VOL. 12, NO. 24

June 20, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

Open Internet

Set-Top Box

FCC ECFS

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 23-26, 2016

The INCOMPAS Show

Dallas

April 3-6, 2017

The INCOMPAS Show
New Orleans

MEMBER NEWS

EarthLink and Zultys Certify Interoperability of SIP Trunking Services and Business Phone Systems with New Partnership

FTS Fiber Begins Construction of 110-Mile Fiber Network to Bring Gigabit Speed Internet to Maryland Residents

Granite Announced as 2016 Future 50 Award Winner

Level 3, Streaming Media and Unisphere Study Reveals 67 Percent of OTT Companies Believe Virtual Reality is a Lasting Technology

Onvoy Continues Mission to Increase Scale and Expand Capabilities with Agreement to Acquire ANPI

FCC DEADLINES

June 27
Reply Comments Due in NPRM on Privacy Guidelines for Broadband ISPs

June 28
Comments Due in Business Data Service Tariff Investigation Order and Further NPRM

July 26
Reply Comments Due in Business Data Service Tariff Investigation Order and Further NPRM

Appeals Court Rules in Favor of FCC's Open Internet Order

On June 14, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in favor of the FCC's Open Internet Order, a victory for the FCC, start-ups, small businesses and consumers.

In response, INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering, a former Republican Member of Congress from Mississippi who introduced the very first net neutrality legislation during his time in Congress, said "by upholding the FCC's balanced, light-touch framework, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has validated bedrock foundations for Open Internet protections that Internet streamers, dreamers and start-ups depend on."

"This Open Internet victory will foster more competition, more commerce and more cats. These policies benefit the entire Internet ecosystem, ensuring continued economic growth and free and open social expression," he added. "As we have seen since Open Internet policies went into effect last year, investment and innovation are on the rise as strong, clear interconnection guidelines have incentivized free market negotiations. By removing the dark cloud of uncertainty created by a few large gatekeepers that sought to block, throttle and control Internet traffic, the FCC order has enshrined the principles Internet founders envisioned."

INCOMPAS Comments on Cable Industry Set-Top Box Proposal

Last week, representatives from the cable industry met with FCC officials and put forth a proposal seeking to delay negotiations on unlocking the set-top box. In response, Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS and a member of the Consumer Video Choice Coalition (CVCC), said "it is encouraging to see the cable industry willing to agree to three critical points. First, consumers should be free from rental boxes and have the power to choose their own devices. Second, consumers should have integrated search capabilities, so they can find the Internet streaming content they crave. Third, cable induced fears over privacy, copyright and licensing in an open, competitive device market are false."

He added that "the 'unlock the box' movement seeks to promote consumer savings, choice and innovation. The FCC has the opportunity to free consumers from the box of the past and unleash a future of true innovation and consumer choice. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with the cable industry. Their current proposal
presents both some positive movement and some familiar limitations that could fall short of delivering an open, competitive marketplace. Consumers should be in control of their viewing experience and have greater choices in their app environment. This will produce the same innovative ecosystem we have seen on smart phones and other devices. In addition, the cable industry is proposing competitive choice for streaming devices, but still seeks to retain a controlling grip on DVRs and recordable devices."

"The cable industry has made promises before about ditching the set-top box that have not materialized. So it is important for the FCC's 'unlock the box' proposal to include enforceable standards that will create a thriving market for competition, congruent with the law. Again, we welcome proposals and constructive conversations with the cable industry, the FCC, and all stakeholders as we work toward a better solution for customer choice, competition and innovation," Pickering concluded.

FCC Debuts New ECFS System

This morning, the FCC transitioned to its new Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). This is a "hard launch," meaning that the legacy system will no longer be available after the transition. All documents in the legacy system will be accessible in the new system, and saved links (bookmarks or favorites) to documents and proceedings should not need to be adjusted.

This modernization project is expected to significantly improve the resiliency and performance of ECFS. The Commission will continue to take feedback and improve the system following this transition.