In an order that it ties to the agency's “Delete” proceeding, the FCC Wireline Bureau on Tuesday extended for a year a waiver pausing the phase-out of Lifeline support for voice-only services and the increase in the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity (see 2307210068). Without the extension, support for services meeting only the voice minimum service standard, which currently stands at $5.25 per month, would be eliminated for most areas on Dec. 1, the bureau said. Without a pause, the minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity would rise from 4.5 GB per month to 29 GB, also starting Dec. 1.
Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions.
The U.S. is expected to push to get the full ITU to overturn an ITU Council decision last week to hold the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference in China (see 2506260058). It’s unclear how likely it is to succeed, industry observers said. The Trump administration made a late push to get the council to agree to hold the meeting in the U.S. (see 2506250005). Rwanda also submitted a bid to host the conference but later dropped it.
Last week’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Trump v. CASA limiting nationwide injunctions doesn’t directly affect the judiciary’s power to set aside national regulations from federal agencies like the FCC, but it could prompt future challenges to that authority, according to attorneys and academics.
The Senate narrowly passed an amended version Tuesday of the HR-1 budget reconciliation package, formerly named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with a proposal for an 800 MHz spectrum auction pipeline but without a controversial Commerce Committee proposal for a voluntary freeze on enforcing state-level AI rules. The chamber voted 99-1 to strip out that language after a deal between Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. (see 2506300072), collapsed Monday night.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr names Katie McAuliffe, ex-Information Technology Industry Council, as a policy adviser in his office, overseeing coalitions and external affairs … Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) selects Commissioner Marissa Paslick Gillett to serve another two-year term as chair of the state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority … Telecom infrastructure services provider TriStruX taps Tom Prestwood, formerly InSite Telecom, as CEO, replacing interim CEO Gene Callahan, who remains as a strategic adviser and member of the board of managers ... Correction: Next-generation 911 technology provider NGA adds Ricardo Villafana, formerly AT&T, as field engineer, a new position (see 2506160041).
Getting and maintaining a satellite license is costlier in the U.S. than anywhere else, and the bond requirement means a lot of capital being set aside that could be invested in the business, according to Astranis Space Technologies. The company discussed licensing issues in a meeting with FCC Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz, said a filing posted Monday (docket 25-133). The agency's bond structure "serves to freeze out new entrants while enabling established operators with large fleets to secure additional spectrum bond-free," it said. The small geostationary orbit satellite operator also urged the FCC to allow applications on a given orbit location rather than on a per-satellite basis.
The FCC’s Broadband Data Task Force announced that the seventh broadband data collection (BDC) filing window for submitting broadband availability and other data will open Tuesday. The June 2025 update of the broadband serviceable location fabric is also being made available to existing fabric licensees, the task force said Monday. “The Fabric serves as the foundation for the collection of fixed broadband availability data in the BDC,” it said. “The updated Fabric is being made available to Fabric licensees and must be used by filers of fixed broadband availability for their availability data as of June 30.”
Wi-Fi Alliance CEO Kevin Robinson and others from the group met with aides to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Anna Gomez to warn that NextNav’s proposals for the 900 MHz band are a threat to “Wi-Fi HaLow,” a Wi-Fi technology operating in the band. The technology is “being used to deliver robust, long-range connectivity for a wide range of industrial and consumer [IoT] applications,” said a filing posted Monday in docket 25-110. “We expressed concern that the use of Wi-Fi HaLow devices is imperiled by NextNav’s proposal to reallocate the 900 MHz band to support its 5G-based alternative positioning, navigation, and timing” service (see 2503030023).
Verizon is getting support from police groups for its request that the FCC delete the unlocking commitment stipulated as a condition of approving Verizon’s purchase of Tracfone (see 2505200051).