SiriusXM is planning to launch its SXM-10 satellite as soon as June 8 and is asking the FCC Space Bureau for permission to use it to replace its FM-6 satellite. In a bureau application posted Friday, it said SXM-10 was originally going to replace the XM-5 satellite, but the company now plans to replace XM-5 in 2026 with SXM-11, which is under construction.
The FCC's unanimous approval of the 2360-2395 MHz band for space launch communications goes into effect April 7, said a notice in Friday's Federal Register. The commissioners at the end of 2024 approved reallocating the 2360-2395 MHz band on a secondary basis for space launch operations (see 2412310029).
Broadcast ownership rules are helping strangle local news and must go, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in an interview last week on Nexstar's NewsNation. "We need to let some of these broadcasters get to scale so they can hire the local reporters," Carr said. Asked about regulating Big Tech, he said the agency is "taking a look at a lot of different options," including reform of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The FCC could also play a role in "bring[ing] some greater transparency" to Big Tech, Carr added.
The National Consumers League (NCL) and four small business owners are at odds with the Insurance Marketing Coalition over whether the NCL parties should be allowed to seek rehearing of a federal court ruling on a 2023 FCC robocall and robotext order. In a docket 24-10277 reply Friday with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the proposed intervenors said they sought permission to intervene as soon as it became clear the U.S. government wouldn't defend the FCC's 2023 order. They filed a motion to intervene last month (see 2502200004). The proposed intervenors said Friday they don't intend to relitigate the rule but "only seek to advance the case as the Government would if it was still defending the Rule." In its opposition last month, the coalition said the petition is untimely, and NCL can still advocate for its interests during proceedings before the FCC on remand.
The FCC has signed off on SpaceX's requested waiver of the aggregate out-of-band power flux density limits that the FCC adopted in its 2024 supplemental coverage from space order (see 2406180006). The FCC Space and Wireless bureaus said in an order Friday (docket 23-135) that supplemental coverage from space service "is at a nascent stage of development, and we find that strict application of the rule risks hindering the widespread deployment of this particular SCS network." The approval is conditioned on SpaceX addressing any harmful interference that occurs. The waiver covers only the five MHz band segments directly adjacent to the PCS G Block where SpaceX will operate.
Wireless ISP Association representatives met with aides to FCC Commissioners Nathan Simington and Geoffrey Starks to urge action on spectrum bands of importance to its members. WISPA members “agree with the position of the Spectrum for the Future coalition that the Commission should reject calls by some companies to substantially increase the power levels” for citizens broadband radio service devices or “substantially change the out-of-band emission levels,” said a filing posted Friday in 25-70 and other dockets. WISPA also weighed in on changes to the 10-10.5 GHz, lower and upper 12 GHz, 37.0-37.6 GHz and 42.0-42.5 GHz bands. In addition, it urged the FCC to finalize rules on unlicensed use of the 5.9 GHz band.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) disagreed sharply with FCC arguments and groups supporting FirstNet that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit shouldn’t stay parts of the FCC’s October order on the 4.9 GHz band. BART, the National Sheriffs' Association and the California State Sheriffs' Association sought a stay, which was opposed by the commission, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance and Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (see 2503030053).
The FCC Wireline Bureau on Friday sought comment on a plan to transfer control of Mountain Communications from Telemax to Larry Sisler. Currently, Telemax owns 43% of the provider, Sisler 42%. Mountain Communications is certified to provide local exchange and interexchange services in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the bureau said. Comments are due March 21, replies March 28, in docket 24-610.
USTelecom representatives met with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington on the importance of changes to FCC rules to accelerate wireline deployment. The representatives discussed USTelecom members’ “efforts as pole owners and attachers to efficiently manage the pole attachment application and make-ready processes while accounting for site-specific and often unpredictable circumstances that can delay a deployment project,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-84. The group “expressed its continued support for the Commission’s current pole attachment application and make-ready rules, which ensure collaboration among pole owners and attachers, provide needed flexibility, promote competition, and advance broadband.”
Representatives of Public Knowledge and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance met with aides to three of the FCC commissioners on the importance of making low-cost broadband available for those who can’t afford current offerings. They discussed with aides to Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez support for a “reformed” USF “that creates a pathway to support a permanent broadband subsidy that mirrors the incredibly successful Affordable Connectivity Program.” They also discussed “affordability and reliability challenges in remote communities that depend on satellite broadband,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 10-90. Affordability remains an issue even as new satellite and fixed wireless options “put competitive, downward pressure on pricing,” the filing said.