LONG BEACH, Cal. -- A merger may not be on the horizon for XM and Sirius, despite persistent rumors, but an interoperable radio might remove the need for a combination, industry lawyers and financiers said at the International Satellite & Communications Expo here.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
What is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the U.S. federal government’s regulatory agency for the majority of telecommunications activity within the country. The FCC oversees radio, television, telephone, satellite, and cable communications, and its primary statutory goal is to expand U.S. citizens’ access to telecommunications services.
The Commission is funded by industry regulatory fees, and is organized into 7 bureaus:
- Consumer & Governmental Affairs
- Enforcement
- Media
- Space
- Wireless Telecommunications
- Wireline Competition
- Public Safety and Homeland Security
As an agency, the FCC receives its high-level directives from Congressional legislation and is empowered by that legislation to establish legal rules the industry must follow.
Latest News from the FCC
Both terrestrial wireless and airline industries raised concerns over an FCC proposal to replace or relax a ban on airborne use of 800 MHz cellular handsets and other devices. They urged the Commission to keep the ban until the devices are shown not to cause interference with terrestrial wireless services and with aviation communication and navigation systems. More comments were expected at our deadline.
No other carrier group has offered a solution better than the Intercarrier Compensation Forum’s (ICF’s) to unify the telecom industry’s outdated, confusing array of intercarrier compensation schemes, ICF told the FCC in comments filed late Mon. The cross-industry group -- which includes AT&T, Global Crossing, Level 3, General Communications, Iowa Telecom, MCI, SBC, Valor Telecom and Sprint -- is the most visible of several industry groups that have proposed plans to the FCC.
After emotional testimony from victims of VoIP- related 911 glitches, the FCC Thurs. ordered VoIP providers to give customers full E-911 service within 120 days. E-911, or enhanced 911, means a 911 caller’s location is transmitted and can be viewed by emergency dispatchers on a screen.
The FCC asked Sprint, Nextel and other commercial wireless carriers against which the firms compete for more information. As part of its review of the proposed Sprint-Nextel merger, the FCC sent identical letters to the applicants, plus Alltel, Western Wireless, Nextel Partners, Cingular Wireless, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA and Southern LINC. The FCC requested a description and subscriber count for each mobile wireless price plan offered by the companies in each county of the U.S. for each month from Jan. 1, 2004, to Jan. 31, 2005.
Heartened when the U.S. Appeals Court, D.C., Fri. threw out the FCC broadcast flag order, consumer groups said they expect the MPAA to back a bill to supply the Commission the authority the court said it lacked to issue the regulations. Public Knowledge and other groups that persuaded the court to eliminate the flag warned lawmakers against attaching such legislation to any coming DTV bill imposing a hard deadline for the analog shutoff.
The FCC could field multiple requests for reconsideration of a 3650-3700 MHz order that opened access to new spectrum for wireless broadband. The Wireless Communications Assn. (WCA) will be asking the FCC to clarify the order’s interference protection obligations section. Similar requests on other parts also may be coming from the Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA), WiMax Forum and others.
The FCC received several petitions for clarification or reconsideration of its reciprocal compensation order denying a petition by a coalition of wireless carriers regarding ILEC wireless termination tariffs. The petitions were filed last week by T-Mobile, MetroPCS, American Assn. of Paging Carriers (AAPC) and the Rural Cellular Assn.
The FCC received several petitions for clarification or reconsideration of its reciprocal compensation order denying a petition by a coalition of wireless carriers regarding ILEC wireless termination tariffs. The petitions were filed last week (CD May 2 p11) by T-Mobile, MetroPCS, American Assn. of Paging Carriers (AAPC) and the Rural Cellular Assn.
Satellite industry officials want the FCC and Congress to protect satellite spectrum this year, when legislators address emergency responders’ spectrum needs as required by the Intelligence Reform & Terrorism Prevention Act, they said in comments to the FCC. The FCC is considering the comments as it prepares a report to Congress due Dec. 17, on federal, state and local public safety providers’ spectrum needs.