Consumer advocacy organizations and inmate calling services (ICS) providers welcomed a draft order expanding access to telecom relay services for deaf or hard of hearing individuals and an FCC Further NPRM that would seek comment on whether the commission should amend its rules for refunds (see 2209080057). Some sought to eliminate the population threshold for facilities to require compliance with the proposed rules. ICS providers raised implementation concerns. Commissioners will consider the item Thursday.
The FTC should avoid injecting new, unsubstantiated liability into potential changes to its ad endorsement guidelines, advertising groups told the agency in comments due this week (see 2207250036). Consumer advocates urged the agency to hold strong on expanded definitions for social media influencers and new protections for children and teens. The FTC collected public comment through Monday on its first substantive update to the guides since 2009.
An FCC draft order on improving the accessibility of Emergency Alert System messages is expected to be unanimously improved at Thursday’s meeting, but it isn’t clear if proposed deadlines for updating MVPD set-top equipment will change before the item is adopted, said industry and FCC officials. NCTA and ACA Connects seek changes to the draft language. The agency is also expected to unanimously approve an uncontroversial draft NPRM on removing references to analog TV in the agency’s rules now that there are no more remaining analog TV services.
Agenda items approved Sept. 12 by the FCC’s World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee (see 2209160033) remain controversial, based on comments posted Tuesday in docket 16-185. The WAC earlier sought comment on several proposals, including by Lockheed Martin, which wants the WRC to approve a future item on lunar and cislunar communications, the area between the moon and earth (see 2209120047).
FCC commissioners approved 4-0 an NPRM, released Tuesday, which proposes to require mobile wireless providers to block illegal text messages, similar to the agency’s approach on illegal and unwanted robocalls. Commissioners approved the NPRM Friday. Comment deadlines will come in the Federal Register.
Some winning Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction winners asked the FCC to reject or hold in abeyance SpaceX's application for review of its long-form application (see 2208100050). Viasat, which opposes SpaceX's bid, asked the FCC to open a new docket and allow "meaningful public comment," saying the company "bid well beyond its capabilities," in opposition comments posted Tuesday in docket 19-126. Others asked the FCC to do the same with LTD Broadband's request about its rejected application.
Don’t misuse Maine USF to pay for a pole attachments database, a state senator and the cable industry told the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The PUC received mixed reviews by Friday’s deadline, in comments on a staff proposal to split the system’s costs 60-40 between pole owners and attachers, with the attachers and telephone pole owner Consolidated Communications able to recover the cost through state USF.
FTC Chair Lina Khan should recuse herself from the agency’s lawsuit against Meta’s acquisition of Within Unlimited because her publicly aired opinions “irrevocably tainted” the case, Meta argued Friday in 5:22-CV-04325 before the U.S. District Court in San Jose. Senate Democrats defended her willingness to hold Big Tech accountable and name executives in complaints, in interviews last week.
An item circulated to FCC commissioner offices last week involves possible updates to the foreign-sponsored content rules, according to broadcast industry officials. The item is expected to be an NPRM seeking comment on updates to the rules, following the July U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit decision striking down some of the requirements in July, officials said.
Some industry officials say the national spectrum strategy the Biden administration is expected to release will have the most value if the administration lays out with more granularity mid-band spectrum that is targeted for 5G, and eventually 6G. The plan was the focus of a day-long NTIA forum Sept. 19 (see 2209190061). Experts agreed it will likely take six months or longer to put a strategy together.