FCC efforts to foster nascent in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) activities face a challenge because doing so falls outside the agency's job docket, said space operators and others Tuesday in docket 22-271. There also were multiple calls in the ISAM docket comments for identification of spectrum for ISAM activities. A number of commenters pushed for a licensing regime involving a license for a category of services, rather than trying to make emissions fit into the traditional non-geostationary or geostationary framework. The commissioners adopted its ISAM notice of inquiry in August (see 2208050023). Replies are due Nov. 28.
The FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee approved a report Tuesday on best practices for sending and receiving captioning files so captioning associated with full-length programming remains available regardless of the distribution method. The vote came in the last meeting of the current cycle of the DAC. Like all other meetings during this cycle, it was held virtually. The report wasn’t immediately released by the FCC.
APCO urged the FCC to ask for a substantial amount of data from carriers in its reporting forms for the new mandatory disaster response initiative (MDRI). CTIA counseled flexibility and the need to keep data confidential. CTIA and the Competitive Carriers Association also petitioned the FCC for partial reconsideration of the FCC’s MDRI order and additional clarity (see 2207070060).
Wireless carriers, like companies in every other sector, are having to learn how to use AI, said Meghna Sinha, Verizon vice president-AI, and other speakers during a Fierce Wireless virtual event Monday. Carriers don’t have a choice, Sinha said: “The sheer volume that runs through our network is so large. Detecting patterns, making sure that we can catch issues quickly, it’s just not possible through humans or through spreadsheets -- that is where AI comes in.”
The FCC’s persistent 2-2 tie since the beginning of the Biden administration and the resulting dearth of partisan Democratic telecom policy actions will likely blunt the level of criticism Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and the commission will initially face from House Commerce Committee Republicans during the next Congress if their party wins a majority in the Nov. 8 election, said ex-panel Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., and other observers in interviews. But Commerce GOP oversight of the FCC would likely ratchet up significantly if and when the commission returns to a 3-2 Democratic majority, officials said. Regardless, there will be a major emphasis on whether the FCC is abiding by the Supreme Court’s embrace of the "major questions” doctrine in its West Virginia v. EPA ruling (see 2206300066), officials said.
The FTC should tread carefully if it's considering banning certain types of social media ads for children, advertisers and advocates said in interviews this week, citing the potential for legal challenges.
Unions opposing the Standard General/Tegna deal said Friday the companies' recent document submissions to the Media Bureau show Standard hasn’t been truthful with the FCC about its intention to cut jobs at Tegna, but the buyer said the groups are just rehashing their previous arguments. According to the acquisition agreement, there’s about a month left before -- if the purchase hasn’t been approved -- a “ticking fee” takes effect that will raise the cost per share of Tegna at a rate that increases the longer the deal lingers. The FCC has traditionally sought to avoid being the cause of triggering such provisions, broadcast attorneys told us. Responses from Standard and the other parties to Thursday’s supplementary filings from the unions are due Thursday.
Charter Communications is dealing with higher-than-expected costs for its Rural Deployment Opportunity Fund buildout but also is having more success than expected in penetration and number of passings being developed off RDOF projects, CEO Tom Rutledge told analysts Friday as the company announced Q3 results.
The California Privacy Protection Agency board weighed draft changes Friday to proposed state privacy rules required by the 2020 California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). The board, meeting virtually, showed support for several proposed modifications, which were posted with explanations earlier this month (see 2210170048), while flagging some issues for follow-up in later rulemakings. It was the first board meeting since California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) appointed real estate developer and CPRA author Alastair Mactaggart a member.
While residential broadband growth remains anemic at Comcast, wireless subscriber numbers and revenues are accelerating. Residential broadband had been a revenue driver, but it won't be a significant one at least for the near future, CEO Brian Roberts said on a call with analysts Thursday. But Comcast is "still in the very early growth phase" in wireless, he said.