Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Commenting on proposed FCC data breach rules (see 2302230038), groups representing the deaf and hard of hearing urged a focus on telecommunications relay service providers. “Overall, rules concerning TRS should account for the unique privacy concerns faced by TRS users, including the possibility that call transcripts could be accessed in a data breach,” the advocates said: “These rules should not include harm-based trigger notification requirements and should not treat cost as a barrier to implementation.” The filing was signed by Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association of the Deaf and the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Gallaudet University. TRS provider Sorenson Communications said it and other providers should have to report “inadvertent disclosures” of customer proprietary network information. But the FCC should recognize “the legitimate dangers of over-reporting,” Sorenson said: “Many inadvertent ‘breaches’ pose no serious risk to consumers, such as when an employee of a TRS provider inadvertently receives access to CPNI but does not misuse the information. Requiring providers to report such de minimis ‘breaches’ -- essentially false positives -- would serve no helpful purpose.” Provider Hamilton Relay said the commission should keep in mind “how TRS providers are different from common carriers with regard to the services they provide and the information they collect from their customers.” The FCC should also consider “how its proposed rules will align, or potentially conflict, with existing state and federal privacy regimes,” Hamilton said. Comments were posted last week in docket 22-21.

CTIA warned the FCC its ability to regulate data breaches of information beyond customer proprietary network information (CPNI) is constrained by law. Other provider groups' filings posted Thursday struck a similar tone. But the Electronic Privacy Information Center said it's time for the FCC to get tough.

The FCC released the drafts of items scheduled for votes at the commissioners' March 16 open meeting, headlined by new rules for robotexts and a draft NPRM that would create a supplemental coverage from space (SCS) FCC authorization that would let satellite operators use flexible-use spectrum allocated to terrestrial services. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel also proposed rules designed to strengthen Stir/Shaken aimed at blocking more robocalls. The agenda is the biggest for an FCC meeting in many months (see 2302060035).

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announces retirement of Wireline Bureau Deputy Chief Diane Holland after 25 years with the agency … NAB promotes Alex Siciliano to senior vice president-communications … YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki says she’s leaving the company, Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan to succeed her as CEO … Comcast promotes Sophia Marshall to senior vice president-communications, Central Division, headquartered in Atlanta.

The NARUC board passed telecom resolutions Wednesday on the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and extending FCC spectrum auction authority. The RDOF resolution recommends a referral to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, but that body’s state members told us at NARUC’s meeting this week the joint board hasn’t met in several years. The FCC’s continuing lack of five commissioners could be a big reason, they said.

The NARUC Telecom Committee unanimously agreed Monday to proposed resolutions on the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and extending FCC spectrum authority. It’s critical to keep RDOF awards in the location that won them even if the FCC rejected the winning bidder, said Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille in an interview Sunday. The draft resolutions, passed at the state utility regulator association’s winter meeting, need NARUC board approval.

NARUC draft resolutions on FCC spectrum auction authority and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) got support from some industry and other groups ahead of this week’s state utilities regulators’ meeting in Washington, D.C. In an interview last week, Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Tim Schram (R) said it’s critical to use auction revenue to fully fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, which repays federally funded carriers required to “rip and replace” equipment from Chinese vendors that may pose a security risk.

The Senate Commerce Committee set its third hearing on FCC nominee Gigi Sohn for Tuesday, in line with Democrats’ plans to move the candidate swiftly through the committee (see 2302030073) in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the Senate’s 2022 confirmation stall. President Joe Biden renominated Sohn in January after the new Congress convened (see 2301030060). The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 253 Russell. The American Accountability Foundation, among the most vocal groups opposing Sohn urged four Democratic senators Wednesday to recuse themselves from voting on her confirmation because the nominee donated to their campaigns. Sohn supporters called AAF’s donation claims overblown.

Intelsat and SpaceX officials gave high marks to a draft updated version of the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act and refiled Secure Space Act (HR-675), in written testimony before a planned Wednesday House Communications Subcommittee hearing on the bills. Representatives from the FCC and Planet Labs gave more measured but positive reviews. Witnesses also spoke positively about the Leveraging American Understanding of Next-Generation Challenges Exploring Space Act (HR-682) and two other draft satellite bills the subcommittee will review Wednesday: the draft Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act and draft Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity (PASC) Act. The hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m. in 2322 Rayburn.

The number of items the FCC is considering at its monthly meetings has slowly declined in the two years since Jessica Rosenworcel was designated to lead the agency. The January meeting was over in about half an hour and had two items for votes. Similarly, Rosenworcel has teed up just two items for this month's meeting. A review of the record found the FCC tackled 59 items, large and small, at meetings the first year under Rosenworcel. That was down to 42 in year two. In more than half the meetings in year two, commissioners tackled three or fewer items at the meetings.