The FCC’s “In Re: Delete Delete Delete” proceeding could draw a huge number of response filings and is expected to require numerous subsequent rulemakings to lead to actual changes, said industry officials and academics. “Every single regulated entity will sit on Santa's lap and ask for presents,” said TechFreedom Senior Counsel Jim Dunstan. “It will take months just to sift through all the asks and determine how to proceed.”
Southern Ohio Communication Services (SOCS) asked the FCC for an extra 90 days to complete the removal of Chinese equipment from its network. The carrier has already received two extensions, according to a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-89. The only remaining covered equipment in the network “is one ZTE router, which has been powered down and is awaiting transport to the destruction warehouse,” while other gear awaits disposal, the filing said.
Dish Wireless parent EchoStar is interested in leasing spectrum to smaller carriers and tribes, the Rural Wireless Association told members Thursday. Leases are available “on a first-come, first-serve basis” in the 600 MHz, 700 MHz, citizens broadband radio service, AWS-3, AWS-4 and AWS H-block bands, RWA said. “EchoStar is making its spectrum licenses available for lease pursuant to conditions imposed by the FCC in a granted extension request of its final 5G construction milestones,” the group said.
NAB touted a broadcaster alternative to GPS in meetings at the FCC on the draft notice of inquiry scheduled for a vote March 27 (see 2503060061). Deployment of a broadcast positioning system (BPS) as an alternative to GPS is mentioned in the NOI. NAB representatives met with aides to Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Anna Gomez. “NAB described its progress since it began developing BPS in 2020, following President [Donald] Trump’s Executive Order on Strengthening National Resilience Through Responsible Use of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Services,” said a filing Thursday in docket 25-110. Since, “NAB has conducted a number of tests and has launched BPS signals on-air in four television markets. NAB described these deployments and our work with various government agencies to test and refine the system.”
The FCC has created an internal, multi-bureau national security taskforce “to promote America’s national security and counter foreign adversaries, particularly the threats posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in a news release Thursday. Called the Council for National Security, the group will include members from eight bureaus and FCC offices. Carr’s national security counsel, Adam Chan, will lead the group, the release said. It didn't specify which bureaus and offices will be involved, and the agency didn’t immediately respond to questions about the group's makeup or whether it will hold public meetings.
Oral argument in broadcasters’ legal challenge of the FCC’s 2018 quadrennial review order (docket 24-1380) will take place in the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals next week, the first time in decades that the 3rd Circuit won't hear the recurring battle.
Advocates of keeping most of the current rules for the citizens broadband radio service (CBRS) band intact have been playing defense since the start of President Donald Trump's administration and the ascension of Brendan Carr to chairman of the FCC. Carr has said little in recent weeks but went on record in the past urging an examination of higher power levels, which some view as a threat to growing use of the band.
The FCC Office of Managing Director announced Thursday a proposed Q2 USF contribution factor of 36.6%, as calculated by the Universal Service Administrative Co. That’s up from 36.3% the previous quarter and the highest quarterly contribution factor in the program's history. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear FCC v. Consumers’ Research March 26, a case about the contribution factor's legality.
CTIA names Ajit Pai, ex-Searchlight Capital Partners and former FCC chairman, president and CEO, effective April 1... Benton Institute for Broadband & Society promotes Revati Prasad to executive director, effective May 1, succeeding Adrianne Furniss, moving to senior fellow, Illinois program manager and adviser to Prasad.
Amazon expects to slightly decrease the number of satellites in its planned V- and Ku-band Kuiper satellite network. In an FCC Satellite Bureau application posted Wednesday, it said its plans now call for 38 fewer satellites in the three systems that will make up the V- and Ku-band Kuiper network. The company also said it wants to add the 17.3-17.8 GHz frequencies to the bands the Kuiper network will use and to expand the use of certain Ka- and V-band frequencies to other parts of the systems. Amazon said its first-generation V- and Ku-band Kuipers would number 3,232, instead of 3,236, its second-gen Kuiper system would number 3,212 instead of 3,236, and its polar orbit Kuipers would number 1,292 instead of 1,302.