Comments are due Jan. 5, replies Feb. 3, on the FCC’s NPRM on call branding (docket 17-59), said a public notice Monday. The NPRM, approved in October, seeks comment on proposed rules on caller ID and on requiring labels for calls that originate outside the United States (see 2510280024).
AT&T, Verizon and AST SpaceMobile haven’t provided enough information on their supplemental coverage from space (SCS) partnership to be granted waivers, and the proposed arrangement could lead to interference for other carriers, said T-Mobile, wireless groups and the Competitive Carriers Association in reply filings posted Monday in docket 25-201. “Commenters in this proceeding have expressed grave concerns about the missing information and significant flaws in AST’s application to provide SCS,” said T-Mobile. “Yet AST has either ignored those concerns or made merely performative attempts to convince the Bureaus to dismiss them.”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau said three China-based voice providers have deficiencies in their Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) certifications, and allowing them to have access to those certifications could be a national security threat. The bureau gave China Telecom Global Ltd., China Unicom (Hong Kong) Operations Ltd. and China Mobile Hong Kong Co. Ltd. 14 days to explain why their inclusion in the RMD isn’t contrary to the public interest, according to orders issued Monday. The companies also must cure their RMD deficiencies or explain why they shouldn’t be removed from the database, the orders said. Removal of their certifications “would require all intermediate providers and voice service providers to cease accepting all calls” from the three companies that use North American Numbering Plan resources that pertain to the U.S. All three companies are tied to the Chinese government, the orders added. “The public interest is not served by allowing entities ‘subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government,’ that could ‘be forced to comply with Chinese government requests’ to maintain access to valuable Commission authorizations, such as an RMD certification.”
The FCC should retain its current citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) rules, said Cambium Networks in a letter posted in docket 17-258 Monday. “Increases to permitted power in some or all of the band would undermine deployments that are providing vital services to American communities.” Reallocating portions of the CBRS band or increasing the maximum power would require Cambium to replace its equipment “at significant operator and consumer expense,” the company said. “Further, permitting significantly higher power levels would lead to waste in [the] BEAD program, as existing CBRS equipment supporting fixed wireless BEAD deployments would need to be replaced and such costs have not been included in BEAD,” Cambium added. “It is inconsistent for the federal government to make billions of dollars available for broadband deployment and expect recipients to invest their own capital, at the same time that it calls into question the usefulness of the most relied-upon spectrum for broadband deployment.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau is seeking comment on Somos' petition for rulemaking about modernizing the numbering assignment, administration and routing rules (see 2509260016), according to a public notice released Monday. The petition, filed in September, urged the FCC to transition number assignment to an all-IP system to combat cyberattacks. Comments are due Jan. 7 replies Feb. 6, in docket RM-12012.
The FCC's supplemental coverage from space (SCS) rules framework, adopted in 2024 (see 2403140050), tackled critical issues but is ready for an update, SpaceX Vice President of Satellite Policy David Goldman said Monday at a seminar in Washington organized by ForumGlobal. Also discussed at the event was use of terrestrial versus satellite spectrum for direct-to-device (D2D) service.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday signaled a willingness to uphold President Donald Trump’s firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, a decision that liberal justices said could totally upend existing structures at independent agencies like the FTC and the FCC (see 2511280002).
Paramount Skydance announced a hostile takeover bid Monday to buy WBD, offering $30 each for all outstanding shares of the company. The move follows the announcement that Netflix struck an $82.7 billion deal last week to purchase WBD (see 2512050046). One analyst said he sees President Donald Trump's heavy involvement in the fight over WBD as an advantage for Paramount over Netflix.
Changes at Apple: Jennifer Newstead, ex-Meta, joins as senior vice president in January and becomes general counsel March 1, replacing Kate Adams, who retires late next year; Lisa Jackson, vice president for environment, policy and social initiatives, retires in late January, with her team moving under Adams and then Newstead … Broadband investment firm Grain Management names former FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks to its board of senior advisors.
The Media Bureau has extended the deadline for broadcasters to comply with the FCC’s foreign-sponsored content rules until June 7, said a public notice Friday. “Only new leases and renewals of existing leases entered into on or after the compliance date must comply with the rule modifications,” it said. The deadline had been set for Monday.