Outgoing FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel received praise from the regular commissioners at Thursday's open meeting (see 2411210006) as she announced plans for stepping down Jan. 20, the date the next presidential administration takes power. Addressing reporters, incoming FCC Chairman Brendan Carr repeatedly named "tech censorship" and the "censorship cartel" as major priorities. "Smashing this [censorship cartel] is going to be a top issue," he said.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.

Federal permitting problems could become notable impediments to BEAD deployment projects, Lukas Piertzak, NTIA senior broadband policy adviser, acknowledged Wednesday. Yet Piertzak also said a clawback of BEAD funding next year seems unlikely. BEAD, as well as NTIA's tribal connectivity and middle-mile programs, are perhaps insulated because of their bipartisan support not just from federal lawmakers but also governors and local officials, he added. Piertzak spoke during a panel discussion in T-Mobile's Washington office organized by ALLvanza, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council, LGBT Tech, and OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates.

John Windhausen, executive director of the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, said Wednesday his organization is willing to work with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr and other Republicans to save a program that lets schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services. On tap to lead the FCC next year under President-elect Donald Trump, Carr voted against the E-rate program's creation, as did fellow Republican Nathan Simington (see 2410070028).

The FCC released on Wednesday text of three items scheduled for a vote at the commissioners’ Dec. 11 open meeting, including rules that would allow new very-low-power (VLP) devices to operate without coordination across the 6 GHz band (see 2411190068). The FCC will also consider changing USF letter of credit (LOC) rules and updating several broadcast radio and TV rules.

House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. John Joyce, R-Pa., said during a Wednesday USTelecom event he wants renewed pushes to restore the FCC’s lapsed spectrum auction authority and enact a broadband permitting revamp legislative package to be among the subpanel’s top priorities in the next Congress. Broadband executives likewise named Capitol Hill action on broadband permitting legislation as their top congressional priority once Republicans have control of both chambers in January. The officials also noted interest in lawmakers’ work on a potential USF revamp.

Wireless carriers across the world are making huge investments in their networks, and in AI, but have yet to see the return on investment they’re seeking, executives said Tuesday during an RCR Wireless telco AI forum. Colin Bannon, chief technology officer at BT, confirmed carriers' big AI bets, though he acknowledged many questions remain.

A Texas appeals court found "reversible error" in a lower court ruling in cities' challenge of the state's small-cells rules (see 2301270028). The trial court ruling siding with the state was reversed in part and the remainder of the ruling was remanded to the trial court. In Justice Edward Smith's opinion Friday in 03-22-00524-CV, he said the state "identifies no case" in which consideration of 10% of fair market value "was deemed adequate," and the cities "identify none in which that amount was held to result in a gratuity."

Facing a growing problem of telecom network vandalism and theft, industry groups are calling for updated state laws, including harsher criminal penalties, as deterrents. In a meeting Tuesday at Verizon facilities in Texas with law enforcement representatives, telecom industry officials repeatedly raised the specter of 911 and telehealth service disruptions.

In a post-Chevron deference era, the FCC's space regulatory work beyond its spectrum bailiwick could be on shaky ground, space law experts said Tuesday during an FCBA CLE. Multiple speakers predicted "friendly chaos" for space policy from the incoming Trump administration, with it likely being friendly to commercial space but change being a constant. The Chevron doctrine, under which courts generally defer to regulatory agencies' expertise, was overturned this year by the U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision, which gives agency expertise lesser weight.