Wireless groups and carriers called on the FCC to push forward on streamlined rules for wireless infrastructure deployment, according to comments filed in docket 25-276. While cutting regulation is a priority under the current administration, other commenters argued that local authorities must retain oversight of permitting in their communities (see 2601020017). Hundreds of fillings also raised RF safety and other concerns. Comments were due last week, and more than 3,500 were posted as of Monday.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr faces a tough decision in 2026 on whether to push forward with rules that would allow prison officials to jam cellphone signals, with no easy answer in sight, industry officials said. The proposal in a further NPRM faces a tidal wave of opposition from wireless companies and associations but has the backing of many correctional groups and officials in mainly Republican-dominated states (see 2512300043).
The wireless industry and local and state government groups filed comments last week in docket 25-276, disagreeing sharply on the FCC’s wireless infrastructure NPRM, which commissioners approved in September (see 2511250075). The agency has received hundreds of mostly short filings opposing the changes proposed in the notice (see 2512240027).
While fiber deployments hit record levels in 2025, the year also presented numerous problems, said Ash Brown, chair of the Fiber Broadband Association board, during the group's webinar Wednesday. Brown spoke with association CEO Gary Bolton, who agreed that 2025 wasn’t easy for the fiber industry. Both said fiber will be critical as AI becomes more a part of daily life.
The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation said Tuesday that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit was chosen in a lottery to review the FCC’s recent controversial changes to rules for incarcerated people's communications services (see 2512300044). Industry officials said they expect that groups representing prisoners and their families will move to transfer the case to the 1st Circuit, which heard the appeal of the original 2024 order.
After mostly keeping quiet for months, the wireless industry strongly objected this week to a proposal from the FCC to allow correctional facilities to jam cell signals, with the goal of curbing contraband phones. CTIA led the charge against the proposal, which appears to also have strong backing, especially in Republican-dominated states (see 2511140036). Carriers had been expected to raise objections in comments on a further NPRM (see 2509290054), which were due Friday and posted this week in docket 13-111.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau on Monday delayed comment deadlines by two weeks on a further NPRM proposing various changes to the agency's broadband label rules. Under the new deadlines, comments are due Jan. 16, replies Feb. 16, in docket 22-2. That’s less time than the 30-day extension sought by New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the Utility Reform Network (see 2512220020).
Many of the bands highlighted in the Dec. 19 presidential memo on spectrum for 6G will likely take years to bring to auction, but that may be all right with carriers, who will face two auctions in the next two years, industry officials told us.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department voiced concerns in comments filed this week in docket 13-111 about the FCC’s proposal to allow signal jammers in correction facilities. Other law enforcement interests supported the use of jammers. FCC commissioners approved 3-0 in September a Further NPRM seeking comment on whether correctional facilities should be allowed to jam cell signals, with an eye on curbing contraband phones (see 2509300063).
The FCC notified the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Tuesday that five challenges have been filed in five circuits over its latest incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS) order, which significantly revised an order approved in 2024 (see 2510280045). In the latest complaint to be posted, IPCS provider NCIC challenged the order in the historically conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The next step is expected to be a lottery to pick which circuit will hear the case.