The FCC on Monday approved a waiver of rules that require environmental sensing capability systems to protect federal incumbents in the citizens broadband radio service band from harmful interference for markets in Texas hit by Hurricane Beryl. Federated sought a waiver Friday. The Wireless Bureau said the waiver is similar to those granted for similar storms and applies only to areas affected by power outages.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology on Monday sought comments, due July 29, on a C3Spectra proposal to join the list of companies operating an automated frequency coordination (AFC) system to manage access to the 6 GHz band. OET conditionally approved C3Spectra’s application, subject to a testing process, “which may begin immediately.” In February, OET approved AFC operations by seven companies and sought initial comments on C3Spectra’s proposal, in docket 21-352 (see 2402230050).
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a waiver sought by McMurdo of FCC performance standards for emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) the company hopes to market and sell in the U.S. McMurdo “explains that its EPIRBs currently meet an updated standard that is not referenced in the FCC’s rules” and that the updated standard is “as at least equivalent to the version cited in the current FCC regulations,” the bureau said. Comments are due July 29, replies Aug. 8, in docket 24-206.
The Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association told the FCC the FirstNet Authority can best utilize the 4.9 GHz band. The 4.9 GHz band is “mid-band spectrum that can be used to support FirstNet 5G services while protecting incumbent uses in the band,” the chiefs said in a filing posted Monday in docket 07-100: “For the fire and emergency service," the band "presents an opportunity to develop technology to track firefighters in buildings; support Unmanned Aerial Systems and robots; and improve the data available to an incident commander on the scene in a major incident.”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued an initial determination order against Veriwave Telco Monday for failing to comply with the commission's call blocking rules for providers suspected of carrying illegal traffic. The bureau ordered the company to respond to its order within 14 days, otherwise other providers must block Veriwave's voice traffic. An investigation found suspected illegal traffic originated at Veriwave earlier this year. "Providers must do their part to prevent these junk calls from getting to consumers," Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a news release. If they don't, "they will face significant consequences," she added.
SpaceX's proposed reconsideration of the aggregate out-of-band power flux density (PFD) limits that the FCC adopted in March's supplemental coverage from space (SCS) order (see 2405300044) is seeing some pushback from wireless carriers and EchoStar. SpaceX has pushed for band-specific out-of-band PFD limits, and replies to its petition were posted Monday in docket 23-65. EchoStar said the proceeding's record supports the FCC's aggregate out-of-band emissions limit protecting neighboring licensees. The aggregate interference limit is "reasonable and realistic" as a route to preventing harmful interference, it said. AT&T said the commission should stick with its "balanced, simple, and certain approach" to protecting terrestrial wireless services, "particularly given that SCS technology is still being developed and tested." It said if an SCS applicant can't comply with the PFD limits, it can seek a waiver of the rule and show its proposed deployment won't cause harmful interference. Keeping the uniform out-of-band PFD limit is important, given the nascent development of SCS services, Verizon said in its opposition. T-Mobile, partnering with SpaceX on SCS service, backed SpaceX's recon petition. It said the FCC didn't seek comment on the limit ultimately adopted, and that limit significantly constrains the ability of satellite operators to provide SCS in some frequency bands. "Basic engineering principles require band-specific out-of-band PFD levels," T-Mobile said.
The most important thing the FCC can do to improve the lives of the deaf and hard of hearing is “make sure our country has world-leading wired and wireless networks, and that everyone, everywhere is connected,” Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in remarks at the National Association of the Deaf Conference in Chicago July 3. “Beyond that, we need to mobilize the expertise of people with disabilities to develop and deploy new technologies,” she said, pointing to the agency’s Disability Advisory Committee and Disability Rights Office as examples. She touted the FCC’s recent initiatives to improve accessibility for emergency alerting and the upcoming meeting item on caption display setting accessibility (see 2406270068). Rosenworcel also discussed recent advances in mass market products that increase accessibility, such as a virtual reality headset that uses AI to generate real-time captions. These services are available not "because of some specialty assistive device designed and marketed exclusively to people who are deaf or blind,” she said, but because of applications that “run on devices that were made for everyone.” Rosenworcel said making new technology “built for all” is good for business. “We can make the digital future work for all of us -- the deaf and hard-of-hearing included.” The agency released her speech Monday.
Paramount Global's pending deal with studio Skydance Media shouldn't face notable objections from the FCC or DOJ, we are told. The $8 billion agreement sees Skydance founder-CEO David Ellison and his family, along with private equity firm RedBird Capital, buying National Amusements Inc., which has a controlling stake in Paramount. The Skydance investor group would then combine Skydance with Paramount. The transaction includes a $1.5 billion infusion into Paramount to reduce debt and for strategic initiatives. Paramount said it expects to close the deal by Sept. 30, 2025.
The FCC received unanimous support from commenters that have filed so far for an NTIA proposal that calls for using geofencing to allow higher equivalent isotropically radiated power limits for cellular vehicle-to-everything on-board units in the 5.9 GHz band (see 2406100032). Comments were posted on Friday and Monday (docket 19-138).
The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo that overruled the Chevron doctrine (see 2407010036) will likely heavily influence discussion during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Tuesday on the commission’s FY 2025 funding request, congressional aides and lobbyists told us. Chevron gave the FCC and other federal agencies deference in interpreting federal laws. Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is urging the commission ahead of the House hearing to drop a planned July 18 vote on a draft order and Further NPRM letting schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots in response to the ruling. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.