The wireless industry urged the FCC to approve positions that promote 5G and 6G, and international mobile telecommunications (IMT) at the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027. Comments were due Tuesday in docket 24-30 on the FCC’s WRC Advisory Committee's (WAC) early policy positions (see 2408060019). Numerous satellite interests focused attention on: agenda item 1.7, additional mid-band spectrum and the X band being made available for IMT.
Communications Litigation Today is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
DirecTV is using the Venu sports streaming joint venture as a model to push for linear skinny programming bundles in other genres. Programmers and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) have "an ocean of opportunity" for creating content packages around genres from entertainment to children's programming, akin to Venu's sports focus, Chief Content Officer Rob Thun told us Wednesday. "If they believe any of their own projections [for Venu], why wouldn't they embark upon this?"
Europeans are eagerly analyzing what may happen on telecom and privacy issues in a new U.S. administration. Although Democrats' and Republicans' plans in these policy areas remain opaque, particularly in connection with EU-U.S. discussions, Europeans we interviewed said they're hoping the next president doesn't rock the boat too much.
ASPEN -- Funding the Universal Service Fund (USF) through general appropriations might make sense on paper, but speaking practically it might not be a feasible goal for Congress, Democratic and Republican staffers said Tuesday.
Industry urged the FCC to proceed cautiously when crafting rules for the cybersecurity labeling administrators (CLAs) and for the lead administrator, who will oversee an IoT product registry under the cyber trust mark program. Commenters disagreed about how much data consumers will need to ensure their IoT products are safe.
ISP and banking groups urged that the FCC update letter of credit (LOC) rules for its high-cost universal service programs. In reply comments posted Tuesday in docket 24-144, the groups said the record reflected overwhelming support for changes to the rules. Weiss Ratings founder Martin Weiss defended the "independence, objectivity, and accuracy" of the company's ratings in a letter to the FCC.
House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas and six other top GOP lawmakers urged the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Monday to strike down the FCC’s April net neutrality rules and reclassification of broadband as a Communications Act Title II service (see 2408140043). FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel separately told Rodgers, Cruz and other Republican lawmakers she remains “confident that the Commission’s rules and decisions will withstand judicial review under the [U.S.] Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and other applicable precedent.”
ASPEN -- Finding a way to restore the affordable connectivity program (ACP) is a high priority for the end of 2024 and social media-related advertising revenue could provide potential solutions, FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez said Monday.
FCC commissioners unanimously approved an NPRM on further changes to rules for the citizens broadband radio service band that Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated two months ago. The Biden administration has focused on sharing models based on CBRS as part of its assessment of the future of spectrum. The agency posted the NPRM on Friday. Comment deadlines will come in a Federal Register notice.