Broadband Bill Meetings in Full Swing

Little progress expected towards consensus

by John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/29/2010 7:33:49 PM

According to sources, the Tuesday meeting between FCC Chief of Staff Ed Lazarus and representatives of the cable and telco industries about a broadband regulatory authority bill was followed up by one Wednesday among the major stakeholder representatives on both sides of the debate who have been meeting regularly with top commission staffers.  

But a source says that does not mean a legislative solution is imminent. Another source familiar with the talks suggested he did not see a lot of movement toward a consensus.  

No ex parte had been filed at press time, but the meeting, which was confirmed on background by various parties, was said to have included James Cicconi of AT&T and Kyle McSlarrow of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (the two who were in the Tuesday meeting);Tom Tauke of Verizon; Richard Whitt of Google; Christopher Libertelli of Skype Communications; and Markham Erickson. The FCC is trying to get stakeholders together on a targeted bill that would clarify its regulatory authority, while on a paralell track proposing to clarify it on its own initiative with a declaratory ruling that broadband transmissions are subject to some Title II common carrier regulations.
  
Currently broadand, content and transmission elements, are classified under the more lightly regulated information service regulatory category per the FCC's 2002 determination, upheld by the Supreme Court in the Brand X case.