Hudson Institute names former FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington a visiting fellow at the Center for the Economics of the Internet … Changes at DirecTV following its sale by AT&T to TPG: Tony Vinciquerra, formerly Sony Pictures Entertainment, joins the board; AT&T board appointees Thaddeus Arroyo, Lori Lee and Jamie Barton step down, as does independent director Steve McGaw … Sara Cicero, ex-Cisco, joins fiber-optics manufacturer AOI as head of communications.
Broadcasters urged the FCC to issue an NPRM on NAB’s proposal to allow them to use virtual, software-based emergency alert system equipment instead of physical devices, according to an ex parte filing recapping a meeting with an aide to Chairman Brendan Carr. “Certain changes in the EAS marketplace increase the need for prompt attention to this proposal,” said representatives of iHeartMedia, Beasley Media, Cox Media, New York Public Radio and NAB in the filing, posted Thursday in docket 15-94.
A representative of the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association raised concerns on NextNav’s proposal for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) in the lower 900 MHz band (see 2506130010) during a meeting with aides to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. “NextNav’s proposed high-power operations in the Lower 900 MHz band pose a substantial risk of harmful interference to licensed electronic tolling systems, threatening to significantly undermine tolling operations and constrain future electronic tolling deployments,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 24-240. The tolling industry “has engaged, and continues to engage, NextNav on the risk of interference.”
NTCA representatives met with FCC Wireline Bureau staff to discuss the challenges carriers face as they maintain or build and upgrade broadband networks in rural areas. “These can include low densities, long distances from urban areas, mountainous and rocky terrain, workforce challenges, and weather-shortened construction seasons,” said a filing Wednesday in docket 17-84. “These challenges are exacerbated by time-consuming and expensive permitting processes at the local, state, and federal levels that inhibit their ability to serve their rural communities.”
The House on Thursday narrowly passed the Senate-cleared version of the HR-1 budget reconciliation package, previously known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (see 2507010070). Passage came after a marathon all-night session, during which most Republicans who had previously resisted backing the measure ultimately voted for it amid pressure and cajoling from GOP leadership and President Donald Trump. The lower chamber approved HR-1 218-214, with only two Republicans joining all 212 Democrats in opposition.
Groups representing prisoners and their families told us they’re examining their options after what they saw as a surprising decision by the FCC Wireline Bureau to delay some incarcerated people’s communications service (IPCS) deadlines until April 1, 2027 (see 2506300068). Just last month, the government defended the order before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considering the challenges of IPCS providers Securus and Pay Tel, as well as other groups (see 2504250030).
Leaders of the House and Senate Commerce committees who are spearheading the bipartisan congressional working group on a USF legislative revamp, which relaunched in June (see 2506120091), told us they plan to begin meeting again this month. But they said they feel less pressure to quickly reach an agreement on legislative recommendations since the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Consumers’ Research v. FCC, which found that USF’s funding mechanism is constitutional (see 2506270054). Sens. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and John Thune, R-S.D., formed the working group in 2023 as Communications Subcommittee chairman and ranking member, respectively (see 2305110066).
The FCC on Thursday released draft items scheduled for votes at its July 24 open meeting, the second with a Republican majority in this Trump administration. Chairman Brendan Carr sketched out details of the meeting in a wide-ranging speech Wednesday (see 2507020036). The main focus will be cutting regulations and streamlining copper retirements and the pole attachment process. Among other items, the FCC would decline to adopt a tribal priority window prior to the AWS-3 reauction. Another draft order requires text providers to support a text-to-988 georouting requirement.
Momentus is hoping for a February launch of its Vigoride-7 in-space transportation craft. In an FCC Space Bureau application posted Tuesday, the company said the vehicle -- which would spend 1.5 years in low earth orbit, deploying customers' payloads -- would operate in the S and X bands and host a customer payload operating in the 2.4 GHz band. It said future Vigoride iterations would also perform on-orbit services such as rendezvous, proximity operations and debris removal.
The 2 GHz and 1.6/2.4 GHz mobile satellite service (MSS) bands are prime for sharing with new entrant satellite systems, SpaceX told FCC Space Bureau staff, including Chief Jay Schwarz. In a docket 25-173 filing posted Wednesday recapping the meeting, SpaceX said the agency should make clear that EchoStar's market access in the 2 GHz band has expired and that the band is open for competitive entry. Granting Globalstar's application for 1.6/2.4 GHz access for its French-licensed C-3 system without processing other pending applications "would effectively cede control" of harmonized midband MSS frequencies to a foreign administration, it said. SpaceX also discussed satellite-related proposals in the FCC's "Delete" proceeding, including the addition of categories of satellite modifications that don't require prior approval. In a docket 25-133 filing, SpaceX said it also proposed adopting "self-coordinated 'light licensing'” instead of site-by-site earth station licensing in millimeter-wave bands and presuming that granting a satellite or earth station application would serve the public interest as long as it operates within existing rules.