The FCC should minimize foreign ownership reporting burdens on regulatees without reportable foreign ownership, said USTelecom in a reply comment filing posted Wednesday in docket 25-166. “To the extent the Commission can streamline the certification process for entities with multiple licenses, such as allowing bulk submissions, it should do so.”
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
NEW ORLEANS -- Broadband experts, attorneys and local officials welcomed the use of AI Wednesday at the National Association of Telecom Officers and Advisors' annual conference (see 2508190045) here. Some said it could streamline permitting and speed deployment timelines but warned that federal preemption and lax oversight risk sidelining state and local voices in shaping how the technology changes communications policy.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed Standard General’s lawsuit accusing former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, Allen Media CEO Byron Allen and Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen of conspiring to block Standard’s attempted purchase of Tegna in 2023, according to an opinion issued Tuesday. Standard’s attempt to buy Tegna for $8.6 billion unraveled after the matter was designated for hearing (see 2404250059). Nexstar on Tuesday announced its plan to buy Tegna (see 2508190042).
Kelly Grier, formerly Ernst & Young, joins AT&T’s board, effective Sept. 1, replacing Scott Ford, Westrock Coffee, retiring … FCC Chairman Brendan Carr adds Courtney Cowper, ex-Honeywell, as special assistant in his office … Salem Media Group names Richard von Gnechten, WaterStone, as chairman of the board, replacing Executive Chairman Edward Atsinger in running board and stockholders meetings; Atsinger will retain his title through Dec. 31 and continue overseeing company operations.
Environmental Health Trust President Joseph Sandri on Tuesday called on the FCC and FDA to work together on RF safety issues. Sandri sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, posted in docket 13-84. Earlier this month, EHT petitioned the FCC asking it to act on a 2021 remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit of the agency’s 2019 RF safety rules (see 2508070032).
The FCC Wireless Bureau is seeking comment on a proposal by ShipCom and Global HF Net to offer their public coast station system for greater use by land-based parties, which they claim have a greater need. Comments are due Sept. 18, replies Oct. 3, in docket 25-255, said a Tuesday notice from the Wireless Bureau.
Consultant firm Horizon Advisory said the U.S. must take a comprehensive approach to preventing the wireless security threat from China. “Beijing can use a presence all across the value chain to cement access and exact leverage” and “defenses need to be similarly comprehensive,” the firm said in comments on a proposal to expand the FCC “covered list” of unsecure companies to put more focus on connected vehicles (see 2506300052). Horizon's filing was posted Tuesday in docket 21-232.
Transaction Network Services (TNS) told the FCC that publishing call identification information in a public call placement service (CPS) raises the risk that it will be “intercepted and abused by bad actors.” TNS weighed in this week in the FCC proceeding closing a “gap” in the commission’s Stir/Shaken authentication rules (see 2508180029).
The FCC Wireline Bureau Tuesday rejected a petition by Mercury Broadband seeking a waiver of Rural Deployment Opportunity Fund rules. Mercury said in May (see 2505200063) a potential $25.1 million in fines for the surrender of multiple RDOF census block groups was "neither reasonable nor proportionate.”