Wireless interests are rallying behind, and satellite interests and allies opposing, the Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition (FWCC) petition for changes in satellite earth station licensing rules, as was expected (see 1612270034), with a series of filings posted Tuesday and Wednesday in RM-11778. Google Fiber said that since full-band, full-arc licensing results in inefficient use of the bands shared by fixed satellite service and fixed service, the FCC should start a rulemaking on the FWCC proposal and on broader rules changes to allow more use of the spectrum. It also brushed off Satellite Industry Association arguments, saying low rejection rates for FS coordination requests "may reflect nothing more than that those operators adjust their plans to avoid time-consuming and expensive coordination engagements." The National Spectrum Management Association said satellite operators should be licensed for as much spectrum as they need, but only the spectrum they actually need, letting other services access the rest. CBS, Disney, Scripps Network Interactive, 21st Century Fox, Time Warner and Viacom said in opposing the FWCC petition that they worried about negative effects on C-band satellite spectrum and its use in distributing to multichannel video programming distributors' headends and to over-the-top distributors. PBS said the FWCC proposal would mean, absent a waiver procedure, every earth station adjustment to a different transponder or satellite would require a license modification procedure that could take weeks or months. NAB said there's no evidence full-band, full-arc licensing is a problem, and plenty of evidence it has substantial public benefit. The association said the FWCC proposal is unrealistic because the waiver process "would be cumbersome and wholly ineffective to deal with situations that regularly occur with broadcasters' use of FSS earth stations and satellites." SES said the FWCC and its allies never acknowledge that the two extended Ku-band segments listed in the petition have FSS use limits aimed squarely at preserving FS spectrum access.

Wireless carriers and broadcasters called on the FCC to introduce more flexibility into the post-auction repacking plan, in reply comments posted Wednesday in docket 16-306. Lawyers meanwhile told us the FCC is unlikely to grant a request filed in that docket Monday by GatesAir calling for the agency to incentivize broadcasters in the repacking to “Buy American” (see 1611150051). The FCC's repacking plan doesn't account for unexpected delays or broadcasters unable to meet the 39-month deadline, broadcasters and carriers said.

NAB and CTIA complimented FCC Incentive Auction Task Force efforts to develop a reasonable plan for the transition after the end of the auction (see 1609300071). They disagreed whether the agency has the right approach. Broadcasters want more flexibility to ensure consumers don’t lose coverage. CTIA is pushing for an accelerated transition so carriers get access to the 600 MHz spectrum quicker. The comments pick up a long-standing disagreement between broadcasters and the wireless industry (see 1510080026).

NAB and CTIA complimented FCC Incentive Auction Task Force efforts to develop a reasonable plan for the transition after the end of the auction (see 1609300071). They disagreed whether the agency has the right approach. Broadcasters want more flexibility to ensure consumers don’t lose coverage. CTIA is pushing for an accelerated transition so carriers get access to the 600 MHz spectrum quicker. The comments pick up a long-standing disagreement between broadcasters and the wireless industry (see 1510080026).

The FCC released its media ownership order Thursday. As expected, the order approved Aug. 10 on a party line 3-2 vote (see 1608110058) resolves the 2010 and 2014 quadrennial reviews, leaves most existing ownership rules in place and restores joint sales agreement rules that were knocked down by the 3rd U.S Circuit Court of Appeals. “The record in this proceeding leads us to conclude that retaining the existing rules is the best way to promote our policy goals in local markets at this time,” the FCC said. A court challenge is likely by all sides, both allies of media deregulation and its foes said in interviews.

Google said the FCC should ignore arguments by NAB, Sennheiser and Shure that the FCC should impose a “burdensome” 20-minute recheck rule for white spaces devices, as part of TV white spaces (TVWS) rules. Other groups also made their case in replies in docket 12-268 to various oppositions to reconsideration petitions filed at the FCC in December (see 1512240025). The agency approved the rules in August.

Google said the FCC should ignore arguments by NAB, Sennheiser and Shure that the FCC should impose a “burdensome” 20-minute recheck rule for white spaces devices, as part of TV white spaces (TVWS) rules. Other groups also made their case in replies in docket 12-268 to various oppositions to reconsideration petitions filed at the FCC in December (see 1512240025). The agency approved the rules in August.

Google said the FCC should ignore arguments by NAB, Sennheiser and Shure that the FCC should impose a “burdensome” 20-minute recheck rule for white spaces devices, as part of TV white spaces (TVWS) rules. Other groups also made their case in replies in docket 12-268 to various oppositions to reconsideration petitions filed at the FCC in December (see 1512240025). The agency approved the rules in August.

FCC proposals to further loosen FCC broadcast foreign ownership rules continue (see 1512220056) to receive broad support, in reply comments filed in docket 15-236 last week. Comcast, Media General, the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, and NAB supported FCC proposals to make it easier for broadcasters to be foreign-owned, align broadcaster foreign ownership rules with those for common carriers, and update the rules to account for modern corporate ownership structures and SEC rules.

The House Appropriations Committee cleared an FCC FY 2016 funding package Wednesday in a partisan 30-20 vote. The package includes several measures Democrats say will stall the net neutrality order, plus a new media provision that would grandfather in existing broadcaster joint sales agreements (JSAs) formed before the FCC limited them last year. Financial Services Subcommittee ranking member Jose Serrano, D-N.Y., dismissed the measure, subject to many White House concerns, as "veto bait." The measure had come under fire for including three telecom policy riders that would prevent the funding of the FCC net neutrality order during pending court challenges; require commission posting of items 21 days before a vote; and prevent commission broadband rate regulation.