Very interesting. I often think of myself playing offense and defense. Complained the entire field. Exhausting,a little but exhilarating at the same time. I havent changed. Ourthings that i care about being first and former foremost in our mind. When it comes to my interests, when it comes to serving them, that is that change. Things are a little different. There have been a couple of two ones. Those things are different. We will get into some of those issues in a minute. June 30 is coming up. That is a significant date because that is when your commission and ends. If i were to look at the calendar one would say that when i turn a service in. My politics and everything else, thats not mr. Lit not necessarily the case. I have not heard or made any plans, i have not turned in any paperwork. I havent talked to ethics about my series of next steps. I am here to serve. I am pleased that i have the opportunity to do so and will continue to be an advocate for those who dont have a voice. Joining us as our guest reporter is the telecommunications reporter. You mentioned playing defense in one issue that you have. Net neutrality. You have been rallying the support forg to get rules you and your fellow democratic commissions have adopted in 2015. Do you think that will have any effect on your majority republican colleagues having a lot of voice in the docket. People saying they dont want to move back. Are you looking more to try and put the pressure on congress, or create a record that will hold up in the court . I jokingly say when people ask me multipurpose or multicompounded question, ice i say e, all of the above. I feel that title ii is the strongest authority we have to make sure we can bring broadband back to the american people. Think about a life without title ii. How do we provision in a loud and enable in front. Broadband enables services to providers who are in line business placed to serve this nation. Broadband is not classified as a title ii service. Under the universal service construct, coming where we have the opportunity to get these this first dollar . When you think about that, about possible other barriers to deployment, whole attachments and the like. Who are we and under what section of the act are to say who can do what . What authority do we have to say this is the right way . When you think about the daytoday, not even talking about what it means for everyday people, that i can use whatever device as long as it doesnt harm the market. There are no fast lanes or slow lanes that you cant give preferential treatment to someone elses website or service. We are not even talking about that. Think about with the sec does day today. Fcc does day today. I want to know how we will toble, fund these providers ensure that we have the services that america, particularly Rural America expects from us. It goes beyond the service year. Republicans raised this issue with respect to the multitenant building proceeding that you were voting on recently. Wasnt sure whether this was moved. We discussed if things are reclassified as information services. What are the where does the Authority Come from . The word that comes to mind is certainty. Right now, we have certainty that we will be the referees on the field. Bling and answering the call for people who say they want choice, conductivity. If my to be able doctor is 100 miles away, i want to be able to speak to them without getting in a car. All of these things are made possible with conductivity. If we do not have all of the tools in our regulatory belt to that we have on authority to enable all of these wonderful opportunities, then who does, how does it get done . If someone can challenge and say who are you to use my universal service dollars to fund these activities . That is my fear. You mentioned certainty. Republicans often say there are certainties to certain proposals that they say democrats dont seem to be discussing in terms of putting into law Net Neutrality rules. In some ways, carving out exactly how much authority the fcc would have Going Forward to adopt new rules in terms of that. Taking morerats be active part in the discussions about legislation for those not are those not in the kind of certainty are looking for. Lofven at certain, but they are static. You 83yearold entity, know things change. You know we can act and react quickly than a set of laws and principal that would come from congress. Wont opine, and whether there should be more inclusivity when it comes to that. If there is a law that is theed, it must give the fcc tolity, dexterity, the means protect consumers and be able to react in real time if something goes wrong. 28 to be able to react in realtime, two major things go right. Guidance as, logoff and do, and provide laws often to. I would be something endorse. Itil i see those details, would be hesitant about opining. Which must be my word of the day. That we should go in this direction. Commissioner clyburn, doesnt the ftc offers certainty as well . It offers certainty with exceptions. If youre looking at the authority, it does not include what we call common carrier services. Right now under title ii, broadband is classified as a common carrier service. What if we were to go in a direction with the majority of the sec fcc appears to be moving . The ball is in the fccs court. What happens when it comes, or if there is a company that has both voice and broadband . Who provides protection . If there is a hybrid, voice and broadband, does that mean there is no regulatory caught on the beach . These are things we have to ask ourselves when we go into a direction that might be more philosophical than practical. We need to ask ourselves will consumers be protective . And under the current paradigm that i have seen, what i am hearing in terms of moving back to the days of old, i dont see where the consumer benefits will be right. We are moving into a hybrid world. We are, but people expect basic protections. They expect the type of protections that they have had for a long time. You might look different, the platforms might be different i dont think anybody says, just because i am wireless now, i dont expect the type of , a referee on the field that would say whether or not the ball are strike, or