Comments are due at the FCC April 3 regarding privacy issues stemming from potential georouting of texts being sent to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In a notice in Tuesday's Federal Register, the FCC Wireline Bureau said that feedback it received in the 988 text georouting proceeding (see 2501100033) raised privacy issues. It said it wanted to obtain a more comprehensive record and was seeking comment on such issues as privacy implications raised by the different text-to-988 georouting solutions discussed in the proceeding. Reply comments are due April 18. Filings are to be made in docket 18-336.
The Wireline Bureau has dismissed Sonic Telecom’s 2021 petition for reconsideration of portions of the FCC's unbundling network elements rules, said an order on reconsideration Friday. “We find that Sonic fails to show any material errors or omissions, raise any new or additional facts or arguments it could not have raised during the original proceeding, or provide any reason otherwise warranting reconsideration,” the order said. Sonic had argued that the FCC’s UNE rules were based on unsubstantiated predictions and untrustworthy data (see 2102090077). “Sonic’s Petition merely restates arguments the Commission has already rejected, and to the minimal extent it may raise new evidence or arguments, such evidence or arguments could have been raised earlier,” the bureau said.
Globalstar's expanded contract with Apple (see 2411010003) will fund its next satellite constellation, CEO Paul Jacobs told analysts Thursday. In an application earlier this month with the FCC Space Bureau, Globalstar said its planned next-generation low earth orbit mobile satellite service deployment, with a price tag of more than $1 billion for the satellites and ground infrastructure, would augment its connectivity in areas where there's no terrestrial coverage. It said that C-3 system would have greater signal strength and multiple satellites overhead, meaning better in-building and in-vehicle connectivity for users. The constellation will consist of 48 satellites and six orbiting spares, enabling new IoT and consumer-based offerings. Globalstar said its existing direct-to-device SOS emergency messaging service to iPhones is available in the U.S., Canada, 12 European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Apple’s September release of iOS 18 enabled satellite-delivered two-way messaging in the U.S. and Canada between users, it said. When asked about a deployment timeline, Jacobs didn't comment.
Michael Powell to retire this year as NCTA president and CEO ... FCC promotes Zenji Nakazawa to acting chief, Public Safety Bureau, replacing Deb Jordan, retiring ... Comcast names Hensey Fenton, ex-Covington & Burling, deputy general counsel-privacy and digital governance … Changes at NASA: Vanessa Wyche promoted to acting associate administrator, replacing Jim Free, retired; Stephen Koerner advanced to acting director-Johnson Space Center, replacing Wyche; Jackie Jester, ex-Relativity Space, appointed associate administrator-office of legislative and intergovernmental affairs.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is warning Verizon about what he says are its diversity, equity and inclusion practices. "While I am pleased with the progress different companies are making" in ending DEI practices, "I am concerned by the apparent lack of progress at Verizon," he said in a letter dated Thursday to CEO Hans Vestberg. Carr posted the letter on X, pointing to materials on Verizon's website where it says it is "deeply committed to sustaining a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion within our company and the communities we serve." The letter also cites media reports about DEI practices or promotions at Verizon. "[P]romoting invidious forms of discrimination cannot be squared with any reasonable interpretation of federal law," Carr said. "It can only deprive Americans of their rights to fair and equal treatment under the law." Carr said that as head of the agency, "it is important to me that the entities the Commission regulates fully adhere to our country's laws." To resolve the issue, he said, "please reach out to the agency personnel working on Verizon's pending transactions with the FCC." The FCC's Enforcement Bureau under Carr is investigating the DEI programs of Comcast and its NBCUniversal (see 2502110063).
The FCC Space Bureau "got the Commission’s policy and precedent right" when it denied U.S. market access to Sateliot, "and Sateliot continues to get it wrong" in challenging the decision, EchoStar said. In an opposition filed with the Space Bureau this week to Sateliot's petition for review (see 2502100033), EchoStar said the FCC's findings about the infeasibility of operators sharing the 2 GHz band "remain true today." It said Sateliot hasn't argued that the Space Bureau got anything wrong in its denial.
The FCC is seeking feedback on charging regulatory fees for all authorized satellites and earth stations, not just ones that are operational. That is among the regulatory fee proposals in a Further NPRM issued Tuesday. The FNPRM asks for input by March 27, replies April 11, in docket 24-85 on a variety of ideas brought up during the FY 2024 space regulatory fee proceeding. The FNPRM tentatively promotes an alternate methodology for assessing satellite regulatory fees, with earth station fees and satellite fees being allocated proportionally to the FCC Space Bureau resources involved in licensing and regulation of each segment, and with different fee categories for non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) versus geostationary orbit satellites. It also asks about other options beyond that alternate methodology, such as dividing the existing NGSO fee category into two tiers: constellations of up to 1,000 satellites and constellations of more than 1,000. It also asks about the idea of creating tiers of "small" and "large" NGSO constellations in the existing "less complex" NGSO fee category and creating subcategories of earth station regulatory fee payers. Chairman Brendan Carr said it's "important that the FCC put the right regulatory framework in place -- one that will further fuel the space industry’s growth."
The FCC should dismiss Mack Toys’ complaint against Paramount Global because it fails to bring a claim where relief can be granted, Paramount said in a motion Wednesday. Mack’s complaint concerned Paramount’s trademark on the word “slime,” which Mack said violates the Communications Act (see 2502060068). It invoked Section 308 of the act, which applies only to common carriers, Paramount said. “The Complaint, however, does not allege that Paramount Global is a common carrier, and nor could it -- Paramount Global operates broadcast stations and other media that in no way resemble a common carrier.” The Enforcement Bureau should dismiss the complaint, Paramount said. In a separate filing, the company also asked for filing deadlines connected with the complaint to be suspended.
The FCC Wireless Bureau on Wednesday granted 14 additional licenses in the 900 MHz broadband segment to PDV Spectrum, 11 in Texas and three in Missouri. The FCC approved an order five years ago reallocating a 6 MHz swath in the band for broadband while maintaining 4 MHz for narrowband operations (see 2005130057).
FCC Administrative Law Judge Jane Halprin should rule that low-power radio and TV station owner Antonio Cesar Guel lacks the character to hold an FCC license and order him to cease and desist from “operating, controlling, managing or providing any assistance” to any FCC-licensed station, said the Enforcement Bureau in filings in the hearing proceeding (docket 23-267) posted this week. “The preponderance of the evidence” shows that Guel engaged in a sham transfer of his stations to his 17-year-old niece, falsely claimed to be an American citizen repeatedly, and made multiple false statements to the agency for years, even during the current ALJ proceeding, the EB said. Guel has also admitted to many, but not all, of the allegations against him and unsuccessfully sought a summary judgment order to end the proceeding. In depositions and testimony during the hearing proceeding, Guel, his niece and his daughter Maria Guel gave multiple conflicting statements about Antonio Guel’s relationship and level of control of multiple companies and licensees, including Mekaddesh Group Corporation, the Hispanic Family Christian Network and the Hispanic Christian Community Network. All those entities operate from the same address. “Given Mr. Guel’s pattern of brazen material misrepresentations to the Commission,” a cease and desist order “is not only legally authorized, it is necessary,” the EB said. The bureau's filings also ask Halprin to impose a forfeiture against Guel.