The FCC Wireless Bureau approved 28 more licenses in the 900 MHz broadband segment for PDV Spectrum. All are in Texas. The FCC approved an order in 2020 reallocating a 6 MHz swath in the band for broadband while maintaining 4 MHz for narrowband operations (see 2005130057).
NCTA filed at the FCC results of recent tests that it said justify concerns about proposals to relax in-band emissions limits in the citizens broadband radio service band. The tests by Charter Communications “show up to 60-plus percent degradation in service” from the change, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 17-258. “NCTA’s previously submitted simulation studies and the February … Lab Test Results provide consistent and complementary views of the frequency with which different interference scenarios resulting from elevated, undesired emissions limits will occur in real-world deployments, thus harming the CBRS operating environment,” NCTA said.
Garmin International filed a petition for rulemaking at the FCC asking for a review of technical limitations on the frequency and duration of automated digital data transmissions by handheld general mobile radio service (GMRS) devices. Garmin noted in an undocketed filing that it was required to file the petition as a condition of a January waiver allowing Garmin to offer handheld GMRS devices that transmit digital data communications as often as every five seconds. Current rules allow one transmission during every 30-second period. The proposed modifications to Section 95.1787 of FCC rules “will allow manufacturers to market hand-held GMRS devices that increase public safety by enabling the automatic transmission of digital data, such as GPS data and text messages, utilizing a new protocol,” said the petition, filed Wednesday. “The existing protocol for data transmissions set forth in the Commission’s rules should be maintained as an alternative to Garmin’s proposed new protocol.”
The FCC’s July order reducing call rates for people in prison while establishing interim rate caps for video calls (see 2407180039) is effectively the law of the land, and prisons must follow it, said Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, which represents the interests of prisoners. Tylek noted Thursday at a press conference that the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is hearing challenges to the order (see 2407180039), hasn’t granted a stay. “It is very normal for an industry to litigate and sue a federal agency when it gets regulated,” she said. “That happens in every single industry … The rules are in effect right now.”
The Senate Commerce Committee was eyeing a March 13 confirmation hearing for NTIA nominee Arielle Roth and potentially also FCC nominee Olivia Trusty, but that panel wasn’t final as of Thursday afternoon, several communications sector officials and lobbyists told us. President Donald Trump nominated Roth, Senate Commerce Republicans’ telecom policy director, in early February (see 2502040056). Trump picked Trusty, a Senate Armed Services Committee Republican staffer, for the FCC seat that former Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel vacated Jan. 20 (see 2501160077).
The FCC on Thursday released drafts of the three items that Chairman Brendan Carr teed up for a vote at the commission’s March 27 open meeting. The GPS notice of inquiry asks about a wide range of possible alternatives to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), including terrestrial-based and space-based solutions. The FCC also released drafts of two 911 items (see 2503050062).
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and other GOP leaders are optimistic, but not yet certain, that they have the votes on their side of the aisle to pass a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res. 7) to undo the FCC's July 2024 order allowing schools and libraries to use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services. Chamber Democrats are vowing to fight S.J.Res. 7 if leaders bring up the measure for a vote, which lobbyists said could happen as soon as next week. Supporters and opponents of the E-rate expansion are eyeing a handful of Republicans they believe are reluctant to rescind the FCC’s order.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed that the FCC was right that Gray Television violated the agency's top-four rule with the broadcast chain's purchase in 2020 of another broadcaster’s CBS network affiliation in the Anchorage market, but the court on Friday vacated the $518,000 forfeiture penalty. In a docket 22-14274 opinion, the appellate court also remanded the proceeding back to the agency. Judges William Pryor, Andrew Brasher and Adalberto Jordan said the forfeiture penalty was wrongly based in part on an egregiousness finding that Gray wasn't given an opportunity to address. They said the forfeiture penalty was also arbitrary and capricious because the FCC didn't adequately explain its consideration of Gray’s good faith. In a concurring opinion joined by Pryor, Brasher said the FCC's Note 11 rule, barring affiliation swaps, may exceed the agency's authority. "Had this issue been properly raised, I very likely would have voted to vacate the forfeiture order in its entirety," they said.
The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition supports waiving the April 1 funding request filing deadline for the rural Healthcare Connect Fund, it told the FCC Wireline Bureau in an ex parte meeting Monday, according to a filing posted Wednesday in docket 02-60. The waiver request was originally made by the Colorado Hospital Association and intended to allow the Universal Service Administrative Co. time to give the system the ability to handle the filings. “Various factors have delayed the standard application processing time over the course of this funding year,” said SHLB, detailing processing issues and delays caused by the application portal. The proposed 90-day extension is “justified” given the diversity in applicant types “and variations in applicant experience and expertise in filing.”
The FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council will meet March 19 at FCC headquarters, the FCC said Wednesday. The meeting, which starts at 1 p.m., is the group's first during the current administration. It last met in December (see 2412180041).