Mintz Levin - Communications

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued last week, the FCC proposed to establish a new, terrestrial-based, air-to-ground (“ATG”) mobile broadband service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz Ku-band, providing multi-gigabyte broadband…more

Last week, the FCC adopted an Order to streamline its policies with respect to foreign ownership of common carrier radio station licensees (i.e., entities that provide fixed or mobile telecommunications service over networks…more

In order to help wireless communications providers meet the need for new facilities to satisfy the exploding demand for service, last year Congress enacted legislation designed to make it easier to add, remove or replace…more

The 112th Congress saw a lot of activity focused on new and changing technologies, but few legislative breakthroughs. Early in the year, there was significant activity around intellectual property and online piracy issues,…more

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a new Healthcare Connect Fund (Fund), designed to expand health care provider (HCP) access to broadband technologies and to encourage the creation of broadband health care…more

In a move he says will improve the quality of health care and cut health system costs, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced the Commission will work toward implementing recommendations proposed by the mHealth Task Force, a…more

The FCC has released an Order announcing the sunset of the Commission’s current “viewability” rule, which required cable systems offering both analog and digital cable service (“hybrid systems”) to carry must-carry broadcast…more

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has adopted new rules that require companies to obtain prior express written consent from consumers before calling them with prerecorded telemarketing…more

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued an order finalizing its rules requiring simple wireline and intermodal number ports to be completed within one business day.1 The deadline for providers to implement the…more

On May 20, 2010, the FCC released an order and further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPRM)1 clarifying certain aspects of its pole attachment rules and seeking comment on (1) proposals to establish rental rates for pole…more

In 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prohibited “building exclusivity” clauses in contracts between apartment buildings, real estate developments, and other multiple dwelling units (MDUs) and cable, direct…more

On February 18, 2010, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia held1 that interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service is an information service not subject to access charges. It concluded that…more

In a landmark 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on corporate and union spending on political advertisements. The Citizens United v. FEC case allows corporations and labor unions to use unlimited general…more

Late last week, the FCC’s Media Bureau granted Cablevision Systems Corporation’s request for a waiver of the FCC’s prohibition on encryption of a cable system’s basic service tier for its New York City systems (which cover the…more

On November 18, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or "Commission") issued a Declaratory Ruling (the "Ruling") addressing matters related to the permitting and related processes that wireless carriers face to…more