im out of sports personalities right now. People expect to be protected. That never grows old. One sub step of the home that neutrality issue is privacy. Spring congress, the president , was the resolution act the fcc unable to grasp essentially similar . Youre trying to adopt some other ways of dealing with broadband privacy. Words thationed two i wonder what it means in terms of what we can do . If we can adopt similar laws rules, what can we adopt . What does it mean right now . I cant with certainty tell anyone when it comes to broadband or protections that in terms of privacy that you are protected. It is a regulatory free zone from what i interpret. What does this mean in terms of what the cras mandate is . How do we go forward, how do we truly protect consumers when it comes to their privacy in terms of internet or broadband . Consumers,d that many of whom believe that they thatsnerable anyway, they have a regulatory referee beat, or looking out for them on the field. In terms of their regulatory arsenal. Vehicle uite a quite a pickle. Would with the authority of rope and privacy with the ftc. Historically that the ftc has been a more active, with respect to privacy in general than the fcc. Isnt it possible that consumers will be better off with a more enforcement focused agency dealing with these issues . They tend to do more regulatory rather than enforcement. Im going to go back to my compound answer and say e, the one thing that has been beneficial is that every single citizen in this country, particularly when it comes to Communication Services is that entities thattwo are there in your corner. Or itthere are gray areas is very clear that the ftc has clear where the ftc fcc have authority, we are all there. We have memoranda of understanding. We know that in order to provide services in an increasingly consolidated combined world ecosystem, it is going to take more than one entity to do it right. Agency of theert federal government when it comes to can federal Communication Services. The ftc is more brought in terms of their portfolio. The Expert Agency that has been around for 80 plus years, say we dont have anything to do with the most enabling, Inclusive Communications platform of our time. To me thats nonsensical. Clyburn, one of the programs you have champions championed his calls from prison. What is net . I am hopeful that those who include the fcc, that includes state permissions, that include county and state legislators and lawmakers, that it will all weigh in. The issue to the question is interesting calls. Who is going to be there to ensure that there is a portability when it comes to interstate calls . 85 or so percent of the calls made to and from mostly collect calls. To homes, to and from family facilities are made within side of the state. The court still is a crippling and herbal blow. 2. 7 million children are on the wrong side of the communications divide right now. I am hopeful that those who say they care about children, families, that they care about what is very clear in the Communications Act in section one, that we are supposed to be the entity that will enable just reasonable and fair, nondiscriminatory services and make them affordable. You cant look at that paradigm and say that is so. I think we have a role to play. I hope that everyone will weigh in to make sure that there is just, reasonable, and fair. There is not that now. What is the next step . Everyone who can do something needs to. If there are questions and concerns in terms of our authority from inside or interstate, i think its up to the pucs and the state to weigh in and open proceedings. I think it is up to councils, or state legislators state legislatures in this instance, the ucr the Public Service condition doesnt have authority, 30 to be laws and builds bills and resolutions instituted at those levels. We needed to solve this problem, because people are going home and cant afford to keep in touch on these 30 of families keeping in touch with incarcerated inmates on a regular basis. 700,000 of them go home each year as strangers. If you look at the stats within five years, they are back in. They dont have communications. People change over the course of years. Family dynamics shift. If those inmates are not used to the shifts that have occurred, theyre going to be pension. Their prices to pay. It is best for all of us to resolve this. There are multiple layers and multiple places where this can happen. I think everyone from the ftc, lawmakers, sheriff need to weigh in. Anyone who has a point. Needs to make your that the cost drivers are addressed. We provide just, reasonable, and fair rates. Do you have the support of your fellow commissioners, the two republicans on the commission . I dont think there is any disagreements that we have a structure when it comes to inmate calling that is unjust and unreasonable. I dont think anyone is saying that this is a functional marketplace. You can charge whatever you want, there is no check and balance. When there are two companies that have 85 of the market, that is a robust market influence. When you only have one point by way of competition. When you answer on rap index it say this is you can a marketplace that will allow for innovation growth as well as affordability. The psc shouldd be taken over, theres another issues that the rock when wireless and broadband wireline. There has been discussion of ftc preemptions of the state to get the wayor to address they access regulations and how residing concerns can take a long time. You have generally spoken in the prison payphone area, you tend to speak about trying to find a collaborative solution with your state partners. What do you think of the in terms of is this a specific enough things like prison payphones that the u. S. He should go in and tackle . Inthere are 3000 counties this nation. Over 3000 counties. There are multiple jurisdictions within those counties. Not all of them are created equal. I am from the great state of wholesome tolsom. Two reasons are number one economy. Power in the middle of the battery is not going to fly. Cities, fathers, mothers know that. The fcc doesnt necessarily know that. You need we all need to Work Together with the local communities, addressing