April FCC Meeting Tackles Cramming, Auctions, USF

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold an open meeting starting at 11 a.m, on April 27, discussion several issues that will have significant impact on all parts of the communications industry.

>> From the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau – Empowering Consumers to Prevent and Detect  Billing for Unauthorized Charges ("Cramming") (CG  Docket No. 11-116): The commission will consider a Report and Order (R&O) and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) that would protect consumers by adopting and proposing  additional rules to help them prevent and detect the  unlawful and fraudulent placement of unauthorized  charges on their telephone bills.

>> From the Media Bureau – Noncommercial Educational Station Fundraising for Third-Party Non-Profit Organizations: The agency will look at  a NPRM inviting comment on whether to  allow noncommercial educational broadcast stations to conduct on-air fundraising activities that interrupt regular programming for the benefit of third-party non-profit organizations. 

>> From the Media Bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology – Innovation in the Broadcast Television Bands: Allocations, Channel Sharing and Improvements to VHF  (ET Docket No. 10-235): Commissioners will consider a R&O establishing a regulatory framework for channel-sharing among television licensees in connection with an incentive auction of spectrum.

>> From the Wireline Competition Bureau – Universal Service Contribution Methodology  (WC Docket No. 06-122) and A National Broadband Plan for Our Future (GN Docket No. 09-51): The FCC will discuss a FNPRM seeking comment on proposals to reform and modernize how USF contributions are assessed and recovered.  

To watch the meeting live on the Internet, go to the “FCC Live” Web page, click here