Broad FCC approval of a SpaceX/T-Mobile direct-to-device commercial service should come soon, some agency watchers say. The FCC earlier this month gave the two special temporary authority to provide service in areas affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton (see 2410070049 and 2410100054). With that and AT&T and SpaceX seemingly agreeing on how the D2D service could operate in the near term without interfering with AT&T's terrestrial wireless operations (see 2410210002), "I'm a little surprised" the FCC hasn't given the green light yet, spectrum and satellite consultant Tim Farrar told us. The commission didn't comment. Its Space Bureau late last year approved limited supplemental coverage from space operations in G-block spectrum so SpaceX satellites' antennas for D2D service could be checked (see 2312050029).

Florida “cannot begin to show that its draconian access restrictions are necessary to advance any legitimate interest it may assert” to protect children, NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) wrote in a complaint Monday at the U.S. District Court for Northern Florida. The tech industry groups filed a First Amendment challenge against a Florida law set to take effect Jan. 1.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, a member of his transition team and Elon Musk, X platform owner and SpaceX CEO, are repeating calls for broadcasters to lose their spectrum because their news broadcasts are too partisan.

A small, but steady stream of defaults is hitting the rural deployment opportunity fund program, with many providers citing inflation as the cause, program watchers and participants tell us. A small burst of RDOF defaults occurred in recent days, including Cable One telling the FCC it's dropping 902 census block group projects in Idaho and Missouri (see 2410180033) and Mercury Broadband defaulting in 129 census block groups across four states. Since Sept. 1, Pinpoint Communications announced defaults of three census block groups, RiverStreet Communications had six and Lumen nine. It's unclear whether RDOF default locations will receive connectivity elsewhere, such as with NTIA's broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program.

Courts still “respect” technical expertise at agencies like the FCC despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the Chevron doctrine, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Friday.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is pushing back against House GOP criticisms (see 2410070040) of the commission’s September approval of radio broadcaster Audacy’s request for a temporary waiver of foreign-ownership requirements to complete a bankruptcy restructuring that includes George Soros-affiliated entities purchasing its stock. The waiver vote was 3-2, with Republican Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington claiming the agency deviated from normal procedure (see 2409300046).

The New Jersey Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs unanimously approved a bill Thursday requiring cable and broadband providers to let consumers admitted to a long-term care facility to pause or cancel service contracts. Moreover, under the bill, customers who pause or cancel contracts would not incur additional fees.

The FTC violated the Constitution and exceeded its rulemaking authority when it issued a rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel subscriptions, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, NCTA, the Interactive Advertising Bureau and other industry groups said in three different lawsuits filed Tuesday in three separate appeals courts.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

District of Columbia emergency officials opposed a D.C. Council bill aimed at increasing transparency at the Office of Unified Communications 911 center. During a livestreamed Judiciary and Public Safety Committee hearing Wednesday, OUC Director Heather McGaffin raised privacy concerns about the bill, noting calls from people in sensitive situations might be made public. However, Dave Statter, a former journalist who regularly blogs about OUC errors, said privacy concerns are overblown and more transparency could help. But he said the bill doesn't go far enough.