The National Sheriffs’ Association and the California State Sheriffs’ Association asked that the FCC stay an October order giving the FirstNet Authority -- and, indirectly, AT&T -- use of the 4.9 GHz band (see 2410220027) pending judicial review of the order. The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure challenged the order, while the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance questioned aspects of it, in petitions for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (see 2412040043). The sheriffs groups said plaintiffs will likely prevail in court. “The Order is arbitrary and capricious because its last minute decision to block public safety entities from modifying existing licenses and applying for new licenses was not the subject of adequate notice,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 07-100. In addition, the order is “self-contradictory and not based on sound reasoning,” the groups said. It "claims that incumbent licensees will not be adversely affected, when they will immediately be stripped of their geographic license rights and ability to apply for new or modified licenses as needed.” The order also unfairly helps AT&T “better position itself vis-à-vis its commercial wireless service competitors” by giving it “access to free mid-band spectrum in order to ‘maintain parity’ with its competitors, which is not an appropriate use of the 4.9 GHz public safety spectrum.”
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions. New cases are marked with an * .
The California Public Utilities Commission approved $32.5 million in new broadband grants Thursday. Three projects will receive a collective $28 million through the state's last-mile federal funding account grant program. The remaining funding will be awarded through seven grants supporting digital literacy and broadband adoption efforts. “These grants represent a perfect example of what we are trying to achieve in order to close the digital divide, especially in areas that have historic need," said Commissioner Darcie Houck: "It is necessary to not only build broadband infrastructure, but we also have to make sure everyone is able to use it."
The FCC on Thursday unveiled its selection of the initial 707 participants for the FCC’s cybersecurity pilot program, including 645 schools and districts, 50 libraries and 12 consortia. The program's future is unclear. Commissioners approved its launch 3-2 in June, with Republican Commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington dissenting (see 2406060043). Both questioned whether the FCC had the authority to act. The FCC said Thursday, “Participants in the three-year pilot program will receive support to defray the costs of eligible cybersecurity services and equipment and provide the Commission with data to better understand whether and how universal service funds could be used to improve school and library defenses against increasing cyberattacks.” All 50 states, in addition to Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and several Tribal lands, "are reflected by the Pilot participants announced today," the FCC said. Illinois had the largest number of winners at 76, 12 more than California, which was second.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions. New cases are marked with an *.
Frontier and Verizon urged that the California Public Utilities Commission "adopt an efficient schedule" for its proceeding regarding Verizon's $20 billion all-cash deal to purchase Frontier (see 2409050010). The companies met virtually with aides to Commissioner John Reynolds, per an ex parte filing posted last week. They sought approval by October and "underscored that a delay in California would impact the national transaction as a whole, and delay bringing benefits to consumers." The companies also noted that Frontier is "under financial pressure" and the transaction will allow it to continue fiber deployment.
House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said Tuesday he’s keeping Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., as Communications Subcommittee ranking member, as expected (see 2412170053). Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., will stay on as Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee ranking member, Pallone said. Eight Democrats will join House Communications: Nanette Barragan of California, Kathy Castor of Florida, Troy Carter of Louisiana, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Jennifer McClellan of Virginia, Rob Menendez of New Jersey, Scott Peters of California and Raul Ruiz of California. House Commerce will meet Wednesday to ratify the subcommittees’ leaders and approve the panel’s rules for this Congress (see 2501130031).
The House Commerce Committee will hold its organizational meeting for the 119th Congress Wednesday, Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said Monday. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn. The panel will vote to set its rules for this Congress and ranking member Frank Pallone of New Jersey will announce Democratic leaders and membership for the subcommittees. Pallone said last week that the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee added Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York and six other party members to House Commerce. The other additions: Reps. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, Troy Carter of Louisiana, Rob Menendez of New Jersey, Kevin Mullin of California, Greg Landsman of Ohio and Jennifer McClellan of Virginia.
The FCC has "boots on the ground" in Los Angeles County, having deployed spectrum survey teams to assess the impact of the wildfire disaster on cellular communications, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Monday. The teams were sent at the request of state officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The agency is using data to identify communications gaps and FCCers also are managing public safety spectrum use and coordinating with government and industry on response efforts, Rosenworcel said. She said the agency has issued special temporary authority grants to keep communications operational. For example, SpaceX received a STA Friday to provide supplemental coverage from space service in wildfire areas to handsets not yet authorized for satellite service, according to the Daily Digest. SpaceX is also providing free Starlink broadband service to people affected by the wildfires (see 2501100064). Skylo said its direct-to-device traffic is up substantially in southern California (see 2501130023).
Supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service is in dire need of additional spectrum, AT&T Assistant Vice President-Public Policy Navid Motamed said Monday during an FCBA CLE. Regulatory and company speakers also noted that SCS issues of cross-border interference and coordination need to be settled. While some nations are crafting SCS rules frameworks, others are in a wait-and-see stance.