The FCC signed an agreement Thursday to continue to work with regulators from traditional U.S. allies to strengthen cooperation “in response to evolving threats and challenges in the telecommunications sector." Regulators from the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand also signed the agreement. Industry experts told us that the pact shows that despite tariff fights and other disagreements with the nations under President Donald Trump, cooperation on security continues.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Democrats won Tuesday night in special elections for two Georgia Public Service Commission seats, marking the first time party members have earned spots on the regulatory body since 2006. Those victories were part of the Democratic Party’s broader rout in the elections, including selection of its candidates for governor in New Jersey and Virginia. Ex-U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who won the Virginia gubernatorial race, and Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who won in New Jersey, both raised internet issues during the campaign.
Glen Smith, President Donald Trump’s nominee for agriculture undersecretary for rural development, told Senate Agriculture Committee members Wednesday that he will make it a priority to review USDA’s broadband programs in response to Republican lawmakers’ concerns about the scope of federal connectivity efforts leading to unnecessary funding overlaps. Meanwhile, panel Democrats pressed Smith on strengthening USDA’s ReConnect program, citing GOP proposals to end or reduce its funding.
Staff departures under the current administration are starting to have an effect on federal permitting reviews, said Jill Springer, NTIA's senior adviser for permitting, during a Broadband Breakfast webinar Wednesday. Amid a wave of departures from the federal government under President Donald Trump, Springer said the retirements are one of her biggest concerns.
Private cellular networks are growing worldwide and can offer advantages over both Wi-Fi and more traditional networks offered by carriers, experts said Tuesday during RCR Wireless’ Industrial Wireless Forum. A variety of spectrum bands are being used, including the citizens broadband radio service band in the U.S., speakers said.
A DOJ request last week for additional information about Nexstar's proposed $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna means the transaction will face serious scrutiny at the agency, antitrust attorneys and industry officials told us in interviews. “This is an indication that the deal might not necessarily be in trouble, but that they’ve got plenty of work to do to get it through,” said Bona Law's Steven Cernak.
Noting that many judges aren't technology experts, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Higginbotham expressed concern Monday that many legal issues are decided using court documents instead of jury trials. “One of the frustrations” that stems from long-running litigation is that “a trial judge … never got to hear the full evidence,” he said during oral argument in CCIA v. Paxton.
CBS again faced controversy Monday over its editing of a 60 Minutes interview, this time with President Donald Trump, leaving FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Democrats at odds over whether the changes constituted a violation of the commission’s news distortion rules. The volley of barbs compared the removal of pieces of Trump's interview -- at his request -- to 60 Minutes’ controversial October 2024 editing of an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris (see 2410100050). Harris' campaign didn't seek edits to her 60 Minutes interview, which is itself the subject of an ongoing FCC news distortion probe and a lawsuit from Trump that CBS settled in July (see 2507020053).
SBA Communications on Monday became the last of the three major U.S. tower companies to report Q3 earnings, releasing results after the close of the financial markets. In recent calls, American Tower and Crown Castle executives were positive on the outlook for their sector as U.S. carriers continue to deploy 5G.