New York may not start enforcing a state broadband law requiring $15 monthly low-income plans that was to go into effect Tuesday, a federal judge ruled (in Pacer) Friday.
The FCC said Thursday AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon agreed to start providing vertical-location information on all calls to 911 nationwide within seven days, to implement compliance plans and each pay a $100,000 fine. The consent decrees settle investigations announced in April of whether the three met an April 3 deadline to provide the data in the 25 largest markets. The providers previously sought 18-month waivers. Compliance filings were due Wednesday.
President Joe Biden proposed substantial budget increases Friday for the FCC and FTC for FY 2022, in documents released Friday afternoon.
Internet industry groups sued Florida over its social media law that makes it unlawful for sites to deplatform political candidates and requires sites to be transparent about policing.
AT&T and Discovery confirmed Monday morning the latter is combining with the former's WarnerMedia. "In connection with the spin-off or split-off of WarnerMedia, AT&T will receive $43 billion," they said. Information on the blockbuster deal can be found here.
The FTC unanimously supported a long-awaited report finding little evidence for some sectors' opposition to letting consumers fix their own devices. “Although manufacturers have offered numerous explanations for their repair restrictions, the majority are not supported by the record,” said the report OK'd 4-0 and issued Thursday afternoon.
President Joe Biden during his ongoing speech to Congress Wednesday night said he's putting Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of leading the push to include $100 billion for broadband in an infrastructure spending package. He said she's capable of getting that part of the plan across the finish line. The money is part of Biden's larger $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal.
FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel plans a May 20 vote on cutting some inmate calling service rates. She also plans for commissioners to vote then on a proposal on mandating actions to help prevent some robocalls, which smaller providers would need to take sooner than anticipated.
Approval on circulation Monday of SpaceX's pending license modification for relocating more than 2,800 planned satellites to a lower orbit has conditions limiting its use of the 12 GHz band and on spectrum sharing, parties involved in the proceeding said in interviews. The license mod had gotten heavy opposition from other satellite companies. Parties told us litigation challenging the approval is a strong possibility.
FTC Act Section 13(b) doesn’t authorize the agency to “seek, or a court to award, equitable monetary relief such as restitution or disgorgement,” the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday in AMG Capital Management v. FTC (19-508). The agency can seek restitution for consumers under sections 5 and 19, said the opinion delivered by Justice Stephen Breyer. “If the Commission believes that authority too cumbersome or otherwise inadequate, it is, of course, free to ask Congress to grant it further remedial authority,” the court wrote.