Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and five other Senate Democratic caucus members urged that the FCC and DOJ's Antitrust Division “closely scrutinize” T-Mobile’s proposed acquisition of UScellular’s wireless operations Monday night (see 2405280047). Wireless industry lawyers previously forecast the deal could face a tough road under the Biden administration. Its future could change depending on the outcome of November's presidential election (see 2405300053).
Large and small broadcasters, engineers and low-power FM interests disagree about whether the FCC should create a more powerful group of Class A FM station known as A-10, according to comments posted in docket 24-183. Due Monday, the comments responded to a Commander Communications petition (see 2406200052). Many smaller broadcasters support the proposal, but Cumulus and NAB said it could increase interference at other stations. Common Frequency and REC Networks said the proposal must be paired with one allowing increased power for LPFM stations. Multiple commenters, including Commander, said the petition contains technical errors in its calculations of separation distances, but those discrepancies could be adjusted. “Commander believes that the Commission could easily correct these spacing values and that the underlying concept of the FM Class A-10 station would not be affected negatively,” Commander said in a comment filing.
Questions remain about a proposed order on cellular vehicle-to-everything use of the 5.9 GHz band that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated for a vote last week (see 2407170042). The Wi-Fi Alliance asked that the agency also address Wi-Fi in the band. The FCC rewrote rules for the band in 2020, allocating 45 MHz for Wi-Fi and 30 MHz for C-V2X technology (see 2011180043).
Verizon lost 410,000 prepaid wireless customers tied to the end of the affordable connectivity program in Q2, the company said Monday as it became the first major wireless carrier to report earnings since the impact of ACP's demise could be measured. Overall prepaid customer losses were 624,000. But Verizon also gained a net 148,000 postpaid customers, which beat expectations. Revenue of $32.8 billion just missed consensus estimates. Though most numbers were positive, Verizon was down 6.08% to $39.09 for the day.
The global outage of Microsoft systems caused by a software update from cybersecurity company Crowdstrike grounded airplanes globally and affected some broadcasters and 911 systems but spared others, reports from multiple companies and state agencies said.
Multiple states are examining ways of directing their public schools to limit students' mobile phone use. Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, executive director-National School Boards Association (NSBA), told us the growing momentum behind cellphone limits means more and more states will be called upon to address it.
The FCC should proceed with caution or reconsider entirely a proposal that imposes on the nine largest ISPs specific reporting requirements on their border gateway protocol (BGP) security practices, ISPs and industry groups said in comments posted through Thursday in docket 24-146 (see 2406060028). The Biden administration "supports properly implemented and narrowly constructed" BGP reporting requirements, NTIA said. "The FCC's action should be appropriately tailored to preserve the highly successful multistakeholder model of internet governance."
FCC commissioners approved 3-2 a draft order and Further NPRM at their Thursday open meeting that lets schools and libraries use E-rate support for off-premises Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless internet services. The FCC Republicans issued dissents as expected (see 2407170035). In a lengthy dissent, Commissioner Brendan Carr questioned whether the order would survive a legal challenge.
Congressional GOP leaders demanded Thursday that the FCC and other independent agencies adhere strictly to its narrowed leeway of interpreting federal laws following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision and other recent rulings that rein in federal agencies (see 2407080039). House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer of Kentucky pressed the FCC, FTC and Commerce Department to understand the “limitations” Loper “set on your authority” given it overruled the Chevron doctrine. Meanwhile, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr pooh-poohed critics of Loper who argue it hamstrings regulatory agencies. Communications-focused lawyers at an Incompas event eyed a range of legal challenges to recent FCC actions that could face improved prospects because of Loper.
FCC commissioners adopted a series of items implementing the Martha Wright-Reed Act of 2022 during their open meeting Thursday (see 2407140001). A report and order reduces the permanent per minute rate caps for audio calls and for the first time establishes interim rate caps for video calls for incarcerated people. The law also clarified the FCC’s authority to also set rate caps for intrastate and international calls.