FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has scheduled a number of broadband and cable-related items for the June 22 public meeting including paving the way for a new satellite broadband effort.
That is according to the chairman's blog and a summary of the agenda released Thursday, June 1.
Pai is proposing the approval of a declaratory ruling that grants OneWeb's request to target the U.S. market as part of a global satellite-delivered broadband service. OneWeb board members include Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and Qualcomm executive Chairman Paul Jacobs. Investors include Qualcomm, Virgin and Hughes.
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"One of our top priorities remains promoting broadband competition and deployment," said Pai. "Accordingly, we will vote on an order paving the way for the company OneWeb to provide broadband services using satellite technology that holds unique promise to expand internet access in remote and rural areas."
OneWeb plans on using a constellation of non-geostationary satellites (648 of them at last count) to blanket the planet.
Rural broadband deployment is one of Pai's signature issues.
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The FCC is also scheduled to vote on a notice of inquiry (NOI) seeking input on "ways to facilitate greater consumer choice and enhance broadband deployment in broadband deployment in multiple-tenant environments (like Shopping malls) and multiple dwelling units (MDUs) like apartments and condos and shopping malls.”
The notice seeks comment on "the current state of broadband competition in such locations and whether additional Commission action in this area is warranted to eliminate or reduce barriers faced by broadband providers that seek to serve the occupants of multiple tenant environments."
In addition, the commission will vote on a declaratory ruling--requested by NCTA-The Internet & Television Association and the American Cable Association--allowing cable operators to provide annual subscriber notices via e-mail, clarifying that "written information" doesn't require killing any trees. Pai called that "consistent with our work to streamline outdated and unnecessary rules."
