The FCC disagrees with the motion of 20 industry petitioners for expedited briefing and oral argument of their consolidated challenges to the commission’s Nov. 20 digital discrimination order, according to the agency’s opposition brief Tuesday (docket 24-1179) in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Faced with an increasingly antagonistic developing world, the commercial satellite industry must do a better job selling itself and its benefits, NTIA senior spectrum advisor Scott Blake Harris said Tuesday during Access Intelligence’s Satellite 2024 conference in Washington. Regions that feel left out by the low earth orbit satellite boom expressed hostility toward LEO issues during the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference, he said. Throughout the day, multiple satellite operators and space industry experts mentioned the developing world as a large potential target market, particularly for satellite broadband. Harris said he’s concerned that the ITU and regulatory processes could delay existing satellite systems and development of new ones. Between now and WRC-27, the satellite industry must convince the developing world “it has something to offer."
The FCC released the Further NPRM added to an order on a voluntary cyber trust mark program that commissioners approved 5-0 last week (see 2403140034). The final order includes numerous other tweaks to the draft, addressing security and excluding motor vehicles and related equipment. The order and FNPRM were posted in Monday’s “Daily Digest.”
Lumen’s CenturyLink faced regulatory setbacks at multiple state commissions last week. On Friday, the Utah Public Service Commission denied a CenturyLink petition seeking statewide exemption from carrier of last resort (COLR) requirements for new customers. Earlier in the week, a Minnesota Public Utilities Commission administrative law judge recommended that the commission find the carrier failed to provide adequate service. In addition, the Montana PSC denied a CenturyLink petition and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission recommended a penalty.
Industry largely welcomed an FCC proposal to rely on the broadband serviceable location fabric for updating and verifying compliance with certain high-cost program support recipients’ deployment obligations in comments posted Monday in docket 10-90 (see 2402130058). Some sought assurances and support thresholds for rural carriers and those nearing their final deployment milestones.
Direct-to-device (D2D) services enjoy strong demand worldwide, but putting a dollar figure on that potential market is challenging, speakers said Monday at Access Intelligence's Satellite 2024 conference in Washington. Multiple launch providers discussed new rockets coming online. Satellite operators touted the role of satellites closing the digital divide worldwide.
Carriers need more spectrum and the 24 GHz band is important to deploying 5G, CTIA said in reply comments on a December NPRM examining changes to the rules. CTIA and other wireless industry commenters said the FCC should harmonize rules with decisions made during the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019 but go no further.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez received a waiver of her White House ethics pledge that will allow her to vote on agency enforcement items involving clients at her former employer, prominent telecom law firm Wiley.
Advocates of additional federal funding for the FCC’s affordable connectivity program and Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program were closely monitoring congressional negotiations Friday in hopes appropriators would reach a deal addressing both priorities as part of a second tranche of FY 2024 spending bills lawmakers want approved before midnight March 22. Rip-and-replace supporters voiced strong optimism that the next “minibus” package would include $3.08 billion to fully fund that program. ACP backers were, at least privately, growing less hopeful of a deal including their priority.
FCC commissioners approved 5-0 a voluntary cyber trust mark program based on National Institute of Standards and Technology criteria during their open meeting Thursday. As expected, commissioners noted changes in the item since a draft circulated three weeks ago (see 2403130047). Also, as expected, the FCC will ask additional questions in a further notice about software and hardware from countries of national security concern and whether data from U.S. citizens will be stored abroad. The FCC was under pressure to make changes.