their needs, and seeing where the bottlenecks are. Hundreds oftting requests for small sales small cell deployments, you have half a person that is over this entire portfolio. Youre going to have a problem getting something out in a next with either time. We need to look and work. I am for creating another type of loosely sitting model of consortium that will include medicine allergies and counties. That would include people from government agencies. Coming together saying where all the bottlenecks . What can we do to solve them . With notng to preempt taking into consideration what the unique needs of the communities are. Maybe the company who is applying doesnt have all their eyes darted and shes crossed. There are so many variables that i think people dont take into consideration, when you talk about deployment and the application process. We need to sit down, take a deep breath, and see if all of the needs are being addressed. We want to ensure that the with thees are in Sync Companies in terms of their needs. If we come from that posture, things will be more expedited. Isnt that what broadband thatyment Advisory Council republican fcc chairman pie has opposed to do . One of the things im concerned about is there is only one mayor on that advisory committee. I dont know what is going to happen with some of the other compliments. There may be other committees that are created outside of the full body. If the local voice is not heard, we will continue to react and create policy silos in that i think that would be detrimental in terms of what we want in terms of productivity and affordability options at home. I know you probably wont comment on any specific mergers. When it comes to a merger like at ttime warner, or Sinclair Broadcasting and the tribune stations, what is your general philosophy . I think that the current leadership has made clear that they dont think they have a role. I disagree. This is an 86 billion merger that will influence everything just about in the Communications Space. For us to sit on the sidelines and not even use what i think is authority that we do have, to look at something that would dramatically change the communications ecosystem, i think thats pretty sad. Proposed, there is no paperwork in front of us. That has that type of influence, that type of depth in terms of the communication space, i think it is always something that we should review. The fact that we are not even thinking about it is troublesome. In terms of the communication would you agree on the att time warner with President Trump too much power in it too few hands . I have always been concerned about consolidation for consolidations say. If any transaction, ive approved of merges and other transactions, if they meet our checklist in terms of addressing and improving the communications ensuring that individuals will have more options and more so,etition and more say then i will before that be for that. If it only benefits shareholders, that is problematic to me. That merger kind of brings up things we have been talking about, living in a hybrid world and regulating in silos. This would be a provider, providing video but also supplying it. What does that mean for the smaller players . For those who are really content dependent . With that create synthetic disparity or issue in terms of market shares. When it comes to content and access to content. The reason why i think it is important to look at an application or proposed transaction of that nature is that we need to figure out and know how it is going to impact everybody else in the ecosystem. If we do not. If we are handsoff about that, and you have negative outcomes with everybody else, then we have lost an opportunity to ensure that there are protections for smaller players. Theyre not 34 cable providers in america, there are multiple others that may be smaller but they are providing services in their communities. Entity thata larger influence pricing, content, i think that is problematic. We should be looking at transactions that would influence and change the trajectory of the Communications Space for years to come. We have talked a lot about issues in which you and your colleagues have disagreed with. One in which you and commissioner oreilly have managed to at least come together and consider is means testing for highcost universal service. , maybe youhat work had some feedback from that blog post now, do you have any thoughts as to how that could actually work . Providers use that money to fund its allocated in terms of her customer. They need to build a whole network deserve an entire network deserve an entire network. What if you wanted to charge the full rate for higher means customers, and they save for that price i can get Better Wireless Service and subtly service them in a remote area. This is why we are having this conversation, but these issues on the front burner. Here is the motivation behind why we did what we did, and why we want to ask these questions. You and i both know that there is universal Service Money flowing in the high cost point which we now cost the connect america fund, to places where there are major dimensions. Cannot fit beef specifically for me and tell me that as lovely as aspen, colorado is, those individuals need subsidized service. The motivation behind this is making sure that the money is going where it is needed. The fund was intended to bridge the affordability gap to go and flow into places where there is the market if but the marketplace and scale economies are not there. Aspen doesnt need help when it comes to that. Not everyone lives in aspen lives in and make a mention. There are people who provide all of these services and services to the people who live in the mega mansions. Housekeeping, house collection, taxis, schoolteaching, all kinds of things that dont abort money to live in a mansion and pay for a. I dont know with the municipal boundaries of aspen. Inople that i saw and fast food establishments who helped to keep my room tidy, they did not call aspen home. Your point is well taken. This is why were having these discussions thats i believe there is this money that can go to areas that are more in need. This is why it is taking so long for us to realize our