Lumen's Global Crossing subsidiary plans to end voice service in California, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Texas by Sept. 16, it told the FCC on Wednesday. It said its voice services operate "on aging, legacy network equipment, the majority of which is no longer supported by underlying vendors," so repairs and replacements have "become challenging, if not impossible." The company needs to decommission the network to head off an irreparable failure later, it said. The nondominant carrier said affected customers have already been notified and thus have time to arrange substitute services from other providers.
In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals set aside a Maryland district judge’s injunction that had ordered various agencies to reinstate probationary federal employees fired by the Trump administration. The FCC wasn’t one of the agencies, but the action affects DOD and Department of Commerce employees.
The White House executive order requiring agencies to review and cancel contracts with and security clearances held by Jenner & Block is within the executive branch’s authority and intended to protect national security and taxpayer dollars, said a DOJ filing Tuesday. Jenner & Block frequently practices before the FCC. The order “directs agencies to do what they should already be doing, declines to contract with entities who act inconsistently with valid social policies regarding discrimination, and calls for the lawful examination of security clearances and government access,” it said. Jenner & Block’s request for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the order should be dismissed, DOJ said, since the government “has every right to use its procurement power” to discourage “discriminatory practices” such as diversity initiatives. Jenner & Block’s objections to provisions of the order directing agencies to issue guidance limiting the firm’s lawyers’ access to federal buildings and agency staff are premature, DOJ said. Since no such guidance has yet been issued, “this Court should reject them as unripe without even reaching the merits.” Jenner & Block “can only guess the degree to which agency heads will limit government access.”
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Internet connections, even if they’re slow, are critical to agriculture, said Joy Sterling, CEO of California’s Iron Horse Vineyards, during a Broadband Breakfast webinar Wednesday. Other speakers called on the FCC to continue the work of its Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force following its final meeting last year (see 2412050050). Sterling served on the task force.
Some Senate Commerce Committee Democrats gave Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty a more positive reception during her Wednesday confirmation hearing than observers were expecting, though they used questions to hammer Chairman Brendan Carr’s actions since taking the gavel Jan. 20 and voice concerns about the agency's loss of independence during the Trump administration (see 2504080066). Panel Democrats delivered a harsher verdict to NTIA administrator nominee Arielle Roth, who advanced Wednesday on a nearly party-line vote of 16-12, as expected (see 2504080059). Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to buck his party's opposition (see 2504090037).
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced NTIA administrator nominee Arielle Roth on a nearly party-line vote of 16-12 Wednesday, as expected (see 2504080059). Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to buck his party by supporting her move forward. Panel Democrats gave Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty a more positive reception during her Wednesday confirmation hearing, even as they used some of their questions to hammer commission Chairman Brendan Carr’s actions since he took the gavel Jan. 20 and renew their concerns about the loss of agency independence during the Trump administration (see 2504090060).
Comcast taps Jon Gieselman, formerly Expedia Group, as chief growth officer-residential domestic businesses, connectivity and platforms segment, a new position, effective April 28 … David Brodian, formerly FCC, becomes NTIA chief counsel, replacing Stephanie Weiner … Wiley taps Shiva Goel, ex-NTIA and FCC, as partner in its telecom, media and technology practice ... SEALSQ names Loic Hamon, ex-Capgemini, COO, a new position … Utopia Fiber adds deputy director to the title of Nicole Cottle, who's also general counsel and director of government affairs ... National Wireless Communications Council elects to board: David Smith, Forest Industries Telecommunications, president; Ralph Haller, Forestry Conservation Communications Association, vice president; Mark Crosby, Enterprise Wireless Alliance, secretary/treasurer; at large: Douglas Aiken, International Association of Fire Chiefs; Michele Farquhar, Association of American Railroads; and Farokh Latif, Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International.
The FCC Space Bureau has created a docket, 25-157, on modernization of spectrum sharing for satellite broadband, it said in a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest.
Astrobotic is looking at a Dec. 4, 2025-March 4, 2026, window for launching its Griffin Mission 1 to the south polar region of the moon, it said in an FCC Space Bureau application posted Tuesday. It said GM-1 would deliver NASA and commercial payloads for a lunar surface mission. The total mission would be at most 28 days, including five days on the lunar surface. GM-1 would be decommissioned on the moon's surface and not return, Astrobotic said. The spacecraft would operate in the X band and use the S band for short-range communications between the lander and the rover on the lunar surface, it said.