FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s office pulled a draft order on robotexts and robocalls from the agenda for the commissioners' open meeting Thursday and returned it to circulation. The FCC issued a notice late Tuesday that the item was deleted from the agenda. Some observers warned last week of potential opposition from Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington over First Amendment concerns, though they noted commissioners have traditionally embraced additional robocall rules as one of the FCC's top consumer items.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will visit the University of California, Berkeley Law School Sept. 27 to address the Berkeley Law AI Institute, the agency said. The FCC has made AI a top focus under Rosenworcel (see 2404040040). The event starts at noon.
Monumental Sports & Entertainment said most-favored nation and alternative distribution method contractual terms are adversely affecting its ability to function as an independent video programmer. In a docket 24-115 filing posted Friday in which it recapped meetings with FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez, Monumental said ADM provisions can be a big hurdle to distribution through online platforms, some of which would otherwise make Monumental's content available to all subscribers. In addition, it said MFNs can impede providing direct-to-consumer offerings, even making it impossible to offer those at competitive prices. Such contractual terms often don't account for large differences in the technology and economics of different distribution methods and ultimately leave fans with fewer ways of following their local teams, it said. MFN consequences are particularly significant for consumers lacking access to premium subscription plans offered by multichannel video programming distributors, as regional sports networks like Monumental often aren't part of MVPDs' base plans, it said.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has granted a motion for a time extension for Standard General to respond to a flurry of motions to dismiss (see 2409100008) in the company’s discrimination case against the FCC, Allen Media, Dish Network and several unions and public interest groups. Standard’s oppositions to the motions are now due Nov. 8, replies Dec. 10, the order said.
Oral argument in Radio Communications Corporation’s challenge of the FCC’s implementation of the Low Power Protection Act (see 2407050020) will take place Nov. 18, said an order Thursday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia scheduled oral argument on Nov. 5 at 9:30 a.m. for LTD's challenge of the FCC's denial of its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction long-form application, said an order Friday (docket 24-1017). The ISP was the largest winning bidder in the auction (see 2405090056).
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel visited an Arizona elementary school as part of an initiative to promote recent modifications to the E-rate program, said a news release Friday. "Visiting rural Arizona made it clear that if we want our children to succeed in this digital age, then we need to ensure they can get access to the internet," Rosenworcel said. She met with parents, teachers, and school staff to discuss the benefits of the program. The agency noted that the E-rate program "takes on renewed importance following the expiration of the affordable connectivity program," which connected more than 500,000 households in Arizona before it ended. Using hot spots, the FCC is "working to close that digital divide" for schools and libraries, the agency said. Rosenworcel will spend the next few months meeting with national, state, and local school leaders to discuss the program's importance.
The Wireless Innovation Forum, the OnGo Alliance and the Wireless ISP Association jointly petitioned the FCC to delay by 30 days comment deadlines on an August NPRM asking about further changes to rules for the citizens broadband radio service band (see 2408160031). Comments are now due Oct. 7, replies Nov. 5, in docket 17-258. “The NPRM raises significant and complex issues … that warrant detailed Comments to build a robust record from those directly impacted, including over 1,200 member companies of the Joint Petitioners,” said the petition posted Friday: “Each of the Joint Petitioners concurs that additional time to write Comments would help establish a more robust record.” They note numerous groups are “working to coordinate positions among their respective members on the proposals and questions raised.”
Aura Network Systems CEO Bill Tolpegin met with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel about the company’s 2021 pursuit of a rulemaking on expanding the use of air-ground radiotelephone service channels between 454.675-454.975 MHz and 459.675-459.975 MHz for voice and data communications, including by drones (see 2109230049). Tolpegin also met with aides to Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington. Filings on the meetings had yet to be posted on Friday. The CEO earlier met with an aide to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks (see 2409180020).
FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said including routers under the agency’s recently approved voluntary cyber trust mark program “is vitally important for the security of our home and small business networks.” Commissioners approved the cyber mark program 5-0 in March (see 2403140034). “Consumer routers are the quarterback … of the home network,” Starks said in a speech at American University included Friday's Daily Digest. The program will prove important for consumers, helping them make informed buying decisions “while at the same time incentivize[ing] manufacturers to invest in stronger security measures,” he said. “Much is at stake,” Starks said: “Cybercriminals and adversarial states can steal sensitive personal data, facilitate identity theft, disrupt critical infrastructure and compromise national security.”