Focused on electromagnetic compatibility, the American National Standards Committee C63 urged that the FCC incorporate a new American National Standards Institute standard into its Part 2 and Part 15 rules for test sites for radiated emission testing between 30 MHz and 1 GHz. “After years of site validation (SV) measurement procedures" contained in other standards, ANSC C63 “decided to create a separate standard, specific for SV procedures,” said an undocketed petition posted Thursday at the FCC. ANSC C63 noted it’s the “principal standards organization responsible for developing American National Standards for electromagnetic compatibility measurements and testing procedures.” The FCC and electronics manufacturers who desire to market their products in the U.S. use the standards.
The FCC asked the 8th U.S. Circuit Appeals Court to schedule oral argument on an industry coalition's challenge of the commission's digital discrimination rules (see 2407080012). In a brief (docket 24-1179), the FCC said issues in the Minnesota Telecom Alliance's (MTA) challenge are "complex" and oral argument "may assist the court." However, in its reply brief, MTA and a coalition of industry groups urged the court should decide that the discrimination rules are unlawful and set aside the FCC's digital discrimination order.
Supporters of an A-10 high-power Class A FM station designation told the FCC that spacing and interference issues with the proposal are fixable, though some engineers and broadcast groups remain skeptical. Reply comments responding to broadcaster Commander Communications' petition were due Wednesday in docket 24-183. NAB and Cumulus have said the new class would further degrade the FM noise floor (see 2407230035). “Were the Commission to approve the FM Class A-10 classification, Commander believes that hundreds of FM Class A operators would be able to realize improvements in coverage,” the broadcaster said.
Telecom lobbyists are closely watching whether Senate backers of the Spectrum and National Security Act (S-4207) can secure a hoped-for September markup of the measure given recent efforts to move the Proper Leadership to Align Networks for Broadband Act (S-2238) as an alternative vehicle for funding the FCC’s lapsed affordable connectivity program (see 2408150039). The Senate Commerce Committee in July adopted amendments to S-2238 that attached funding for ACP and the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2407310048). Several observers pointed to a proxy fight about spectrum issues during Senate Commerce’s consideration of S-2238 as evidence negotiations on S-4207 are likely to remain fraught.
Global Tel*Link's ViaPath asked the FCC to issue an enforcement advisory following an apparent letter another incarcerated people's communications service (IPCS) provider sent to correctional facilities. The letter said the commission's new rules have no effect on the provider's operations because its "application-based services" aren't provided on a per-minute basis (see 2407180039). ViaPath said in a letter Wednesday in docket 23-62 that the "misinformation may also have been circulated to correctional facility customers who are served by other IPCS providers." ViaPath said it "cannot be understated the degree of chaos and confusion being created in the IPCS marketplace by the inaccurate interpretation of the order." The company sought an enforcement advisory clarifying that the rules apply to "all services meeting the revised definition of IPCS regardless of technology, device or transmission format used."
A July order by the FCC rejecting a petition for reconsideration by the Competitive Carriers Association of the commission’s 2022 order rules to improve the delivery of outage information to public safety answering points (see 2211170051) is now effective, a Wednesday notice in the Federal Register said. CCA argued that it was unreasonable to require originating service providers (OSPs) to initially notify PSAPs of 911 outages within 30 minutes of discovering an outage, the notice said: The FCC found CCA’s arguments “unpersuasive and concluded that the Commission was reasonable in adding a time limit to the OSP notification rules.” The FCC also rejected CCA’s argument that the commission should create a centralized database “before OSPs would be required to exercise special diligence in maintaining PSAP contact information,” the notice said.
Incompas urged the FCC to provide more certainty to prospective pole attachers and adopt "specific timeframes" for make-ready for larger pole orders. Providers also should be allowed to engage in self-help "when warranted," the group said in a meeting with Wireline Bureau staff per an ex parte filing Wednesday in docket 17-84. Providers "continue to experience barriers when seeking to attach to utility poles," Incompas said, noting that timelines for orders exceeding 3,000 poles would be a "significant improvement over the current standard." The group noted that allowing providers to qualify their own contractors for self-help work would remove the "bottleneck at the estimate phase."
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez hasn’t expressed an opinion on edge providers contributing to the Universal Service Fund (see 2408190056). She has expressed interest in the work of the bicameral, bipartisan USF working group, which includes the concept of assessing digital advertising services and enterprise-oriented data services, such as cloud services.
FCC staffers give the agency and their jobs generally high marks, according to the Office of Personnel Management's 2023 federal employee viewpoint survey data released Wednesday by the FCC. Among employees surveyed, 92% said people in their work unit contribute positively to the agency's performance, 75% said they recommend the agency as a good place to work, and 68% said senior leaders maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. Areas where results were more lukewarm include questions about whether information is openly shared in the organization (56% of respondents agreed), the approval process in the organization allows timely delivery of my work (54%), and senior leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment in the workforce (55%). The OPM data came from anonymous surveying of 519 agency employees for a month in 2023.
Lingo Telecom will pay a $1 million fine and implement a "historic compliance plan" under a settlement with the FCC following an investigation of spoofed generative AI robocalls. Lingo transmitted spoofed robocalls using AI-generated voice cloning technology that spread disinformation during the New Hampshire presidential primary election, the investigation found. Political consultant Steve Kramer directed the operation (see 2406260041). Lingo will also be required to apply an A-level attestation, the highest level of trust attributed to phone numbers, for calls where it's providing the caller ID number to the calling party. Kramer faces a proposed $6 million fine. “Every one of us deserves to know that the voice on the line is exactly who they claim to be,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: “If AI is being used, that should be made clear to any consumer, citizen, and voter who encounters it. The FCC will act when trust in our communications networks is on the line.”