The FCC on Tuesday sought comment on the competitive bidding procedures for the upcoming AWS-3 auction. The notice comes with an AWS-3 NPRM, approved 4-0 last month (see 2502270042), still pending. It proposes an ascending clock auction format where bidding in the opening phase would be for specific licenses, without a separate assignment phase, similar to the 2.5 GHz auction three years ago.

The FCC is "moving at breakneck speed" and "really swinging for the fences" since the start of the Trump administration, Chairman Brendan Carr said Tuesday at Incompas' Policy Summit. Carr reiterated his "pretty aggressive agenda," which includes addressing media issues, reining in Big Tech, pushing initiatives that will "spur economic growth," and supporting national security and public safety.

The Donald Trump administration’s tariffs and conflicts with traditional allies in North America and Europe could complicate U.S. preparations for the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2027, experts said Tuesday during a Technology Policy Institute spectrum webinar. The U.S. has traditionally worked through the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL), which represents the Americas region, but relationships with other CITEL members are increasingly in question, speakers said.

Free speech and press groups joined with the unusual alliance of NAB, Public Knowledge, TechFreedom and Free Press in condemning the FCC’s news distortion complaint against CBS in comments filed by Friday’s deadline in docket 25-73.

Despite the bottleneck of launch availability at the most heavily used U.S. sites, launch operators don't foresee packing up and moving to another, lesser-used spaceport. Launch company executives speaking Monday at the Satellite 2025 show in Washington said the size of rockets, especially heavy launch vehicles, precludes using some spaceports. Regulatory issues can also be an impediment. Brian Rogers, vice president-global launch services for Rocket Lab, added that it's incredibly expensive to set up infrastructure at another site.

As President Donald Trump's administration approaches the end of its second month, many questions remain about what it will do concerning the national spectrum strategy and the studies of the lower 3 and 7/8 GHz band started under former President Joe Biden. Most of the news out of NTIA so far has been about BEAD's future, with little on spectrum.

The FCC's Note 11 rule, regulating TV network affiliations changing hands, might exceed the agency's Communications Act authority, a pair of 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges said Friday as the court vacated a $518,283 fine against Gray Television for violating the rule. Neither the commission nor Gray, which was challenging the forfeiture order (see 2301040059), commented. The FCC charged that Gray violated rules against owning two top-four stations in a market when it bought the network affiliation of an Anchorage TV station from Denali Media.

Supporters of the FCC’s July order reducing call rates for people in prison while establishing interim rate caps for video calls (see 2407180039) said Friday they’re cautiously optimistic that the agency won’t make significant rules changes. Chairman Brendan Carr expressed some concerns in July and concurred with only parts of the incarcerated people’s communication services (IPCS) order, but he also said most of his objections were already addressed. The order implements the Martha Wright-Reed Act of 2022.

The FCC on Thursday released drafts of the three items that Chairman Brendan Carr teed up for a vote at the commission’s March 27 open meeting. The GPS notice of inquiry asks about a wide range of possible alternatives to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), including terrestrial-based and space-based solutions. The FCC also released drafts of two 911 items (see 2503050062).

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and other GOP leaders are optimistic, but not yet certain, that they have the votes on their side of the aisle to pass a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval (S.J.Res. 7) to undo the FCC's July 2024 order allowing schools and libraries to use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services. Chamber Democrats are vowing to fight S.J.Res. 7 if leaders bring up the measure for a vote, which lobbyists said could happen as soon as next week. Supporters and opponents of the E-rate expansion are eyeing a handful of Republicans they believe are reluctant to rescind the FCC’s order.