BRIEFS
FCC allows sharing in the name of homeland security
The Federal Communications Commission announced it will allow public safety entities to share spectrum in the 4.9 GHz band with commercial entities, but all shared operations must be in the promotion of homeland security.
While the FCC applauded the spectrum flexibility promoted in the sharing rules, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps expressed concern that the agency did not spell out the sharing rules to protect against commercial use or abuse of the spectrum.
The FCC also clarified its rules for the e-rate program to ensure that wireless technologies are given as much access to the e-rate as wireline solutions.
The e-rate program was included in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and allows for discounted equipment to connect schools and libraries to the Internet.
Delacourt named wireless chief of staff
John Muleta, chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, has named Scott D. Delacourt as his Chief of Staff/Associate Bureau Chief.
In his new position, Delacourt will oversee strategic planning, assist in Bureau management, and advise the Bureau Chief on key policy initiatives.
Before assuming his new position, Delacourt served as senior counsel in the Office of General Counsel. As Senior Counsel, he advised both the General Counsel and the Chairman’s Office on wireless, international, engineering and technology, consumer and governmental affairs, and enforcement issues. His tenure in the General Counsel’s Office followed prior service in the Wireless Bureau, as Legal Advisor to former Bureau Chief Tom Sugrue. As legal adviser, he counseled the Bureau Chief on a variety of important wireless issues, including matters before the Bureau’s Auctions and Industry Analysis Division.
Prior to joining the Commission, Delacourt was an attorney with the law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding, where he specialized in communications law issues, including wireless, Internet, common carrier, and appellate matters.
Copps express doubts over media ownership rules
Commissioner Michael J. Copps told the University of Southern California Media Consolidation Forum that neither he nor the American people had been given a look at the media ownership program that will be voted on soon.
Copps also discussed some ideas he would like to see included.
It is a major problem, Copps explained, that roughly a month before the scheduled June 2nd vote, “we don’t know what we will be voting on. We don’t have the details, or even the broad configuration, of what the new system will be.”
Copps indicated doubts about the way the issue has unfolded.
“In just over a month, the FCC will have voted on this, changed the rules, reconfigured the media landscape, and told the world that, ‘sorry there’s no opportunity or time for public comment on what has been decided.’”
He complained that even when a formal proposal is put before the commission, “it will be ‘eyes only’ not permitted to circulate outside the commission for comment.”
Copps remarked that such an approach was bad policy for such an issue, and that, by concealing the details, could cause problems.