high-speed Internet access." He therefore called for Congress to "extend and revise" the ACP, specifically by "target[ing] its limited resources to those most in need."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And as I have pointed out in a <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/10/biden-administration-democratic.html">series</a> <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/08/support-grows-for-extending-affordable.html">of</a> <a href="https://freestatefoundation.blogspot.com/2023/06/gop-senators-to-biden-use-covid-19.html">posts</a> to the <i>FSF Blog</i>, the ACP enjoys bipartisan support.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-399614A1.pdf" target="_blank">According to Chairwoman Rosenworcel</a>, "the Commission expects to begin taking steps this week to start orderly wind-down procedures to give participating providers, households and other stakeholders sufficient time to prepare for the projected end of the ACP."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Those actions will include: (1) providing ISPs with "guidance on the timing and requirements for notifying participating households," (2) setting a date after which no additional households may enroll, and, ultimately, (3) formally determining a date certain for the program's termination.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Andrew Longhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02201057982826265377noreply@blogger.com