On January 4, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) setting forth proposed rules for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems in the 5030-5091 MHz band...more
On November 30, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) released a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“Draft NPRM”) that, if adopted, will seek comment on comprehensive changes to the Part 25 satellite...more
On November 3, 2022, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced plans to reorganize the International Bureau into a new Space Bureau and a standalone Office of International Affairs....more
In November 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act). This legislation directed the FCC to propose regulations that track a 2016 Public Notice where the FCC—implementing...more
4/6/2022
/ Accessibility Rules ,
Biden Administration ,
Broadband ,
Comment Period ,
Content Publishing ,
FCC ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ,
Location Data ,
NPRM ,
Nutrition Facts Labels ,
Public Hearing ,
Telecommunications
Earlier this month, the FCC adopted a Report & Order (“R&O”) streamlining the application review process for transactions involving foreign investment or participation in U.S. telecommunications companies (commonly known as...more
On April 4th, 2020, President Trump issued an Executive Order on Establishing the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector. The Executive Order essentially...more
• On October 10, 2018, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States put into effect the first mandatory filing requirement ever imposed by CFIUS. The Department of Treasury’s summary of the Pilot Program is...more
On Sept. 4, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission issued a new rule requiring foreign media outlets to submit reports to the FCC disclosing their relationships with foreign principals. The notice was issued pursuant to...more
On September 4, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission issued a new rule requiring foreign media outlets to submit reports to the FCC disclosing their relationships with foreign principals. The notice was issued pursuant...more
9/21/2018
/ Broadcasting ,
Cable Television Providers ,
FCC ,
Foreign Agents ,
Foreign Governments ,
Media ,
Media Relations ,
NDAA ,
New Rules ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Telecommunications ,
Television Broadcast Stations ,
Video
On June 25, 2018, the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) released an advance notice of rulemaking through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”). As an initial step before Commerce drafts proposed...more
As yet another example of the U.S. government’s ongoing concerns about the potential vulnerability of U.S. telecommunications networks and supply chains, the FCC recently released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)...more
• CFIUS takes an unprecedented step to fend off a potential foreign acquisition
• The threat that China will eclipse the U.S. in telecommunications infrastructure and technology is central to U.S. national security
•...more
3/9/2018
/ 5G Network ,
Advisory Opinions ,
Board of Directors ,
Broadcom ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Foreign Acquisitions ,
Foreign Investment ,
Hostile Takeover ,
Infrastructure ,
Mergers ,
National Security ,
Qualcomm ,
Smartphones ,
Stockholders' Meetings ,
Takeover Bids ,
Technology Sector ,
Telecommunications ,
US Trade Policies
Last week, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing guidelines and procedures designed to “breathe life” into Section 7 of the Communications Act. A somewhat obscure part – or, as Chairman Ajit Pai...more
3/1/2018
/ Applications ,
Comment Period ,
Communications Act of 1934 ,
FCC ,
Federal Register ,
Innovation ,
NPRM ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Public Interest ,
Section 7 ,
Technology Sector
On March 30, 2017 the Texas Public Utilities Commission will decide whether companies with certificates of public convenience and necessity from the Commission may place their facilities in local rights-of-way and provide...more
On September 30, 2016, the FCC adopted an order designed to liberalize and streamline the foreign ownership review process for broadcast licensees (the “Broadcast Liberalization Order”). Section 310(b) of the Communications...more
10/11/2016
/ Broadcast Liberalization Order ,
Broadcasting ,
CFIUS ,
Citizenship ,
Communications Act 2003 ,
Declaratory Rulings ,
FCC ,
Foreign Investment ,
Foreign Ownership ,
Licensing Rules ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Shareholders
In a move that will support the development of 5G networks, the FCC issued an Order last week in the “Spectrum Frontiers” proceeding that should open up large amounts of high-band spectrum for licensed and unlicensed use. ...more
Consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge recently filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) challenging a multi-system operator’s (“MSO”) online video service as violative of conditions imposed as...more
Although it could be said that the FCC’s recent focus has been firmly fixed on the future, in particular IP-based communications (see, e.g., high-visibility proceedings involving the Open Internet, possible merger conditions...more
Courts that have confronted the application of the “prior express consent” requirement of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, see 47 U.S.C. § 227 – a.k.a., the TCPA – have in the main taken their cues from and adhered to...more
As federal courts continue to grapple with the explosion of litigation brought by plaintiffs under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”), the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) is increasingly being called...more
In a highly-anticipated decision, the Supreme Court last week released its decision in ABC v. Aereo, holding that the transmission of over-the-air broadcast signals by Aereo’s tiny antennas constitutes a “public performance”...more
Following the D.C. Circuit’s decision in Verizon v. FCC, which struck down several key elements of the Federal Communication Commission’s 2010 Open Internet Order, the Commission yesterday released a Notice of Proposed...more
On April 1, the FCC took steps to remedy a small but growing annoyance of modern life: poor Wi-Fi connectivity. Removing restrictions that had been in place to protect the mobile satellite service uplinks of Globalstar, and...more
As policymakers and regulators struggle to keep pace with corporate deal makers (read Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger and Comcast-Netflix deal) and address the structures undergirding our Nation’s electronic communications...more
Following up on an important FCC Law Blog item from 2013, entities subject to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (“CVAA”) should be aware that the April 1, 2014 deadline to electronically file...more