The American Radio Relay League said there's unanimous support in favor of changes the FCC proposed in November that address limits on the baud rate for amateur communications (see 2311130066). The Further NPRM considers removing the baud rate limit in the 2200 meter and 630 meter bands, as well as in the VHF and UHF bands. ARRL supports "deletion of the symbol (baud) rate limitations on the subject bands as proposed, and also requested that the Commission delete the existing bandwidth limits on those same bands,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 16-239. “Those submitting comments overwhelmingly supported both actions," ARRL said. The Amateur Radio Digital Communications, which advocates on behalf of amateur operators, also backed the FCC's proposed changes. “New data transmission techniques using advanced modulation methods already present in the commercial world, when applied to amateur radio, are constrained by these limits and often cannot be implemented in the amateur radio service,” the group said.
CTIA asked the FCC to avoid making decisions that could complicate future licensed use of the 7/8 GHz band, in response to an NPRM on implementing 2015 and 2019 decisions by the World Radiocommunication Conference (see 2311290040). The U.S. “is well positioned to lead the world in licensed use of the 7/8 GHz band and to help define the ecosystems that will develop in this potentially globally harmonized tuning range,” said a Monday filing in docket 23-120. CTIA noted that delegates to WRC-23 decided to study 7/8 GHz for international mobile telecommunications. “Making licensed spectrum available in this band domestically will give the United States an early foothold for influencing the global mid-band IMT market,” CTIA said. In addition, the band is “a critical opportunity for economies of scale with the 6 GHz band, where global counterparts are planning to utilize as much as 700 megahertz in the upper portion of the band for 5G,” the group said: “International efforts to advance the 7/8 GHz band for 5G and beyond are consistent with the Administration’s clear direction” in the national spectrum strategy, “which calls for a whole-of-government effort to fast-track an in-depth study of these frequencies for wireless use.”
More than a dozen small independent LECs urged the FCC to ensure any Title II reclassification of broadband is "accompanied by strong regulatory forbearance and state preemption language," which will prevent creation of a patchwork of state regulations (see 2401180042). An ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 23-320 said the California-based companies met virtually with an aide to Commissioner Brendan Carr Monday. The coalition sought "strong preemption language" that would "prevent disparate and accelerating state regulations" of broadband internet access service. The FCC "has an important opportunity to achieve a uniform, balanced national framework for broadband regulation through clear forbearance and preemption directives."
Following last week’s oral argument in two Chevron cases before the U.S. Supreme Court (see 2401170074), the future of the doctrine appears in doubt.
Aeronet representatives discussed the company’s proposed use of the 70/80 GHz bands to provide “high-speed, ‘in-home’ equivalent broadband experiences to consumers in planes and on ships,” meeting with FCC Wireless Bureau Chief Joel Taubenblatt, according to a filing posted Monday in docket 20-133. “Aeronet also expressed its strong support for the Commission moving forward to adopt this item at the January Open Meeting,” the company said. Aeronet has sought tweaks to a draft order on the spectrum set for a vote Thursday, which have proven controversial (see 2401190040). The discussion focused on maritime operations. “Aeronet emphasized its view that ship-to-aerostat links do not represent an interference risk and noted that the Comsearch study in the record concludes that ship-to-aerostat links ‘would not be harmful,’” the filing said.
Senate committees will take a proactive stance on AI legislation in 2024 now that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has wrapped up his AI forums, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told us last week.
The U.S. attained generally positive results at the World Radiocommunication Conference, but 6 GHz band issues remain, Steve Lang, the State Department official who headed the U.S. WRC delegation, told an American Enterprise Institute event Monday. In contrast, other speakers argued WRC wasn’t a clean U.S. win.
A draft order on making the FCC's disaster information reporting system mandatory for cable, wireline, wireless and VoIP providers hasn’t seen many changes since circulation and is expected to be approved at a commissioners' open meeting Thursday, agency and industry officials told us (see 2401040064). The item, in docket 21-346, also includes a Further NPRM that would seek comment on extending mandatory DIRS reports to broadcasters, satellite providers and broadband internet access service providers.
Telecom and media companies support the intentions behind FCC and FTC “junk fees” regulatory actions, but implementation raises questions and potential compliance headaches, industry representatives said. At an FCBA event Monday, Brownstein Hyatt financial services lawyer Leah Dempsey said many industries see the White House and regulatory agency focus on junk fees as "kind of a campaign issue." She said President Joe Biden will likely be "touting the war on junk fees" at his next State of the Union address. Dempsey also said there are concerns that agencies are coming to predetermined outcomes on fees.
The space industry is in disagreement over FCC reliance on case-by-case reviews of orbital debris disclosures. Pushing back on SpaceX criticisms of the orbital debris order on reconsideration on January's FCC agenda (see 2401180064), Viasat said Friday in docket 18-313 that different satellite systems pose various space sustainability risks. Accordingly, "there is nothing improper" about taking a case-by-case approach to application reviews. While backing a case-by-case approach, Astroscale said that an "expansive reliance on case-by-case analysis, without a strategy for evolution, will inhibit efficiency." It urged that the draft order include a commitment that the Space Bureau will issue guidance on orbital debris mitigation information disclosures and case-by-case reviews. With such guidance, operators wouldn't have to rely as much on "identify[ing] emerging disclosure precedents across hundreds of disparate" international communications filing system files, it said.