The FCC earth stations in motion rules harmonization and Further NPRM about additional frequencies for communication with geostationary satellites approved last month (see 1809260029) could help juice up satellite broadband applications and the vehicular ESIM market, experts said at an FCBA event Thursday. Inmarsat Regulatory Director Giselle Creeser said the land ESIM market has been quieter than aeronautical and maritime applications, but services including autonomous trains and long-haul trucks are likely coming up.
U.S. broadband capital expenditures rose 2 percent in 2017 to $76.3 billion, said USTelecom's annual report Thursday. The group credited the FCC's recent "internet freedom" and tech transition orders and congressional "tax reform" with helping to reverse a two-year capex decline that "began" when the FCC "moved to impose common carrier" regulation on broadband providers in 2015. The report confirms FCC "policies to promote broadband deployment are working," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. "Investment is pouring back into this space," said Commissioner Brendan Carr at a USTelecom event.
From issues ranging from longer time frames before non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite constellations are considered in use, to identifying the entire 47.2-50.2 band for international mobile telecommunications (IMT), terrestrial and satellite interests are pushing numerous and sometimes jousting suggestions for the World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee draft recommendations. Comments were posted this week in docket 16-185.
Lack of a final decision from Chief Administrative Law Judge Richard Sippel on the Sinclair/Tribune hearing designation order won't slow or affect Sinclair merger and acquisition efforts, CEO Chris Ripley told us after speaking at NAB Show New York Thursday. Sinclair is “focused” on more consolidation in broadcast TV, and on adjacent growth avenues such as regional sports networks, cable and digital offerings, Ripley said.
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus thinks broadcasting live sports in 4K will take a slow and methodical migration path, reminiscent of other network moves into new technologies, he told the NAB Show New York’s TV2020 conference Wednesday. “It’s going to be just like high-definition,” he said.
Personal data transfer mechanism Privacy Shield appears likely to emerge successfully from the European Commission review that begins this week. "I'm quite sure it will pass," emailed Hogan Lovells (London) data protection lawyer Eduardo Ustaran. "I may be wrong but I do not expect a revolution," emailed Linklaters (Brussels) privacy attorney Tanguy Van Overstraeten. "The next important step will be the court review." Data Protection Commissioner v. Facebook was referred by the Irish High Court to the European Court of Justice in April.
Heads of TV station groups and broadcast alliances banded together onstage Wednesday at the NAB Show New York to announce a “collaborative effort” committing to launch coast-to-coast ATSC 3.0 services to the U.S. public over the next several years.
Some public, educational and government channel boosters worry a Supreme Court case over PEG channels could affect the status quo for such programmers. Alliance for Community Media (ACM) is among those trying to figure out the implications.
State courts may determine the reach of the Supreme Court’s 5-4 summer decision about mobile privacy in Carpenter v. U.S. It said government collection of at least seven days of cellsite location information (CSLI) is a Fourth Amendment-protected search, meaning police must obtain warrants (see 1806220052). Considered a win for privacy supporters, the decision didn’t address some emerging surveillance (see 1807050025).
Public Knowledge and the FCC traded words over whether telecom deregulation is hampering service restoration efforts after Hurricane Michael. PK said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) failed to "take responsibility for how their radical deregulation of telephone service has contributed to this unfortunate situation." The FCC said it's "disappointing but not surprising that a left-wing special-interest group is making cheap and false political attacks while people in the Florida Panhandle are suffering." Pai plans to visit the area Friday. Verizon Wireless said it continues to make progress restoring service.