The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau approved a waiver Monday for the Edison Electric Institute, which asked for clarity that utilities have prior express consent under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to send demand response texts and calls to their customers (see 2503100047). “A tool utilities have to manage grid burden is ‘demand response’ communications that inform customers of actions that they can take to help avoid potential service disruptions and price increases during high demand periods, often saving money on their bills in the process,” the bureau said. “We confirm that such calls and texts are ‘closely related’ to the utility service. Our action will promote reliable utility service to customers as well as cost savings to consumers.”
EchoStar allies and critics fortified their positions in the FCC's twin EchoStar proceedings in docket 22-212 and 25-173 reply comments, which were due Friday. The replies covered much of the same turf as initial comments did. One side argued that EchoStar has sunk billions into its 5G network buildout, and FCC action could chill future investments by it and others, while the opposing side questioned the legality of longer buildout deadlines (see 2505280002).
Satellite broadband providers, especially Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper service, are likely the big winners in the Commerce Department’s rewriting of the BEAD program rules, New Street’s Blair Levin told investors Monday. Smaller providers that use unlicensed spectrum to offer broadband also won, he said. Senate Democrats, meanwhile, slammed the revised rules that the Trump administration released Friday (see 2506060052).
The FCC should “refrain” from changing citizens broadband radio service power levels and out-of-band emissions limits in areas outside the contiguous U.S. (CONUS), GCI representatives said in a meeting with FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology staff. The Alaskan carrier continues to offer critical fixed satellite services over the C band in areas outside CONUS, “such as Alaska, which require protection from harmful interference,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-258. “Such services include long distance services to remote villages, special access services, connectivity to support FAA air travel safety systems and weather cameras, middle-mile capacity, the delivery of telehealth services, and mobile wireless coverage via 2G and LTE-over-Satellite wireless services, among other important services.”
The FCC sought comment Friday on Verizon's request that the commission zero out the unlocking commitment it stipulated as a condition of approving the company’s purchase of Tracfone (see 2505200051). Comments are due July 7, replies July 21, and must reference dockets 06-150, 24-186 and 21-112, said a Wireless Bureau notice.
The FCC Wireless Bureau on Friday established a pleading cycle on Verizon’s proposed $1 billion buy of wireless licenses from UScellular. The companies announced a deal in October (see 2410180004). Verizon would get 39 licenses from the smaller carrier, in the cellular, AWS-1, AWS-3 and PCS bands. Petitions to deny are due July 7, oppositions July 22 and replies Aug. 1 in docket 25-192, the bureau said. The licenses cover 618 counties across 19 states, or about 8% of the U.S. population, it said. “Post-transaction, according to the Applicants, Verizon Wireless would be attributed with a maximum of 372 megahertz of spectrum, including up to 72 megahertz of below-1-GHz spectrum.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau has denied TuCel Puerto Rico’s appeal of a Universal Service Administrative Co. decision to recover Emergency Broadband Benefit funds from the provider, said an order Friday. TuCel initially appealed the matter to USAC but requested a bureau review once that appeal was denied. “We find that USAC properly determined that TuCel improperly enrolled subscribers through an unapproved verification process without confirming their eligibility,” the order said. “We deny TuCel’s appeal and will continue the recovery action against TuCel.”
The Wireline Bureau granted Shentel’s request for a waiver to allow the company's affiliate, Chillicothe Telephone in Ohio, to transition its business data services from rate-of-return to incentive regulation, said an order Friday. “We find that permitting CTC to move from inefficient rate-of-return regulation to more efficient incentive regulation serves the public interest,” the bureau said.
The FCC Wireline Bureau on Friday rejected a request from Big Bend Telephone Co. seeking review of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Co., saying USAC "properly sought recovery" of USF high-cost support “based on the company’s failure to comply with the Commission’s rules.” The Texas wireline provider appealed the USAC decision during the 2012-14 audit review period. “We direct USAC to proceed with the recovery of more than $5.5 million in improperly paid support,” the bureau said. A USAC review identified 13 findings of noncompliance in the period, the order noted.
AST SpaceMobile told the FCC Space Bureau the agency should continue to assess regulatory fees only on authorized and operational satellites and earth stations, not pre-operational ones. In docket 24-85 Thursday, AST recapped a meeting with the bureau, at which the company said charging such pre-operational regulatory fees could add big costs to new satellite deployments before a licensee has the opportunity to start service and earn revenues. Nonoperational systems require minimal post-authorization regulatory oversight, it said.