FCC Chairman Ajit Pai questioned about pirate enforcement

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

(Source: Tom Taylor Now newsletter)

FCC staff will be "cops on the beat" against pirates.

Chairman Ajit Pai had his stats ready for yesterday's House Oversight Hearing - the FCC's issued 39 NOUOs (Notice of Unlicensed Operation) this year, among other enforcement actions. Pai knew the question about the effect of closing of 11 field offices was coming from somewhere, and it was posed by Tampa-area Republican Rep. Gus Bilirakis. Pai says as a Commissioner, "I had substantial disagreements with the original" plan of then-Chair Tom Wheeler. The compromise worked out with Congress included closing the Tampa field office - but Pai says the Commission's doing its best to address the pirate problem that is "a problem all across the East coast." That when he says the staff is determined to be "cops on the beat" against unlicensed operators. That seemed to satisfy Bilirakis. More from the hearing - there's support for a new minority tax certificate plan. It would incentivize an owner to sell to a qualified minority by offering a tax break or deferral. And we haven't mentioned the #1 complaint around telecom - doing something to choke off robocalls and "spoof calls."

Check out the full Tom Taylor Now newsletter which also includes questions posed to Chairman Pai, about defining Net Neutrality.