The FCC is seeking comment on revised rules for carriers to report data breaches. The NPRM, released Friday and approved 4-0 last month, proposes eliminating the “outdated” seven-business-day mandatory waiting period before notifying customers of a breach and requiring the reporting of inadvertent but harmful breaches to the FCC, FBI and Secret Service.
The FCC released a long-expected NPRM Wednesday seeking comment on proposed service rules allowing the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band by drones, which was approved by commissioners Dec. 23 (see 2212230035). Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the NPRM takes a broad look at the use of spectrum by unmanned aircraft systems. It asks more than 160 questions about future use of the band and other spectrum by drones.
An NPRM on out-of-band emissions limits into the 24 GHz band, proposed by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel a year ago, remains on hold at the FCC. She circulated the NPRM Dec. 27, 2021, but it has yet to get the required four votes. Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks have voted for the item, but Republicans Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington haven’t voted. NTIA endorsed the limits, on behalf of NASA, NOAA and the National Science Foundation.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said the FCC is on the right track in targeting robotext scams, the focus of a recent NPRM (see 2212120029). “Robotexts are a particularly dangerous avenue for scams and fraud, costing the American people more than $131 million in 2021 alone,” Schatz said in a letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, posted Wednesday in docket 21-402. “The FCC must do everything in its power to protect the public from robotext scams,” he said. The proposals in the NPRM “are the types of steps we need in continuing to battle robotext scams,” Schatz said: “By building on your work countering robocalls, you can ensure that no one ever receives texts from numbers that are invalid, unallocated, unused, or on a Do-Not-Originate (DNO) list. Texts from these numbers are surely illegal or unwanted, and it makes sense that mobile wireless carriers should block them. Similarly, you can close the door to scammers spoofing legitimate numbers by ensuring robust ID authentication for text messages, similar to the protocol used for phone calls.”
The Senate appeared poised to pass as soon as Wednesday an FY 2023 appropriations omnibus package that includes another short-term extension of the FCC’s spectrum auction authority, though the situation remained fluid late that afternoon amid continued wrangling over potential votes on amendments to the measure. Lawmakers agreed to attach a renewal the FCC’s remit through March 9, after an objection from Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., derailed a negotiated deal to include a modified version of the chamber's version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (S-4117) and other related measures (see 2212200077).
Fines proposed by FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel against the major wireless carriers for allegedly failing to safeguard data on their customers' real-time locations have apparently stalled, according to a document we viewed. Commissioners haven't voted to approve the fines, though fellow Democrat Geoffrey Starks voted yes, the document shows. It confirms that Rosenworcel circulated an order in September (see 2209090028). Public interest groups want action.
The FCC released its broadband consumer labels Thursday, requiring ISPs to display machine-readable information at the point of sale. The order, adopted Nov. 14, requires providers to list monthly prices and itemized fees, whether it participates in the affordable connectivity program, and speed data. The order takes effect 30 days after Federal Register publication. Compliance with the rules is not required until one year after OMB approval for providers with 100,000 or fewer subscribers and six months for all other providers. The goal is to "make the purchasing of broadband service more simple and more competitive for consumers everywhere," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said he looks forward to reviewing the record on whether the labels should include cybersecurity information. Doing so "could be very valuable to consumers" and "push ISPs to compete on network security," Starks said. The commission adopted one label requiring the same information in the same format for fixed and mobile broadband providers. Providers must include information about latency. It's "important to any application involving users interacting with each other, a device, or an application," the order said. An accompanying NPRM seeks comment on "alternative speed and latency measurements for the label going forward." The NPRM also seeks comment on the label's accessibility and availability in multiple languages, other performance data, and network management information. Comments will be due 30 days after Federal Register publication, 60 days for replies. The new label will "help consumers better understand their internet access purchases" and "allow for an effective apples-to-apples comparison tool when shopping for services in the marketplace," said Wireless ISP Association Vice President-Policy Louis Peraertz. It's a "good first step," said Next Century Cities Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Johnston: "Without including the label on a consumer's bill, the broadband nutrition label falls short of its goal."
Industry and broadband experts welcomed the release Friday of the FCC’s draft broadband availability maps. Many said they plan to participate in the challenge process because NTIA is required by Congress to use the FCC’s maps for its broadband, equity, access and deployment program funding allocations.
Things have been quiet on the FCC 10th floor since Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated an order with a new approach on the 4.9 GHz band, and early indications are she probably has the votes for approval. Rosenworcel circulated the order last month to establish a national band manager, which would govern the leasing process in the band, with an accompanying Further NPRM asking for feedback on details of how the leasing process could work (see 2210260064).
Speakers at a Utilities Technology Council virtual event Thursday issued a warning about the risks still posed by unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band and said utilities may have to take other steps to protect critical communications. The FCC, meanwhile, conditionally authorized 13 automated frequency coordination providers to operate in the band. Industry officials said last month the FCC appeared close to taking the next steps on AFC (see 2210170075).