The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau on Monday delayed comment deadlines by two weeks on a further NPRM proposing various changes to the agency's broadband label rules. Under the new deadlines, comments are due Jan. 16, replies Feb. 16, in docket 22-2. That’s less time than the 30-day extension sought by New America’s Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the Utility Reform Network (see 2512220020).

The FCC should take “immediate action” to review network/affiliate contracts and investigate whether the big four networks’ practice of negotiating with virtual MVPDs gives them “de facto control” of local TV stations, said affiliate station owner groups in a joint filing posted Monday in docket 25-322. “Given the state of this relationship, immediate action is necessary so that local broadcast stations can continue to serve local communities with critical news and information,” they said.

Citing a need for more spectrum to keep up with mobile satellite service (MSS) competition, Iridium asked the FCC to update its rules for and give the satellite operator more access to the 1.6 GHz band, including spectrum used by Globalstar.

Many of the bands highlighted in the Dec. 19 presidential memo on spectrum for 6G will likely take years to bring to auction, but that may be all right with carriers, who will face two auctions in the next two years, industry officials told us.

Conservatives such as Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have suggested eliminating the FCC’s public interest authority (see 2512170070) as a way to keep it from pressuring broadcasters over their content, but public interest attorneys and academics said doing so would also strip the agency of most of its power.

Communications Daily is tracking the lawsuits below involving appeals of FCC actions. New cases are marked with an *.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department voiced concerns in comments filed this week in docket 13-111 about the FCC’s proposal to allow signal jammers in correction facilities. Other law enforcement interests supported the use of jammers. FCC commissioners approved 3-0 in September a Further NPRM seeking comment on whether correctional facilities should be allowed to jam cell signals, with an eye on curbing contraband phones (see 2509300063).

Lawmakers and other observers said in recent interviews that Congress’ deal to pass the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act without language giving the defense secretary and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman authority to essentially veto commercial use of 3.1-3.45 GHz and 7.4-8.4 GHz bands (see 2512080055) will only temporarily pause fighting between the wireless industry and DOD supporters over military spectrum holdings. Officials pointed to President Donald Trump’s memorandum last week directing NTIA to explore reallocating federal systems currently on the 7.125-7.4 GHz band to the 7.4-8.4 GHz band and other frequencies (see 2512190086) as a fresh indicator that the ceasefire will be fleeting.

The New Jersey House and Senate voted Monday to adopt SB-3695, which would restrict students' cellphone use in school. State Sen. Paul Moriarty (D), one of the bill's sponsors, told us Tuesday that outgoing Gov. Phil Murphy (D) plans to have a public signing of it in two weeks. Murphy had set phone-free schools legislation as one of his priorities for his last year in office, Moriarty said.

The FCC notified the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Tuesday that five challenges have been filed in five circuits over its latest incarcerated people's communications services (IPCS) order, which significantly revised an order approved in 2024 (see 2510280045). In the latest complaint to be posted, IPCS provider NCIC challenged the order in the historically conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The next step is expected to be a lottery to pick which circuit will hear the case.