Good
job Chris. Rev
Greetings.
The
following announcement was noted on the TV Technology web site, having been
posted today, October 8, 2004. Assuming that this notice is accurate, ARRL,
the National Association for Amateur Radio, protests in the strongest possible
terms the attendance of the Chairman of the Commission at a demonstration of
Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology a mere two days prior to the
Commission's consideration of a Report and Order in ET Docket 04-37. The
Commission's Open Meeting Agenda was released October 7, 2004 and includes the
BPL item.
Section 1.1203 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 1.1203,
prohibits all presentations to decisionmakers concerning matters listed on a
Sunshine Act Agenda. Whether ex parte or not, during the period from the
release of the public notice that a matter has been placed on the Sunshine Act
agenda until the Commission releases the text of a decision or order relating
to the matter, or until the Commission releases an order deleting that item
from the Sunshine Act agenda.
The Chairman's attendance at any BPL
demonstration in Manassas or elsewhere would be so clear a violation of the ex
parte rules that ARRL is constrained to strenuously object. ARRL urges the
Chairman in the strongest possible terms not to attend this demonstration. If
the demonstration goes forward and the Chairman attends, the Docket 04-37
proceeding would be fatally tainted, and, among other things, the Chairman
will be asked by ARRL to recuse himself from any deliberation thereon. A copy
of this e-mail will be forwarded to the Inspector General. Please inform the
undersigned of the status of this matter, and the accuracy of the above-quoted
excerpt.
Respectfully submitted,
Christopher D.
Imlay
General Counsel, ARRL
Booth, Freret, Imlay & Tepper,
P.C.
14356 Cape May Road
Silver Spring, Maryland
20904-6011
301-384-5525 telephone
301-384-6384
facsimile
w3kd@arrl.org
Date posted:
2004-10-08
FCC Chairman to Attend BPL Demo in Manassas, Va.
Two chief
regulators will attend a demonstration of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL)
technology, Tuesday, Oct. 12, at 9:30 a.m.
FCC Chairman Michael Powell and
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Pat Wood, III will view
first-hand the BPL services offered by the City of Manassas, Va.
Manassas
is one the first cities to offer high-speed Internet service over power lines.
There is concern in the broadcast community about interference from BPL,
and the difficulties of getting it mitigated. Industry experts have said that
while the law enjoins BPL providers from interfering with TV signals,
enforcement has been lacking.
The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the
Manassas Public Works building, 8500 Public Works Drive, Manassas, Va., and
last approximately 90 minutes. The two chairmen will see the capabilities of
BPL for Internet service, VoIP and utility and public works functions.
Directions to the Manassas Public Works Building can be obtained by
contacting Meribeth McCarrick at the FCC at 202-418-0654 or
Meribeth.Mccarrick@fcc.gov.