The FCC Communications Equity and Diversity Council will meet in a hybrid setting Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST, said a notice in Friday's Federal Register. The group will hear updates from its working groups and meet the deputy designated federal officer and working group co-chairs for the innovation and access working group.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals transferred a coalition of states' challenge of the FCC's incarcerated people's communications services order to the 1st Circuit, said an order Thursday (docket 24-2983). The 14 states challenging the order opposed the transfer (see 2410020039).
Vermont National Telephone (VTel) Wireless' reconsideration petition concerning the FCC Wireless Bureau extending EchoStar's 5G network buildout deadlines (see 2410230004) never mentions commitments that come with those new deadlines, EchoStar said in an opposition posted Friday (docket 22-212). It added the extension is fully within bureau precedent of giving licensees additional time so they can "complete the arduous process of building wireless networks." In addition, EchoStar said, the bureau's order comports with the FCC's objective of promoting a fourth national wireless provider. No one else has opposed the new deadlines, and VTel's "meritless" petition seems likely to have sprung from its unrelated litigation against EchoStar that alleges fraud against Dish Network in the FCC's 2015 AWS-3 auction.
With the submarine cable license for NorthStar License's Alaska-to-Oregon system seemingly expired, the company is asking the FCC for special temporary authority to continue operations pending the filing and processing of a renewal application. In its STA application last week, NorthStar said that while FCC records don't indicate the in-service date for the 25-year license, that date was likely Oct. 1, 1999. NorthStar said it anticipates filing its license renewal application ASAP.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau held a meeting of government communications officials from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the U.K. Thursday to discuss communications security threats, an FCC news release said Friday. “The threats facing the communications sector are bountiful and know no territorial boundaries, therefore it is imperative that we work with our closest allies to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect our respective citizens and critical infrastructure,” said EB Chief Loyaan Egal in the release. The officials discussed “emerging security and enforcement trends in the communications sector related to national security, data protection, cybersecurity, and transnational fraud, as well as a greater shared commitment to cooperation and collaboration.” Officials from New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau, the U.K. Office of Communications and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada attended the event, the release said.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday filed a $10 billion lawsuit complaint against CBS that quotes FCC Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington supporting allegations that the network deceived its audience when it edited an answer in an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats' presidential nominee. Meanwhile, former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler on Friday said a future FCC chair in a second Trump administration would likely face considerable pressure to act against media outlets. During a Center for American Progress webinar, Wheeler said a Trump appointee could encounter a situation that no FCC chairman has "faced in the 90-year history of the commission.”
California startup Logos Space Services is seeking FCC Space Bureau OK for a planned 3,960-satellite constellation aimed at providing connectivity to enterprise customers and in-space data relay among other satellite constellations. In an application posted Thursday, it said the non-geostationary orbit Logos Network would operate in the Ka, Q/V and E bands at altitudes between 860 and 925 km. The company said it plans a phased rollout, with the first phase of 1,092 satellites letting it commence service and then Logos increasing capacity and throughput as it continues deployment.
To avoid possible overbuilding, NTIA should require states to have an expedited process to verify that eligible locations aren’t served before making final awards in the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, said the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. NRECA CEO Jim Matheson sent a letter Thursday to NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. The association’s proposed true-up process would “allow existing ISPs to conclusively demonstrate that they provide adequate service at locations that otherwise could be awarded funding,” Matheson said. “To counter any gamesmanship in this process,” NTIA should allow this only for fiber deployments. “In the time since eligible locations were determined and the state map challenge processes occurred, many rural ISPs have continued to construct fiber broadband networks and connect new customers,” said Matheson: Those ISPs include NRECA members. “There are significant discrepancies between the FCC’s December 2023 map data, subsequent state challenges and rural networks either built since then or currently under construction,” he said. “As a result, BEAD funding could be awarded to overbuild locations where reliable internet service has since been, or soon will be, deployed.”
Since the FCC sits on reconsideration petitions as it tries insulating itself from judicial review, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals shouldn't wait for "the futile exhaustion of arguments," said petitioners Maurine and Matthew Molak. In a letter to the 5th Circuit, the Molaks -- who unsuccessfully challenged the FCC's August E-rate hot spots order (see 2409260046) and are challenging the agency's 2023 declaratory ruling authorizing E-rate funding for Wi-Fi on school buses (see 2312200040) -- said they have filed a reconsideration petition on the hotspots order. Three months later, the FCC has not acted on that petition, the Molaks said. Given that the hot spots litigation was dismissed in part because the FCC hasn't acted on the recon petition, the 5th Circuit shouldn't dismiss the bus litigation on the basis that no recon petition has been filed, they said Thursday in the letter in docket 23-60641. The FCC didn't comment Thursday.
Starfish Infrastructure is seeking FCC approval for a private, non-common carrier submarine cable connecting the U.S. to French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia. The Honomoana cable system -- named for the Polynesian words for "link" -- hono -- and "ocean" -- moana -- would land in San Diego County, it said in an application posted Thursday. The new direct connection between Australia and the continental U.S. would come as capacity demand on that route is growing substantially year over year. Starfish said it hopes to install and test the Honomoana system in U.S. waters in Q1 2026 and start commercial operation of the U.S. landing point by 2026's end.