A key provision in the staff report that led to creating an FCC Office of Economics and Analytics is a line that OEA should “produce a separate, non-public memorandum on economic issues to accompany documents circulated to the Commission,” blogged Technology Policy Institute Senior Fellow Tom Lenard. Commissioners approved creating the office on a 3-2 party-line vote last week (see 1801300026). The plan “is designed to encourage the policy-making Bureaus to include economic considerations throughout the policy development process, while also providing for direct communication of economic views to commissioners,” Lenard wrote. An alternative would be for the FCC to publish a preliminary regulatory impact analysis for every proposed new rule and a final RIA for every issued rule, he said.

Broadcom made a $121 billion “best and final offer” for Qualcomm. The $82 per share includes $60 in cash and $22 in Broadcom stock, compared with its initial offer in November -- $70 per share, or $60 in cash and $10 in stock (see 1711060004). This "will allow Qualcomm stockholders a greater opportunity to participate in the upside created by the combined company's strategic and operational advantages,” Broadcom said Monday. “Broadcom's track record demonstrates our ability to consistently accelerate share price appreciation following acquisitions and indicates a substantial likelihood that we will exceed our synergies expectations.” Qualcomm's board, "in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, will review the revised proposal to determine the course of action it believes is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders," that company responded.

Tech interests had feedback on EPA examining its Energy Star process (see 1712150033), including CTA, Juniper Networks and Samsung. CTA said the agency in 2011 imposing mandatory third-party certifications of consumer electronics products qualifying for Energy Star “is significantly more expensive and time-consuming to manufacturers than the successful self-certification system which existed previously.” It's "superfluous in light of the government’s post-market verification programs which are much more meaningful and impactful,” the group commented, as posted Thursday at the Energy Star website. The association has sought a new process to allow CE companies with a good record of compliance to earn their way out of the third-party certification requirement (see 1711080025). Agency representatives tell us they fear that would again leave Energy Star vulnerable to fraud (see 1604220027). The Natural Resources Defense Council, overall satisfied with the process, said that "to help continually improve transparency in the procedures it follows and to better engage with a wider body of stakeholders, EPA should make it as straightforward as possible for stakeholders to become involved in the specification setting process.” Samsung thinks EPA runs Energy Star “effectively through its notice and comment procedure with a clear timeline.” Juniper said the large network equipment program's low adoption "indicates a need to remove requirements that do not advance energy efficiency but do limit product design options."

The FCC Disability Advisory Committee meets Feb. 28 at 9 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room, said a Thursday notice. Among items expected to be discussed is a report on best practices for the aural description of visual but non-textual emergency information provided by broadcasters, and updates on emergency communications, technology transitions and relay and equipment distribution.

Judicial Watch's lawsuit against the FCC alleging no agency response to Freedom of Information Act requests for records and emails on the FCC classifying broadband as a Title II service (see 1705180047) is over. U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia Dabney Friedrich in January ordered the case closed, following a joint stipulation of dismissal (in Pacer) by the two sides filed Jan. 19.

There are two pleading cycles on state applications for certifying telecom relay service provision, for five years starting July 26, said an FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau public notice Friday in docket 03-123. Comments on one group of state applications are due Feb. 22, replies March 9, and comments on another are due Feb. 23, replies March 12.

The FTC cleared the way for Corning to buy 3M’s Communication Markets Division for $900 million, said an early termination notice Wednesday and released the next day, ending the transaction’s Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period. Corning’s Optical Communications sector will acquire about $400 million in annual sales of high bandwidth and optical fiber products from 3M, said Corning’s mid-December announcement.

An indictment by a federal grand jury in Dallas charged two people, Donna Woods of DeSoto, Texas, and Donatus Anyanwu of Dallas, with conspiracy and other offenses in a scheme to defraud the FCC's E-rate program, said Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, in a release Thursday. Woods is CEO of Nova Charter School, and Anyanwu is owner of ADI Engineering. The indictment alleges "Woods used her position at Nova to select ADI as Nova’s E-Rate service provider, a bid worth approximately $478,000. In return for ADl’s selection as Nova’s E-Rate service provider, Woods received a kickback of at least $5,000 from Anyanwu," the release said.

The FCC pleading cycle was extended on applications for state certification of the provision of telecom relay service, covering the five-year period starting July 26. Comments are now due Feb. 23, replies March 12, said a notice in Wednesday's Federal Register.

The FCC extended Lifeline NPRM and notice of inquiry comment deadlines by four weeks, partially granting a request of the National Hispanic Media Coalition for an eight-week extension (see 1801190023). Initial and reply comments on a Further NPRM and NOI previously due Wednesday and Feb. 23 are now due Feb. 21 and March 23, said a Wireline Bureau order Tuesday in docket 17-287.