The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) disagreed sharply with FCC arguments and groups supporting FirstNet that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit shouldn’t stay parts of the FCC’s October order on the 4.9 GHz band. BART, the National Sheriffs' Association and the California State Sheriffs' Association sought a stay, which was opposed by the commission, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance and Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (see 2503030053).
The FCC Wireline Bureau on Friday sought comment on a plan to transfer control of Mountain Communications from Telemax to Larry Sisler. Currently, Telemax owns 43% of the provider, Sisler 42%. Mountain Communications is certified to provide local exchange and interexchange services in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the bureau said. Comments are due March 21, replies March 28, in docket 24-610.
USTelecom representatives met with an aide to Commissioner Nathan Simington on the importance of changes to FCC rules to accelerate wireline deployment. The representatives discussed USTelecom members’ “efforts as pole owners and attachers to efficiently manage the pole attachment application and make-ready processes while accounting for site-specific and often unpredictable circumstances that can delay a deployment project,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-84. The group “expressed its continued support for the Commission’s current pole attachment application and make-ready rules, which ensure collaboration among pole owners and attachers, provide needed flexibility, promote competition, and advance broadband.”
Representatives of Public Knowledge and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance met with aides to three of the FCC commissioners on the importance of making low-cost broadband available for those who can’t afford current offerings. They discussed with aides to Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Anna Gomez support for a “reformed” USF “that creates a pathway to support a permanent broadband subsidy that mirrors the incredibly successful Affordable Connectivity Program.” They also discussed “affordability and reliability challenges in remote communities that depend on satellite broadband,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 10-90. Affordability remains an issue even as new satellite and fixed wireless options “put competitive, downward pressure on pricing,” the filing said.
The Senate Commerce Committee has apparently pushed back the confirmation hearing for NTIA nominee Arielle Roth and Republican FCC nominee Olivia Trusty, several communications sector officials and lobbyists told us Friday. The panel was eyeing March 13 for the hearing (see 2503060066). A new date was not circulating Friday, but some lobbyists expect the hearing to happen later this month. Lobbyists were not certain why Senate Commerce decided to postpone, but some previously noted that it was uncertain whether the panel would be able to include Trusty on March 13's agenda. A Senate Commerce Democratic spokesperson said Thursday afternoon that the minority office still hadn't received the necessary executive branch paperwork to move either nominee forward. President Donald Trump nominated Roth, Senate Commerce Republicans’ telecom policy director, in early February (see 2502040056). He picked Trusty, a Senate Armed Services Committee Republican staffer, for the FCC seat former Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel vacated Jan. 20 (see 2501160077).
The American Civil Liberties Union, Committee to Protect Journalists and others are expressing dismay at what they see as the FCC putting politically motivated pressure on media organizations and broadcasters "who exercise protected speech that the current administration disfavors."
Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen told us that a potential vote on a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res. 7) to undo the FCC's July 2024 order allowing E-rate funding for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless could be difficult for “a lot of senators because the applications for" that money are coming from 46 states (see 2503060059).
The FCC has received complaints indicating that Google's YouTube TV has a policy of discriminating against faith-based programming, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. Carr posted Friday on X a letter he sent to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google parent Alphabet, and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. In it, Carr requested that Google and YouTube brief FCC staff on the role of virtual multichannel video programming distributors in the media marketplace "and YouTube TV's carriage negotiation process, including the potential role of viewpoint-based discrimination." Carr cited a complaint from Great American Media alleging that YouTube TV "deliberately marginalizes faith-based and family-friendly content" and "refuses to carry" its Great American Family network.
The FCC's Note 11 rule, regulating TV network affiliations changing hands, might exceed the agency's Communications Act authority, a pair of 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges said Friday as the court vacated a $518,283 fine against Gray Television for violating the rule. Neither the commission nor Gray, which was challenging the forfeiture order (see 2301040059), commented. The FCC charged that Gray violated rules against owning two top-four stations in a market when it bought the network affiliation of an Anchorage TV station from Denali Media.
Supporters of the FCC’s July order reducing call rates for people in prison while establishing interim rate caps for video calls (see 2407180039) said Friday they’re cautiously optimistic that the agency won’t make significant rules changes. Chairman Brendan Carr expressed some concerns in July and concurred with only parts of the incarcerated people’s communication services (IPCS) order, but he also said most of his objections were already addressed. The order implements the Martha Wright-Reed Act of 2022.