Participation in BEAD bidding could vary widely among states, officials at broadband trade groups, state telecommunications organizations and other entities tell us. For example, some states, including Pennsylvania, could face low participation rates owing to onerous bidder requirements. In other instances, local rules facilitate BEAD participation.

Challenges remain for industry in its efforts remove and replace Huawei and ZTE equipment within carrier networks, even though Congress finally allocated $3.08 billion, closing the funding shortfall in the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412240036), Summit Ridge Group President Armand Musey said in an interview. Musey's firm advises several carriers in the program.

Consumer groups representing the blind support NAB’s request for FCC clarification of its audible crawl rule, according to comments filed in docket 12-107 by last week’s deadline. The FCC has continuously waived the rule for nearly a decade because compliance isn’t technologically feasible, according to broadcasters. Last week, the FCC granted its latest, a six-month retroactive waiver (see 2412200055). “To the extent that information provided in an accessible text crawl is the same as the information provided by a nontextual graphic, we are tentatively supportive of a minor modification of the rule,” the American Foundation for the Blind and the American Council of the Blind said in a joint filing. In addition, any FCC effort to enforce the audible crawl waiver would be “legally suspect’ in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling overturning Chevron deference, Gray Local Media commented.

USTelecom, NCTA and the Wireless ISP Association separately opposed Fine Point Technologies' request (see 2411270048) that the FCC launch a rulemaking on standardized broadband speed testing protocols. Comments were posted Monday in RM-11991 in response to a Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau inquiry.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr’s recent warning letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger (see 2412240021) appears politically motivated, could be read as a reversal of Carr’s past stances on sticking to the text of FCC rules and evokes the long-defunct fairness doctrine, according to former FCC commissioners, academics and attorneys we interviewed. President-elect Donald Trump has selected Carr to head the FCC.

The FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics sent letters to T-Mobile and UScellular on Friday asking a battery of questions about their proposed transaction. Responses are due not later than Jan. 17. The T-Mobile letter explores in depth the carrier's arguments made in a September public interest statement (see 2409160029) and an accompanying declaration from Ankur Kapoor, T-Mobile's chief network officer.

Two top Republican lawmakers who will have leading roles during the next Congress told us this month they're open to clawing back the $42.5 billion allocated to the BEAD program amid their party’s vocal opposition to NTIA's implementation of it during the Biden administration. Some stakeholders told us funding rescission would be difficult to execute. They insist congressional Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration will see a revamp of BEAD’s rules and practices as much more feasible (see 2410210043).

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

For her final meeting, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appears poised to follow an approach closer to that of former Chairman Tom Wheeler at the end of the Obama administration than of Ajit Pai when the first Donald Trump presidency concluded. Rather than scheduled votes, the Jan. 15 open meeting will feature commission staff leading four presentations (see 2412230045).

Four major trade associations urged that the U.S. Supreme Court reject arguments that a lower court can review an FCC decision in a Telephone Consumer Protection Act case and isn’t barred from doing so under the Hobbs Act. That view largely supports U.S. government arguments on the important role the act plays (see 2412240022). SCOTUS is scheduled to hear McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates v. McKesson Jan. 21, a case from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.