A plan for cutting regulations and federal institutions such as the FCC could target broadband access programs and media regulations, but it's likely that a wave of litigation will stymie it, administrative law professors and attorneys told us. Future Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) heads Vivek Ramasawamy and Space X CEO Elon Musk laid out their plans in a Wall Street Journal opinion column. “It's not to say that maybe some of these changes shouldn't be happening, but, you know, they're taking a wrecking ball to fix something that requires a little bit more finesse than that,” said University of Idaho law professor Linda Jellum. Asked about possible DOGE cuts at the FCC, incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr last week told reporters, “There's no question, there's tons of room for driving more efficiency at the FCC." He didn't elaborate.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is warning NTIA that Congress will “review the BEAD program early next year,” when Republicans will control both chambers, and plan to pay “specific attention to” program requirements that have drawn GOP ire. Congressional Republicans are likely to at least pursue a revamp of BEAD to rein in what they view as NTIA’s flawed implementation of the $42.5 billion initiative, while a clawback of program funds is less likely (see 2410210043). Drew Garner, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society director-policy engagement, pushed back Friday against criticisms Cruz separately leveled at NTIA's notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for its $1.25 billion digital equity competitive grant program (see 2411210041).
FCC staff changes: Wireless Bureau’s Jessica Campbell becomes acting legal adviser-public safety for Commissioner Anna Gomez, stepping in for Hayley Steffen, on maternity leave, and Cierra Nokes, ex-NTT Data, joins Gomez’s office as executive assistant; Howard Parnell retiring as division chief-Web and Print Publishing; Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan Egal becomes special adviser, with Deputy Bureau Chief Peter Hyun becoming acting bureau chief; Office of Economics and Analytics Deputy Bureau Chief Catherine Matraves becoming acting bureau chief with Bureau Chief Giulia McHenry’s departure … Cloud security provider Sysdig appoints William Welch, previously Talkdesk, as CEO.
The FCC Space Bureau approved SpaceX using VHF-band radiofrequency beacons on up to 450 of its second-generation Starlink satellites, according to a bureau order in Thursday's Daily Digest. It said the approval lets SpaceX track and maintain contact with the company's satellites during orbit raising and in case of emergencies. The agency said it will separately address SpaceX's pending request to operate second-gen Starlinks with the beacons at lower altitudes of 340-360 km.
Verizon representatives urged uniform handset unlocking rules, during a meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. “The ad-hoc, asymmetric locking policies that currently apply to some providers and not others result in an uneven playing field, reducing wireless competition and ultimately harming consumers,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 24-186: “Whatever handset locking policy the Commission adopts should apply uniformly to all wireless providers.”
The Enterprise Wireless Alliance told the FCC it supports a change the American Petroleum Institute is seeking in rules for the citizens broadband radio service band (see 2410080030). EWA said it supports API’s suggestion that system administrators incorporate a general authorized access tier user algorithm that prioritizes spectrum access for small businesses and enterprise customers. CBRS is important to EWA members, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. “In a telecommunications world that focuses increasingly on commercial broadband services, the vital importance of enterprise entities to the nation’s economy and to its day-to-day functioning must be recognized,” EWA said: “Some of their wireless needs can be and are met on commercial networks, but many have core responsibilities that cannot be outsourced to the network of a third-party commercial provider.”
The FCC submarine cable NPRM now asks about ensuring cable licensees don't use equipment or services from entities on the agency’s covered list of organizations that pose a U.S. security threat. Commissioners at their open meeting Thursday unanimously approved the subsea cable NPRM, as expected (see 2411120001), as well as a robocall third-party authentication order. They also approved 5-0 an order creating a permanent process for authorizing content-originating FM boosters, which let broadcasters geotarget content within their broadcast reach for up to three minutes per hour (see 2411140053). The meeting saw the four regular commissioners praise Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, who said Thursday she would step down Jan. 20, the date the next presidential administration takes power. Minority Commissioner Brendan Carr, who is slated to become chair (see 2411180059), discussed his agenda with media (see 2411210028).
Outgoing FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel received praise from the regular commissioners at Thursday's open meeting (see 2411210006) as she announced plans for stepping down Jan. 20, the date the next presidential administration takes power. Addressing reporters, incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr repeatedly named "tech censorship" and the "censorship cartel" as major priorities. "Smashing this [censorship cartel] is going to be a top issue," he said.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) took shots at each other on X Wednesday, trading jabs about net neutrality and Carr's selection as President-elect Donald Trump's FCC chair. Carr "opposes net neutrality, which ensures that you, not telecom companies, get to decide where you go on the internet," Wiener wrote. "Fortunately [California] has a strong net neutrality law, which I authored after Trump's FCC repealed net neutrality in 2017," he said, adding that "we'll defend an open internet" (see 2309280056). Carr responded with an image of search results for "What has Scott Wiener done?," appearing to imply that Wiener has done little worth noting.
The FCC Technological Advisory Council will hold its final meeting of 2024 Dec. 19 at FCC headquarters, the agency said Wednesday. Start time is 10 a.m. EST. The TAC is focused on 5G and other spectrum issues. It last met in August (see 2408290036).