T-Mobile closed out a round of discussions with the FCC about the carrier’s support for infrastructure reform (see 2509230061), recapping its meeting with an aide to Commissioner Anna Gomez in a filing posted Wednesday in docket 25-276. Commissioners are scheduled to take up items on wireless and wireline rule changes at their meeting Tuesday (see 2509090060).
The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and other groups urged FCC commissioners not to approve proposals circulated by Chairman Brendan Carr to zero out programs created under the Biden administration to fund Wi-Fi hot spots and Wi-Fi on school buses (see 2509030064). The filing, posted Wednesday in docket 21-31, was also signed by the American Library Association, Education and Libraries Networks Coalition and Homework Gap Coalition.
The attorneys general from 23 mostly Republican-dominated states this week supported a proposal by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to allow corrections officials to jam cellphone signals. Commissioners are slated to take up a Further NPRM at their meeting Tuesday (see 2509090060), and Carr has said he hopes new rules will be in place next year (see 2509050055). A week ahead of the meeting, only a few comments on the FNPRM have been posted in docket 13-111.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
The FCC got significant pushback on its proposal to sharply limit the scope of its Telecom Act Section 706 reports to Congress, according to reply comments that were due Tuesday in docket 25-223. Public interest groups said in a joint filing that “narrowing” the focus of the reports “will threaten [the] commission’s ability to achieve universal service.” Commissioners approved a notice of inquiry ahead of the August open meeting (see 2508050056).
Questionable maps, staff shortages and accountability concerns have pressured states as they participate in NTIA's $42.5 billion BEAD program, broadband experts said during a Broadband Breakfast webinar Wednesday. Flaws in the FCC’s broadband fabric and limited state capacity could leave millions of homes without service, while shrinking eligibility has already cut out up to 60% of locations that were eligible during earlier subgrantee rounds, they said.
President Donald Trump threatened ABC again Tuesday, the same night that host Jimmy Kimmel returned to the airwaves in most markets and two days after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr denied attempting to intimidate the network. “I think we’re going to test ABC out on this,” Trump said in a post Tuesday night on Truth Social. “Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.” Trump has threatened ABC and other networks repeatedly for years (see 2410100050).
FCC authority to change the national TV ownership cap remains unclear, and anything the agency does is likely to end up challenged in court, agency Chief of Staff Scott Delacourt said Wednesday at a Media Institute event. He also waved off the idea that the end of Chevron deference significantly changes how the FCC will defend its actions in court. The commissioners will vote on kicking off the 2022 quadrennial review of broadcast-ownership rules at its meeting next week (see 2509090060).
The elimination of the broadcast TV national ownership cap would lead to higher prices for MVPD consumers and lower broadcasting viewership, said DirecTV in an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 17-318. NAB's arguments that eliminating the cap won’t raise retransmission consent fees “is a curious position from an organization whose two biggest members seek to merge with the explicit goal of achieving ‘contractual revenue synergies,’” said DirecTV, referencing Nexstar’s proposed $6.2 billion purchase of Tegna.
T-Mobile wants to work with the FCC on revised rules for wireless and wireline deployments, carrier representatives said in meetings with aides to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Olivia Trusty. The agency will take up items on wireless and wireline rule changes at the Sept. 30 meeting (see 2509090060).