FCC Chairman Brendan Carr welcomed his appointment by President Donald Trump to the new White House task force on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “The FCC will bring our expertise to bear to meet the spectrum needs and other operational requirements of this historic event,” Carr said Tuesday. “Thousands of wireless devices will be operating simultaneously within the RF spectrum” during the Olympic and Paralympic games, the FCC said. “This includes critical applications such as timing apparatus for events, radio communications for event coordination and security, and broadcast operations that are vital to seamless, world-wide, coverage and the overall success of the Games,” the agency said. “The FCC will work alongside our Federal, state, and local partners, as well as the LA28 Olympic Committee and other stakeholders to help ensure robust, reliable communications.”
The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau said Wednesday that it removed 185 noncompliant voice service providers from the Robocall Mitigation Database. That follows warnings issued to 2,411 providers in December ordering them to show why they shouldn’t be removed (see 2412180015). “This will prevent those providers from connecting to U.S. networks until they comply with FCC regulations,” the agency said. “All removed providers violated Commission rules by maintaining deficient certifications after repeated warnings and apparently participating in illegal robocall campaigns or failing to support official efforts to investigate such campaigns.” Those removed will need express approval from the FCC’s Enforcement and Wireline bureaus to rejoin the database.
A broad group of local governments and associations on Wednesday protested the FCC’s direct final rule (DFR) order that commissioners approved 2-1 last month, with a dissent from Commissioner Anna Gomez (see 2507240055). The order clarified that the FCC’s bureaus have delegated authority to delete rules under the process without commission votes.
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez said Wednesday that, despite concerns, she voted for a notice of inquiry to study revisions in how the FCC examines competition in its Telecom Act Section 706 reports to Congress. Commissioners approved the NOI earlier in the week, and it was taken off the agenda for Thursday’s meeting (see 2508050056). While Gomez’s comments on the NOI were predominantly negative, she said she voted yes to give the public a chance to weigh in.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Public Knowledge urged the FCC to safeguard consumers' privacy as it considers rules for next-generation 911, the group said this week in comments on a Further NPRM that commissioners approved in March. Most comments called for the FCC to move with caution as it considers updated rules (see 2508050042).
The FCC is facing persistent calls from one unsuccessful bidder for Paramount Global to revisit the approval of the company's sale to Skydance Media, but we're told the commission is unlikely to heed them. The agency didn't comment Wednesday.
Former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel joins the MIT Media Lab as executive director, effective mid-September … Space services firm Spire Global names Quintin Jones, formerly Joint Chiefs of Staff, vice president and head of North America … Wireless broadband supplier Inseego names Lawrence Hau, ex-Vantiva, as chief supply chain officer, and Zack Kowalski, formerly Kajeet, as senior vice president of business development, new positions.
Anterix representatives met with FCC Wireless Bureau staff about the agency's 2018 900 MHz freeze and other issues, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 24-99. The representatives “noted that while the FCC has historically frozen bands during a technology transition to preserve a stable landscape and prevent speculative entrants, they understand certain incumbents could have a legitimate, limited need to expand capacity or coverage,” the filing said. “Anterix encourages such entities to contact it and has been able to assist in meeting requirements in those instances.”
President Patrick Halley and others from the Wireless Infrastructure Association discussed the FCC’s moves to streamline wireless siting in a meeting with Commissioner Olivia Trusty, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-250. WIA “highlighted the many positive effects that the FCC’s wireless infrastructure reforms have had on wireless deployment and the critical importance of maintaining and strengthening the FCC’s wireless siting rules.”