INCOMPAS Show (Spring 2016) - Day 1 Show Daily

THE

INCOMPAS SHOW

I APRIL 10-13, 2016

www.bekapublishing.com

DAY 1

THE

INCOMPAS

SHOW

FCC’s Wheeler Returns to Keynote INCOMPAS

ederal Communications Commission

(FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler will

return to The INCOMPAS Show, to

address attendees at 3:45 p.m. today

in the Hub on the tradeshow floor.

“Competition has no better friend than

Chairman Tom Wheeler,” said INCOMPAS

CEO Chip Pickering. “He has set the FCC on a

historic path that will open markets and speed

the transition to advanced network services that

benefit consumers and business customers.

The Chairman has made good on his promise

of competition, competition, competition and we

look forward to his remarks on the future for new

network builders.”

Wheeler recently testified before both

the Senate Communications Subcommittee and

the House Subcommittee on Communications

and Technology. At each hearing, he stated the

commission has been hard at work to facilitate

dynamic technological change to enable economic

growth and ensure communications networks

reflect the nation’s core values: universal access,

public safety and consumer protection while

preserving and promoting competition.

“I am proud to report that the Commis-

sion has made significant progress in support

of these goals, and we continue to see that

America’s communications technology sector is

thriving and consumers are better served and

protected,” Wheeler told the subcommittees.

During his testimony, Wheeler highlighted

some significant actions and previewed some

of the issues the FCC will focus on in the

future, including:

Rate-of-Return Modernization

Wheeler discussed visits he made to Kentucky

and Montana, where he learned more about

digital opportunities and connectivity challenges

in rural communities. He shared information

regarding two eastern Kentucky towns that have

been “reshaped by broadband revolution.” He

also said he met a former coal miner who now

works as a coder in the innovation economy.

Wheeler called the experience “a striking

reminder that the Commission’s work can be a

critical component to renewed economic growth.”

Wheeler reminded the subcommittees the

FCC has a Congressional mandate to preserve

and advance universal service so that all Ameri-

cans have access to reasonably comparable

communications services at reasonably compa-

rable rates. He said that “promoting universal

access to communications is not just a statutory

obligation; it’s smart public policy.”

Wheeler added that expanding Internet access

opens up new opportunities for economic growth,

job creation, education, healthcare, public safety

and many other national challenges.

Incentive Auction

The Commission recently completed an incen-

tive auction for spectrum. Broadcasters and a

broad assortment of parties were involved. The

reason for the auction was to repurpose as much

spectrum for mobile broadband as the market

demands to meet growing consumer needs.

Spectrum Frontiers – 5G

Wheeler indicated support is growing

in creation of a spectrum policy for 5G. He

explained that with “very fast speeds, scaled to

support billions of sensors, and reduced latency,

5G will allow us to realize the full potential of so

many promising, yet nascent broadband-enabled

breakthroughs.”

These breakthroughs include emerging

applications, such as the Internet of Things and

connected cars.

“At this point, none of us knows exactly

what 5G will be, but we can be certain that the

spectrum requirements will be dynamic and

ever changing,” Wheeler told the subcommit-

tees. “Accordingly, our spectrum policy must be

equally dynamic to address a wireless reality

that is still evolving.”

Lifeline Modernization

Wheeler updated the legislators on the Life-

line project. He said, the first principle of Lifeline

reform is allowing the program to support fixed

and mobile broadband service.

“We will establish minimum standards of

service that Lifeline providers must deliver to

receive funds,” he said. “We will also improve

Lifeline’s management and design to get to the

heart of the historic issues that have undermined

this program’s efficiency. We will streamline the

requirements to become a Lifeline provider and

take a hard look at the burdens we place on

those providers to make it easier for carriers to

participate in the Lifeline program.”

Wheeler also pointed out that many of the

nation’s leading service providers, and many

local, innovative, small providers do not provide

Lifeline service. The FCC encourages more

service providers to participate.

Next-Generation 911

Along with Lifeline, Wheeler said he wants

to improve the nation’s 911 system.

“Public safety is one of the primary and

essential missions of the Commission and it

cannot be left behind in this technological revo-

lution,” he emphasized. “In too many communi-

ties, the communications technology behind

the 911 system is dangerously out of date. Too

many Public Safety Answering Points have been

unable to incorporate next-generation capabili-

ties and functions into their operations.”

The chairman committed the FCC to do

everything in its power to make the NG911 tran-

sition happen.

Competition/Set-Top Boxes

Wheeler delved into an area where he

said “competition is virtually non-existent and

consumers are literally paying the price.” He

explained that 99 percent of pay-TV customers

lease set-top boxes from their video providers,

paying an average of $231 a year. Even after the

provider recovers the cost of the box, consumers

must continue to pay a rental fee each month,

costing consumers $20 billion annually.

Because of the situation, Wheeler said the FCC

launched a proceeding to introduce competition

into the set-top box marketplace. “Specifically, we

propose establishing open standards for video navi-

gation devices like set-top boxes, the same way we

have standards for cell phones and Wi-Fi routers.”

He said the new rules would set the stage to

provide device manufacturers, software devel-

opers and others the information they need to

introduce innovative new ways for consumers to

access and enjoy their favorite shows and movies

on their terms, while maintaining strong security,

Privacy

Finally, Wheeler weighed in on protecting

consumers’ privacy when they use communica-

tions networks and services.

“We need to make sure our policies are keeping

up as communications technology continues to

evolve,” he said. “We’re committed to taking a

thoughtful, rational approach to addressing privacy

protections and data security for consumers’ use of

Internet access services.”