The FCC hacked away at licensing requirements for satellite and earth stations and slashed an array of broadcast rules in its August meeting Thursday. Four of the five items -- orders on submarine cable licensing and satellite and earth station licensing and NPRMs on improving emergency alerts and reviewing the commission's National Environmental Protection Act rules (see 2508070052) -- were approved unanimously. Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez partially dissented on an order repealing 98 broadcast rules and requirements.
Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Wednesday she will seek her party's nomination next year to become Tennessee governor. President Donald Trump "is back [for a second term], America is blessed and Tennessee -- better than ever,” Blackburn said in a video announcement. She's running to make the state “America's conservative leader for this generation and the next.” In this Congress, Blackburn was a strong supporter of a successful push by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to move a spectrum pipeline as part of the budget reconciliation package that's larger than what the House Commerce Committee originally proposed (see 2505130059). She also chairs the Senate Judiciary Privacy Subcommittee and recently restarted the chamber's privacy legislation conversation. Blackburn, who won a second term last year (see 2411060001), was House Communications Subcommittee chair immediately before her first Senate election in 2018.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Most commenters emphasized the importance of flexibility and developing rules that will accommodate change in comments on a next-generation 911 Further NPRM that commissioners approved 4-0 in March (see 2503270042). Initial comments were due Monday in docket 21-479. The FNPRM proposes updates to the agency’s 911 reliability rules, extending those that cover legacy 911 networks to service providers that control or operate critical pathways and components in NG911 networks.
The three U.S. tower companies said their industry's outlook appears positive, with the big three major carriers continuing to expand their networks. SBA Communications became the last to report on Monday.
EchoStar is again making previously delayed interest payments to holders of company notes as it said it continues to try to address issues with the FCC. In an SEC filing Wednesday, EchoStar said it was paying the interest originally due July 1 on 2026 and 2028 notes. Beyond its talks with the FCC, the company said it's engaged in "wide-ranging efforts to explore alternative or complementary pathways that could, if successfully implemented, resolve the FCC’s stated concerns in a manner acceptable to the Company."
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Monday to block transnational criminal groups’ access to the company’s Starlink satellite broadband service in a bid to cut it off as a fraud vector. She noted a recent Wired report about scam operations in Myanmar, Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia that used Starlink as their ISP. SpaceX didn’t immediately comment.
The FCC’s final order addressing rules for the AWS-3 reauction, approved 3-0 by commissioners Thursday adds several sentences on tribal sovereignty to a section denying a tribal priority window for the auction. Commissioner Anna Gomez said Thursday she had asked for the language (see 2507240055). Gomez voted to approve the order with a partial concurrence. The order was posted Friday.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.