The FCC released a public notice announcing that schools and libraries that purchase discounted internet access service under the federal Schools and Libraries Universal Service program can make their Wi-Fi networks available...more
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC has issued two orders waiving rules in its universal service program to ensure continuity of service to low-income families and to facilitate expansion of service to schools,...more
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC has issued a narrow order exempting healthcare providers and certain government entities from the prohibitions on autodialed and prerecorded telephone calls and automated text...more
The FCC launched a new website to educate businesses and consumers about phone scammers that are using the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable populations....more
The FCC's 2020 auction calendar is already full with three significant auctions scheduled before the end of the year. These auctions will unlock prime spectrum for 5G and other advanced spectrum services and help connect...more
The FCC has released a draft order and auction procedures for a December 8 auction of C-band spectrum. C-band spectrum is now used by satellite companies and will be reclaimed for use by wireless providers. If adopted at the...more
On December 30, President Donald Trump signed new legislation aimed at addressing illegal robocalls and, particularly, scam calls. The legislation passed the US House and Senate by overwhelming bipartisan votes earlier in...more
The FCC has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in which it proposes to repurpose 75 MHz of spectrum from 5.850 to 5.925 GHz (known as the 5.9 GHz band) currently allocated for automobile safety. In 1999, the FCC...more
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has released an order on the FCC's 2018 Restoring Internet Freedom decision. The court affirmed most of the FCC decision but said the FCC could not prevent states...more
Responding to widespread concern that its existing methods for determining where broadband service is available are inaccurate, the FCC has released a draft Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking...more
At its July 10 meeting, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which proposes the creation of a three-year "Connected Care Pilot program." The FCC proposes that the pilot program will make available up to $100...more
The Federal Communications Commission has released a draft notice on proposed auction procedures for the December 9 auction of 3,400 MHz of spectrum in the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands. If, as expected, the draft notice is...more
On May 15, President Donald Trump signed an executive order starting the process for banning the importation, sale and use of equipment and technology in the US as a response to potential security risks. Although this order...more
Setting the stage for the largest spectrum sale in US history, the FCC has released proposed procedures for the auction of 3,400 MHz of spectrum in the 37, 39 and 47 GHz bands. This follows the FCC's April 12 decision on how...more
The US race for 5G supremacy continues as the FCC released an order intended to address questions about how the 37 GHz and 50 GHz frequency bands – which will be used to provide 5G service in the US – will be shared with...more
On June 22, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Carpenter v. United States and held that law enforcement officials must obtain a warrant before they can ask wireless providers for automatically generated information...more
6/29/2018
/ Carpenter v US ,
Cell Phones ,
Cell Site Location Information (CSLI) ,
Criminal Convictions ,
Electronic Records ,
Electronically Stored Information ,
Exigent Circumstances ,
Fourth Amendment ,
Geolocation ,
Location Data ,
Probable Cause ,
Reasonable Expectation of Privacy ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
SCOTUS ,
Third-Party ,
Warrantless Searches
The FCC has proposed a fine of more than $2.8 million against HobbyKing, a company that sells transmitters that transmit audio and video from unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The FCC also issued an enforcement advisory...more
The Federal Communications Commission has hit a manufacturer of air filters, humidifiers, energy lamps, oil diffusers and similar products with a proposed fine of almost $600,000. Pure Enrichment is being fined for multiple...more
This week, the Federal Communications Commission took the first step towards fulfilling its promise to bring additional high-band 5G radio spectrum to market – spectrum needed to support spectrum-intensive, real-time...more
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit this week issued an en banc decision reversing an earlier Ninth Circuit panel order that had found the Federal Trade Commission has no authority over “common carriers,” including...more
The FCC has released the final version of its Restoring Internet Freedom decision, which largely reverses the 2015 Open Internet order and the "network neutrality" rules adopted in that order. Since the FCC had released a...more
The FAA has issued a notice announcing that it is expanding the list of areas special permission is required to fly unmanned aerial vehicles (or drones) to cover seven sites operated by the federal Department of Energy,...more
On December 14, 2017, the FCC adopted a decision reversing nearly all of the significant elements of its 2015 Open Internet Order and the "network neutrality" rules from that order, retaining only the requirement that...more
Since 2010, equipment and technology that allow consumers to communicate with each other using "advanced communications services" (ACS) has been required to provide access for consumers with disabilities. For video games,...more
The FCC has proposed rules that could affect every company that uses toll free numbers in the US, by increasing the cost to obtain those numbers and creating an open market to buy and sell those numbers. The FCC plan would...more