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The United States Federal Communications Commission › Utilities Sector

The United States Federal Communications Commission is an independent federal agency established by the Communications Act of 1934. The Commission is charged with regulating interstate and international... more +
The United States Federal Communications Commission is an independent federal agency established by the Communications Act of 1934. The Commission is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, wire, satellite, and cable. less -
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

FCC To Vote on New Pole Attachments Rules to Promote Broadband Expansion

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on

After more than three years of consideration, amidst the largest federal and state investment in broadband deployment, and anticipating disputes between broadband providers and utility pole owners concerning the terms and...more

Hinch Newman LLP

FTC Proposes Rule to Prohibit Hidden and Falsely Advertised Fees

Hinch Newman LLP on

On October 11, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission announced a new proposed rule to prohibit “junk fees,” which the FTC states are hidden and bogus fees that can harm consumers and undercut honest businesses. FTC...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

N.Y. Public Service Commission Approves Pole Attachment Rental Rate Increase for Municipally Owned Utilities

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The New York Public Service Commission ("Commission") entered an Order this month authorizing municipally owned electric utilities to significantly increase the annual rental rates charged to cable system operators and...more

Troutman Pepper

Oklahoma Passes FCC-Like Maximum Pole Attachment Rate for Rural Electric Coops

Troutman Pepper on

On April 28, the governor of Oklahoma approved HB3835, setting a maximum pole attachment rate for rural electric cooperatives (Rural Coops) in the event of a dispute with a "communications services provider" regarding pole...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

SCOTUS Denial of Certiorari in City of Portland v. FCC Renders Effective FCC's Rulings on Access to Municipal Utility Poles and...

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On June 28, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition for certiorari filed by consortiums of various municipal governments and associations seeking to overturn the Ninth Circuit's decision in City of Portland v. FCC,...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

New Macro Cell Tower Emergency Generator Law in California

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Cities and Counties Must be Ready for Jan. 1 Effective Date - As wildfires and power shutoffs continue to impact large areas of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that requires expedited permitting of applications...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Redial: 2019 TCPA Year-in-Review - Analysis of critical issues and trends in TCPA compliance and litigation

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP on

Eversheds Sutherland is pleased to send you its sixth annual REDIAL: 2019 TCPA YEAR-IN-REVIEW – ANALYSIS OF CRITICAL ISSUES AND TRENDS IN TCPA COMPLIANCE AND LITIGATION. Inside this digital edition, you will find our in-depth...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

TCPA industry focus - Energy and utility industry

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP on

Over the last three years alone, energy, utility and solar companies have been targeted in numerous putative class actions alleging violations of the TCPA that resulted in several multimillion-dollar settlements totaling more...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

A Declaration of Independence: Pennsylvania to Regulate Pole Attachments

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Pennsylvania will become the twenty-first state to certify to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that it regulates third-party attachments to electric utility and telephone poles. ...more

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

FCC Plans to Speed Broadband Deployment Through One-Touch Make-Ready Fastlane for Pole Attachments

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on

After a year of heated debate between pole owners and service providers, the FCC is poised to adopt a one-touch make-ready (“OTMR”) process for the “vast majority” of pole attachments at its meeting on August 2, 2018. Late...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

FCC Seeks “Large Step” Toward Advancing Broadband Infrastructure Goals With Draft One-Touch Make-Ready Order

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Promoting infrastructure investment and broadband deployment has been a top priority for Chairman Ajit Pai’s FCC. On July 12, 2018, the Chairman took a significant stride in advancing his agenda by releasing a draft report...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Back To The Future: FCC Returns To Light Touch Regulation Of The Internet

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This week, the Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC’s”) Restoring Internet Freedom Order took effect, rolling back the public-utility style regulation of Internet service providers (“ISPs”) pursuant to title II of the...more

Stinson LLP

DC Circuit Overturns FCC's Expansion of Robocall Prohbitions

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On Friday, March 16, 2018, the DC Circuit issued its long-awaited opinion in ACA International v. FCC, No. 15-2011, a case challenging the Federal Communications Commission's interpretation of the robocalling provisions of...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

FCC Seeking Comments on Telecommunications Deployment - Local Governments May Be Impacted; Comments Due Thursday

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As part of the preparation of its annual “Section 706” report, the Federal Communications Commission recently issued a Notice of Inquiry seeking comments on whether “advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to...more

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP

Ajit Pai and the FCC’s Role in ISP Privacy Regulation under President Trump

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP on

On January 23, 2017, President Donald Trump named Ajit Pai as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In his previous role as the senior Republican on the FCC under President Barack Obama, Mr. Pai was an...more

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Off the Grid: TCPA Class Action Settlement for Energy Utility Company

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP on

Utility companies continue to face ongoing litigation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) that can arise from the use of automated communications with customers for purposes of marketing, customer servicing and...more

Balch & Bingham LLP

FCC Ruling Addresses TCPA Issues for Electric Utilities

Balch & Bingham LLP on

Last month the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a declaratory ruling regarding certain exceptions to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA regulates how businesses communicate with their...more

Burr & Forman

FCC Holds Educators and Utilities Making Certain Robo Calls Do Not Violate The TCPA

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On August 4, 2016, the FCC released a Declaratory Ruling confirming that schools and utilities making robo calls do not violate the TCPA under certain circumstances. The Ruling, addressed Petitions filed by Blackboard, Inc....more

Stinson LLP

FCC Outlines Exemptions from the TCPA for Schools and Utilities

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On Thursday, Aug. 4, the FCC granted organizations representing schools and utilities significant relief from liability under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act—a law that subjects callers to substantial penalties if they...more

Perkins Coie

FCC Thwarted in Efforts to Preempt State Broadband Laws

Perkins Coie on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has struck a major blow to the FCC’s efforts to remove barriers to broadband service and promote competition in broadband markets. In State of Tennessee v. FCC, the court...more

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider

FCC Exempts Schools and Utilities from TCPA for Emergencies

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider on

On August 4, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a ruling applicable to schools and utilities regarding the application of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to robocalls and text messages to...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

FCC Ruling Clarifies TCPA for Schools and Utilities

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Declaratory Ruling clarifying the application of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to communications from schools and utilities. Specifically, the Ruling...more

Womble Bond Dickinson

FCC OKs Certain Informational Calling and Texts by Schools and Utilities to Wireless Phones under TCPA

Womble Bond Dickinson on

The FCC recently released a Declaratory Ruling with new clarifications for schools and utilities on autodialed calls and texts and pre-recorded/artificial voice calling under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act ("TCPA") for...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Arkansas Public Service Commission Adopts Comprehensive Set of Pole Attachment Rules

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On June 24, 2016, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (“Commission”) adopted a comprehensive set of new pole attachment rules that apply broadly to providers of electric, telecommunications, cable television, internet...more

BCLP

Internet Service a Utility in Bankruptcy? It Might Be Now.

BCLP on

One of the many fascinating things about restructuring work is its willingness to evolve by borrowing from other areas of the law. Just as business practices change, new financing techniques evolve, and transactions become...more

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