Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., is urging the FCC to “immediately address deficiencies” with its broadband coverage maps and related “standards that determine a serviced area, both of which neglect to consider the distinct challenges in providing” connectivity “in mountain communities across Colorado.” Inadequate broadband availability in those areas of the state “places a significant strain on my constituents and raises serious safety concerns,” Neguse said in a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel released Wednesday night. “Many of the areas referenced above appear to have full mobile broadband coverage, which is not reflective of the reality on the ground. The resulting inaccuracies are major impediments to unserved and underserved communities seeking federal and state resources specifically designed to address broadband gaps such as these.” NTIA recently said it’s giving the state $826.5 million via its broadband equity, access and deployment program (see 2310260066).
Louisiana means to keep its lead among states in broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) planning, even with a change in governors, said ConnectLa Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar in an interview. Louisiana last month picked Jeff Landry, now the state's attorney general, flipping to red a Democratic seat held by term-limited Gov. John Bel Edwards. Ahead of more elections across the country Tuesday, Mississippi Public Service Commission candidates told us they want to ensure all their citizens have internet access.
Planet Labs is seeking FCC Space Bureau sign-off on plans to expand its Pelican and Flock earth-imaging constellations. In a bureau application Tuesday, it requested authorization to deploy 10 first-generation Pelicans instead of the already-authorized seven, to increase the total number of Flock satellites from 544 to 744, and to operate Pelicans at 350 km nominal altitude instead of 325 km. It said the addition of Pelicans would give it more time to develop and verify its next-generation satellite bus design and ease the transition for its high-resolution customers from the SkySat to Pelican satellites as some SkySats approach end of life due to a stronger than expected solar cycle. It said the additional Flocks would help provide continuity of service for customers of the constellation's medium-resolution imaging data.
Expect to see guidance from the FCC Space Bureau in coming weeks regarding satellite application timelines and on earth station applications, bureau staff said Wednesday as it put on an open house regarding its transparency initiative. That will be followed in 2024 by guidance on special temporary authority applications and on the ITU, they said. Bureau Chief Julie Kearney told us afterward an overhaul of the ICFS system to improve usability should roll out sometime next year at the latest. Commissioners approved the transparency initiative in September (see 2309210055) and the agency last month issued guidance on satellite license processes, terms and costs (see 2310230062). Kearney said the initiative's aim is to reduce the administrative burden on applicants and agency staffers and speed up application processing. Kearney said applications before the agency are growing both in number and complexity, seeing close to double the number of satellite applications this year as in 2019, with earth station applications twice what they were in 2017. As part of the transparency initiative, the bureau has put together a basic 101 about satellite license processes, timelines and costs regarding the satellite license process, a Part 25 license and market access checklist, and a primer on smallsat and small satellite licensing. Bureau Chief Technologist Whitney Lohmeyer said also in the works are guidance about orbital debris issues, which should come next year, and resources around the coordination process. The event also saw Merissa Velez, chief-Satellite Programs and Policy Division, and Franco Hinojosa, chief-Earth Station Licensing Division, fielding a variety of what bureau staffers said were commonly asked questions: how soon should an application be filed for going on a rideshare mission (if the launch is scheduled, as soon as possible, because processing times can vary, depending on issues like coordination, Velez said) and why earth station licenses are needed if one already has a terminal equipment authorization. (The authorization covers operation of the device; the license allows use of it to communicate, Hinojosa said.)
The FCC wants comments by Dec. 1, replies by Dec. 18, in docket 22-270 on a notice of inquiry kicking off the agency's evaluation of the state of broadband and setting higher broadband speed benchmarks (see 2307250068). "To get big things done, it is essential to set big goals," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: "That is why we are kicking off this inquiry to update our national broadband standard and also set a long-term goal for gigabit speeds." Commssioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington approved and concurred in part the order, which was adopted Oct. 25 and released Wednesday. "As a policy matter, it makes sense that Congress would task the commission with this type of progress-based inquiry," Carr said, adding he was glad to see the item "takes a more holistic approach to the question of setting broadband speed metrics and other benchmarks" following the addition of language he sought. Simington shared Carr's concerns about "the misframing of our inquiry."
The FCC has unanimously approved an order to maintain rules governing radiotelephone requirements for vessels navigating the Great Lakes after the termination of a related treaty with Canada. The 1973 Great Lakes Agreement created requirements for usage and maintenance of radio telephones on some vessels on the Great Lakes, but in 2022 Canada terminated the agreement and it ceases to be effective Thursday. The order, released Tuesday, removes references to the treaty in the rules and maintains the radiotelephone requirements. “This will ensure that our rules continue to promote the safety of life and property on the Great Lakes, provide regulatory stability going forward, and accurately reflect the GLA’s status,” the order said. The order also amends the devices' inspection interval from every 13 months to every 48 to align with the Canadian rules that will apply after the end of the GLA. The GLA’s termination occurred after Canada's unsuccessful three-year effort to renegotiate the terms of the inspection requirement in the agreement, the order said. The FCC said it “had good cause” to bypass the usual notice and comment procedures before voting on the order because of the limited time and that the order is maintaining existing requirements.
The FCC committed nearly $5.2 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Wednesday. The new funding will support 23 schools and school districts from the third application filing window, per a news release.
Congress "handed over its taxing power without statutory limits" to the FCC, an agency "constrained only by its own precatory 'aspirations', and then for good measure let the agency redefine its own scope of taxing authority," Consumers' Research told the U.S. Supreme Court in a cert petition Friday (docket 23-456) challenging the FCC's USF contribution factor (see 2308030071). The group warned that the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding the 2021 Q4 contribution factor and the 5th Circuit's rehearing of the Q1 2022 USF contribution factor were "portending" a circuit "split." It asked SCOTUS to "grant review and reverse" the lower court's decision upholding the contribution methodology, calling USF the "poster child for the problems that result from the delegation of constitutionally vested authority."
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., and other backers of his Senate-passed 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act (S-2787) are resuming their push for the House to pass the measure now that the chamber has resolved the leadership crisis that halted all legislative activity for most of October. The measure’s backers believe its enactment may be the easiest way to blunt the short-term effects of the FCC losing its spectrum auction authority, a lapse that began almost eight months ago. Lawmakers are continuing to press for full restoration of the mandate but believe that will be difficult until DOD releases its much-anticipated report on repurposing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial 5G use.
Momentus Space wants to amend plans for its Vigoride-7 mission to include a rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) demonstration mission. In an FCC Space Bureau application Monday, Momentus said the VR-7 launch that had been scheduled for October was postponed and is expected to be in March. It said in the amendment to its pending application that the RPO would involve an Orbit Fab satellite -- flying separately on the same rideshare mission as VR-7 -- repeatedly conducting a close approach to VR-7. Momentus said it's also seeking authority to test an IoT receiver during the March mission.