The FCC Wireless Bureau announced Tuesday that it found a spectrum transaction between Grain Management and T-Mobile to be “acceptable for filing” and started a pleading cycle. The companies said in March that Grain Management would buy all of T-Mobile's 800 MHz spectrum in exchange for cash and Grain's 600 MHz spectrum portfolio (see 2503210033).
CTIA told the FCC there appears to be broad agreement (see 2504210013) that the commission should move carefully as it considers changes to wireless emergency alerts, which were proposed in a February Further NPRM. Replies were due Monday in dockets 15-94 and 15-91. The FNPRM proposed allowing more flexibility in issuing alerts using a “Public Safety Message” classification (see 2502270042).
Biennial recertifications of incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) study area boundary data are due June 30, the FCC Office of Economics and Analytics and Wireline Bureau said Tuesday. ILECs and state commissions that have volunteered to file study area boundary data on ILECs operating in certain jurisdictions must review and certify that data every two years, according to the public notice.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau sought comment Tuesday on two petitions from ClearCaptions seeking waivers to rules for the IP-captioned telephone service (IP CTS) and the telecommunications relay service (TRS) fund. The company provides IP CTS that's supported by the fund. Comments are due June 19, replies July 7, in docket 03-123.
Verizon, which last year urged the FCC to impose broadband handset unlocking rules on wireless carriers, is now asking the commission to zero out the unlocking commitment it adopted as a condition of approving the company’s purchase of Tracfone.
NTIA joined the submarine cable industry in voicing concerns about parts of the FCC's proposed rewrite of its subsea cable rules. In docket 24-523 reply comments this week, NTIA, the subsea cable industry and allies called instead for using the proceeding to streamline existing rules. FCC Commissioners adopted the subsea cable NPRM unanimously in November (see 2411210006). Initial comments on the NPRM saw pushback from industry (see 2504150002).
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s announced plan to forgo notice-and-comment procedures when rescinding rules could run afoul of administrative law, some experts said. Carr said the agency may look to the Administrative Procedure Act's (APA) good-cause exception to notice-and-comment requirements in its efforts to remove no-longer-enforced rules (see 2505160064). An April White House memorandum said notice and comment aren't required when eliminating rules that it contends run counter to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions like Loper Bright. FCC Chief of Staff Scott Delacourt said the commission might employ declaratory rulings as a way of eliminating what Carr determines are invalid rules.
A few tweaks are likely for the “bad labs” order and Further NPRM set for a vote at Thursday's FCC meeting, industry officials active in the proceeding told us. The item is expected to receive unanimous approval. It would prohibit FCC recognition of a telecommunications certification body, lab or lab accreditation body owned by a company on the agency’s covered list and other government rosters of unsecure companies (see 2505010037).
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is defending cuts to the agency’s workforce and other actions in written testimony ahead of the House Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee’s planned Wednesday hearing on commission oversight. Carr also urges Congress again to restore the FCC’s lapsed auction authority, as House GOP leaders aimed to pass, as soon as Wednesday night, their One Big Beautiful Bill Act budget reconciliation package with spectrum language included. The House Appropriations Financial Services hearing will begin at 10 a.m. in 2358-A Rayburn.
Host John Oliver on Sunday warned viewers of HBO’s Last Week Tonight that President Donald Trump poses a threat to press freedom and that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has been complicit in Trump’s efforts to silence some media outlets. The White House has attempted to “weaponize” the FCC, Oliver said.