FCC confirms January agenda

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The next Open Meeting of the Federal Communications Commission is on the calendar for Wednesday 1/20/10. And as previously reported, it will depart from the usual what-we-did; what-we’re-going-to-do format of the January meeting and actually delve into some issues, including MVPD program access rules.


Of course, no contemporary FCC Open Meeting would be complete without a review of the status of the National Broadband Plan, and this meeting will be no exception. However, a status update on NBP is not, for once, a formal agenda plank.

From the FCC, here are the topics up for consideration:

* Review of the Commission’s Program Access Rules and Examination of Programming Tying Arrangements (MB Docket No. 07-198). SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider a Report and Order to further promote competition in the video distribution market through rules addressing terrestrially delivered, cable-affiliated programming.

* Amendment of Parts 15, 74 and 90 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Low Power Auxiliary Stations, Including Wireless Microphones (WT Docket No. 08-166). SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider an Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to complete an important component of the DTV transition by prohibiting the further distribution and sale of devices that operate in the 700 MHz frequency and setting a date by which existing devices must clear the band to enable the rollout of public safety services and accelerate the deployment of next generation wireless networks.

* Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (CG Docket No. 02-278). SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would harmonize the Commission’s rules regarding prerecorded telemarketing calls with the Federal Trade Commission’s recently amended Telemarketing Sales Rule.