Posts Tagged ‘Genachowski’
FCC Appoints New Transactions Counsel
Posted on May 18, 2011The FCC has announced the appointment of Ms. Renata Hesse as Senior Counsel to the Chairman for Transactions. Ms. Hesse (no relation to Sprint CEO Dan Hesse) will lead the team reviewing the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger as well as oversee the inter-bureau steering committee established to coordinate the agency’s review of the merger application. Ms. Hesse comes to the FCC after serving as a partner in the Washington, DC law office of Wilson, Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she focused her practice on antitrust litigation and counseling. Prior to private practice, Ms. Hesse served as the Chief of the Networks and Technology Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice Antitrust Division where she was responsible for DOJ suits against corporate takeovers by Oracle and First Data. In addition, Ms. Hesse worked extensively on DOJ litigation against American Airlines for predatory conduct and Microsoft for illegal maintenance of its monopoly in PC operating systems.
FCC Names Six Members To USAC Board
Posted on January 11, 2011FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has announced the appointment of six members to serve on the board of directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The following individuals, along with the industry segment they will represent, were appointed:
Commercial mobile radio service providers: Scott Bergmann, CTIA.
Schools that are eligible to receive discounts: Anne Bryant, National School Boards Association.
Libraries that are eligible to receive discounts: Anne Campbell, ALC Consulting.
Cable operators: Jose Manuel Jimenez, Cox Communications, Inc.
State consumer advocates: Wayne Jortner, State of Maine Office of the Public Advocate.
Non-rural incumbent LECs: Joel Lubin, AT&T Services, Inc.
The individuals will fill six of the current seven vacancies on the USAC board. The FCC had solicited nominations for all seven vacancies but failed to receive a nomination for a representative for interexchange carriers with more than $3 billion in annual operating revenues.
FCC Chairman Names New Chief Counsel and Senior Legal Advisor
Posted on July 7, 2010Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski has named Rick Kaplan as his next Chief Counsel and Senior Legal Advisor. Kaplan will succeed Bruce Gottlieb, who is leaving the FCC at the end of July, after four and a half years of service. Mr. Kaplan’s duties will include managing the Commission’s overall agenda and overseeing policy coordination among the Bureaus and Offices. He will also be responsible for wireless, engineering and technology, and public safety issues. Mr. Kaplan previously held the position of Chief of Staff to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and has been at the FCC since early 2009.
Josh Gottheimer Named Senior Counselor to Chairman Genachowski
Posted on June 24, 2010FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has appointed Josh Gottheimer as Senior Counselor to the Chairman. Mr. Gottheimer will serve as a strategic advisor on policy and legal matters and will oversee the FCC’s legislative, communications, intergovernmental and public liaison functions. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Gottheimer served as executive Vice President of the WorldWide division of communications firm Burson-Marsteller and notably served as a special assistant and speechwriter to President Bill Clinton.
FCC Releases Meeting Agenda
Posted on June 11, 2010The FCC has released the agenda for its open meeting to be held on June 17, 2010. Consistent with its previously released tentative agenda, the single item on the agenda will consider adoption of a Notice of Inquiry to establish a legal framework for broadband Internet service regulation. The meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. in Room TWC305,at 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
“Third Way” Broadband Framework on Agenda for June 17th FCC Open Meeting
Posted on June 1, 2010The FCC has released a tentative agenda for its open meeting to be held on June 17, 2010. The single item on the agenda will consider adoption of a Notice of Inquiry to establish a legal framework for broadband Internet service regulation. Specifically, in light of the recent judicial decision striking down the FCC’s attempt to impose net neutrality principles on Internet Service Providers under its Title I ancillary jurisdiction, the FCC will examine an alternative framework, including the “third way” framework endorsed by Chairman Genachowski.
Legislation Introduced to Block “Third Way”
Posted on May 14, 2010Legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives that would essentially block the FCC from reregulating Internet access services under its “Third Way” approach recently advocated by the FCC’s Chairman and General Counsel. Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) has introduced the Internet Investmnent, Innovation and Competition Preservation Act (H.R. 5257) which would require the FCC to undertake extensive analysis, make specific findings and follow detailed procedures prior to taking any action to regulate Internet access or information services. The procedures outlined are so burdensome as to effectively preclude any FCC action in this area.
FCC Proposes New Foundation For Broadband Regulation
Posted on May 7, 2010Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) Chairman, Julius Genachowski, and FCC General Counsel, Austin Schlick, have released separate statements that set forth a new policy basis for broadband regulation. These statements come as the Commission struggles to regain its footing following the recent judicial decision striking down the FCC’s authority to impose “net neutrality” principles on Comcast’s cable modem service. The Comcast Decision represented a major setback in the FCC’s ongoing attempt to establish a legal framework for regulating Internet policy and practices and threatened to delay implementation of significant portions of the FCC’s recently unveiled national broadband plan. Following that decision, various interests have argued for: continued classification of broadband as an unregulated information service; reclassification and regulation of broadband as a Title II telecommunications service; and/or letting Congress decide the issue via the legislative process.
The statements released by the Chairman and the General Counsel reflect a middle way that neither leaves broadband entirely unregulated nor subjects it to outdated and heavy handed legacy regulation. They also reflect a recognition that any action by Congress in this area could take years. Essentially, the statements reflect a reversal of the FCC’s 2002 decision concluding that broadband service comprises a single inseparable information service that employs a telecommunications component, and accepting what was then the prevailing view at the time that broadband service was separable into an unregulated “information service” offered over a regulated “telecommunications” platform. The statements would essentially leave Internet services and applications unregulated, while allowing the underlying telecommunications platforms to be regulated under a forbearance-limited Title II regime.