September 27, 2012

Inside The Beltway 09/27.12

Three items are on the tentative agenda for the FCC’s open meeting set for Oct. 17: a Second Report and Order to streamline reporting requirements for international phone traffic, significantly reducing overall filing burdens while helping to ensure collection of the data needed to protect consumers and competition in international markets;  a Report and Order that protects Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) from autodialed calls via a do-not-call registry of PSAP telephone numbers; and an Order on reconsideration that will revise the WCS rules to facilitate use of 30 megahertz of spectrum for wireless broadband service while protecting SDARS against harmful interference. Says Tammy Sun, director/Communications at the commish , “By unleashing 20 megahertz of spectrum now – and up to 30 megahertz in the future – the Chairman (Genachowski) continues to leave no stone unturned when it comes to maximizing opportunities to refill the mobile spectrum pipeline that had begun to run dry over the last decade. In addition to removing regulatory barriers, the Commission continues to push ahead on innovative spectrum solutions in addition to traditional auctions, including incentive auctions, government-commercial sharing, technology-based opportunities like small cells, and freeing up unlicensed spectrum for innovations like Wi-Fi.”