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 April 2, 2020, the FCC announced plans for a $200 million COVID-19 Telehealth Program (the “Program”) to support health care providers responding to the pandemic. (FCC 20-44). The Program will use funds allocated by the...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 March 16, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its long awaited decision in ACA International v. FCC, in which a group of petitioners across a spectrum of industries sought...more
6/4/2018
/ Arbitrary and Capricious ,
ATDS ,
Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Comment Period ,
Debt Collection ,
FCC ,
Opt-Outs ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Robocalling ,
Safe Harbors ,
Smartphones ,
TCPA ,
Telemarketing
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
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
Under new Chairman Ajit Pai’s leadership, the Federal Communications Commission (the “Commission”) is taking its first steps toward reforming its rules interpreting the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”). On...more
5/22/2017
/ Auto-Dialed Calls ,
Call Blocking ,
FCC ,
NPRM ,
Robocalling ,
Spoofing ,
TCPA ,
Telecommunications ,
Telemarketing ,
VoIP ,
Wireless Industry
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
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
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
The FCC – pursuant to a 2012 Congressional mandate – will be prepared to auction the recently-cleared H-block spectrum as early as January 14, 2014. The spectrum will be auctioned as 5 MHz pairs, with each license having a...more
In August 2012, the Coalition for Broadcast Investment (“CBI”), a group comprising national broadcast networks, radio and television station licensees, and community and consumer organizations, filed a letter with the FCC...more
Recently, the FCC issued a Public Notice reminding the providers and equipment manufacturers of advanced communications services (ACS) of their obligation to maintain records evidencing their efforts to comply with the...more