FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr hired former senior counsel to the chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Arpan Sura as his legal adviser. “Arpan is a true lawyer’s lawyer as well as an experienced advisor on a range of policy issues,” Carr said in a news release Thursday. In addition, he noted Sura's experience in “wireless, satellite, consumer protection, media, technology, and litigation issues,” Carr said. Before joining the FCC, Sura represented telecommunications and tech clients for Hogan Lovells. Sura has degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and William & Mary Law School, the release said.
An order set for a vote during the FCC’s Jan. 25 open meeting would require nationwide wireless carriers to implement location-based routing (LBR) for calls to 911 within six months of approval, according to a draft order released Thursday. Smaller carriers would have 24 months. Both would be required to use the technology for real-time texts within two years. An order and further notice on outage reporting during disasters would make updating the FCC's disaster information reporting system mandatory for cable, wireline, wireless and VoIP providers and seek comment on doing the same for broadcasters, satellite providers and broadband internet access service (BIAS) providers.
ACA Connects hires three vice presidents: Zamir Ahmed, ex-NAB, for external affairs; Olivia Shields, ex-House Commerce Committee, public affairs and communications; and Max Staloff, ex-Jenner & Block and former FCC, for regulatory affairs … USTelecom appoints Keller and Heckman’s Kathleen Slattery Thompson as vice president-policy and advocacy … Akin promotes intellectual property lawyer David Lee to partner … Troutman Pepper Names patent and IP partner Tate Tischner as managing partner, Rochester office … Former Lawler Metzger partner Jim Falvey announces opening of The Law Office of James C. Falvey, representing fiber infrastructure and other telecom providers.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launch late Tuesday included an initial six Starlink satellites dedicated to SpaceX's supplemental coverage from space service partnership with mobile carriers, including T-Mobile, the space company posted on X Wednesday. T-Mobile said field-testing of the direct-to-device service would follow soon. The FCC Space Bureau last month authorized SCS testing by SpaceX (see 2312050029).
Consumers' Research filed a new challenge of the FCC's Q1 2024 USF contribution factor in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday. It's the third time the group challenged a contribution factor with this court (see 2310030069). The contribution methodology and ultimate quarterly factor "exceed the FCC's statutory authority" and violate the nondelegation doctrine, the group said in its petition for review (docket 24-60006).
CTIA and other industry players sought to keep pressure on the Biden administration to make more mid-band spectrum available for 5G and eventually 6G in comments on the implementation plan for the national spectrum strategy. Others stressed the importance of spectrum sharing. NTIA has not yet posted the comments, which were due Wednesday.
FCC commissioners this month will tackle mitigating risks from space debris and potentially controversial rules addressing misrouted wireless calls to 911, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Wednesday in her “Notes from the FCC.” Also on the Jan. 25 open meeting agenda are mandatory outage reporting rules and revised rules for the 70/80/90 GHz bands. Rounding out the meeting is a judicatory matter from the Media Bureau and five enforcement items.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit accepted the FCC’s 2018 quadrennial review order and dismissed NAB’s petition for a writ of mandamus as moot, a discharge order Tuesday said (docket 23-1120). NAB had asked the court to compel the FCC to act on the 2018 QR. Both NAB and the FCC requested the dismissal after the agency issued the 2018 QR one day before the court’s Dec. 27 deadline (see 2312280018).
NTIA reiterated support for "modernizing and expanding access to the 70/80/90 GHz” bands, saying in a filing last week in FCC docket 20-13 that the commission can make changes "while protecting both the Earth Exploration Satellite Service (EESS) and federal fixed satellite service sites." The FCC sought additional comment on the spectrum in October, following receipt of an earlier letter from NTIA, which addressed Aeronet’s proposed use of frequencies at 71-76 and 81-86 GHz (see 2311080055). The recent letter was addressed to the chiefs of the FCC Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology.
House Commerce Committee member Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, will resign effective Jan. 21 to become Youngstown State University president, the college's board said Tuesday. A former House Communications Subcommittee member, Johnson previously said he wouldn't run for reelection (see 2311220053). Johnson was active on telehealth and spectrum policy issues, including as lead sponsor of the House-passed Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act (HR-1353), which would require the FCC to allow satellite direct-to-cell service providers and others to apply to access spectrum to fill in wireless coverage gaps in unserved areas specifically to provide connectivity for emergency services (see 2304270001).