Survivors of domestic violence can now request that their service provider separate their mobile phone lines from family plans if an abuser is on the account, the FCC said in a news release Tuesday (see 2311150042). In addition, survivors may also apply for the Lifeline program, it said. The agency made the announcements ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. Survivors experiencing financial hardship are eligible for up to six months of "emergency Lifeline support," the agency said. "Rebuilding a life after escaping an abusive relationship is already hard enough for survivors of domestic violence," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: "Maintaining phone service shouldn't add to that hardship." To participate in Lifeline, survivors can confirm their eligibility by providing documentation or self-certify that they participate in a qualifying program.
The FCC Space and Wireless bureaus are pressing SpaceX for further details about its pending requests for commercial supplemental coverage from space (SCS) service authorization and operating satellites at altitudes in the 300 km range. In a letter posted Tuesday in docket 23-135, the bureaus asked for clarification about whether the company's orbital debris mitigation plan has changed in light of its iterative design process for satellites. It also asked for details about how SpaceX will ensure its 300 km satellite operations don't interfere with crewed space stations, including the Chinese space station. It also requested more technical details about the company's requested waiver that would allow higher aggregate out-of-band emissions for its SCS service.
The window for applying to be designated as a cybersecurity labeling administrator (CLA) or lead administrator under the new voluntary cyber-trust mark program will open Wednesday and close Oct. 1, the FCC Public Safety Bureau said Tuesday. The notice provides guidance on the application format, filing fees, selection criteria, the sharing of expenses, lead administrator neutrality and confidentiality and security requirements. The bureau declined imposing “selection criteria” beyond those in an order that commissioners approved 5-0 in March (see 2403140034). As discussed in the order, “authorizing one or more CLAs subject to Commission oversight to handle the routine administration of the program will help to ensure its timely and consistent rollout, and independent third-party CLAs will bring trust, consistency, and an impartial level playing field to the IoT Labeling Program and will provide the required expertise for the administration of the program,” the notice said. Applications will be treated as “presumptively confidential” and the FCC won't assess application fees “at this time,” the bureau said. CLAs will share the cost of a lead administrator, but the bureau declined to lay out how that would work. The commission will “rely on CLAs and the Lead Administrator to determine the sharing methodology, which should be reasonable and equitable and will be subject to ongoing oversight by the Commission,” the notice said. Each applicant must submit an “attestation that it already has created and implemented -- or upon selection will create and implement -- a cybersecurity risk management plan,” the bureau said: Each applicant must show it will comply with agency requirements, as well as demonstrate its “cybersecurity expertise and capabilities, knowledge of [the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s] cybersecurity guidance, and knowledge of federal law and guidance governing the security and privacy of information systems.” The program should be “narrowly tailored to cybersecurity so as not to dilute its effectiveness, confuse consumers, and deter manufacturer participation,” CTA and other groups said in a letter to the FCC. The letter warned against imposing a requirement on disclosures about IoT products and privacy. It was posted Tuesday in docket 23-239. “Expanding required disclosures from cybersecurity risks to privacy topics would dilute the effectiveness of the Mark, risk consumer confusion, and undermine the careful balance that the Commission has struck to provide simple and tailored educational cybersecurity information to consumers,” the filing said. Other groups signing the letter were CTIA, the Information Technology Industry Council and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. The groups said the regulator should “treat as confidential” both cybersecurity label administrator and manufacturer applications to join the program.
The FCC's commission registration system (CORES) is open to accept payment of FY 2024 regulatory fees, according to a public notice Tuesday. Fees are due Sept. 26, it said. The agency issued its FY 2024 regulatory fee order Friday (see 2409090029).
The FCC and other parties that Standard General and founder Soohyung Kim accuse of participating in a racist conspiracy to torpedo the company's $8.6 billion purchase of Tegna (see 2404250059) are urging dismissal of Standard's suit. Multiple defendants argued in motions to dismiss Monday that Standard's suit before the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia is in the wrong court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in April denied a Standard/Tegna petition for writ of mandamus aimed at pushing the FCC to move on review and approval of the deal (see 2304210058).
A group of companies and associations, including Federated Wireless and Charter Communications, urged the FCC in comments this week to adopt a nonexclusive, nonauctioned shared licensed framework in the lower 37 GHz band. The band is one of five targeted for further study in the administration’s national spectrum strategy (see 2311130048). Comments were due Monday in docket 24-243 and most were posted on Tuesday.
Carriers clashed over whether the FCC should move forward on an order that generally imposes industry-wide handset unlocking rules, requiring all mobile wireless providers to unlock handsets 60 days after they’re activated. Groups representing low-income consumers warned the rules could mean ending subsidies for purchasing phones. Comments were due Monday in docket 24-186, on an NPRM commissioners approved 5-0 in July (see 2407180037).
House Communications Subcommittee members traded partisan barbs about NTIA’s implementation of the $42.5 billion broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, as expected (see 2409040040). Republicans delivered most of the criticism, in part blasting NTIA for what they view as an unnecessarily long timeline for rolling out the money. House Commerce Committee panel GOP leaders launched a probe in July of NTIA’s BEAD-related communications with state broadband offices (see 2407090057). Democrats defended NTIA’s management of the program and blasted GOP lawmakers for obstructing recent broadband funding efforts.
Albedo Space is eyeing February for the launch of its initial commercial earth exploration satellite service satellite. It plans having a 24-satellite constellation in orbit by April 2031, it told the FCC Space Bureau in an application posted Monday. It said the constellation, capturing visible and thermal imaging, will operate in very low earth orbit of 320 km.
With the satellite industry rapidly becoming more competitive, SES hopes it can close its proposed purchase of Intelsat by June, the companies told FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, according to a docket 24-267 filing posted Monday. Since the spring announcement of the deal (see 2404300048), nearly 700 satellites have been launched and hundreds more are expected before the commission completes its review, they said.