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Articles for “Federal Communications Commission (FCC)”

What is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the U.S. federal government’s regulatory agency for the majority of telecommunications activity within the country. The FCC oversees radio, television, telephone, satellite, and cable communications, and its primary statutory goal is to expand U.S. citizens’ access to telecommunications services.

The Commission is funded by industry regulatory fees, and is organized into 7 bureaus:

  • Consumer & Governmental Affairs
  • Enforcement
  • Media
  • Space
  • Wireless Telecommunications
  • Wireline Competition
  • Public Safety and Homeland Security

As an agency, the FCC receives its high-level directives from Congressional legislation and is empowered by that legislation to establish legal rules the industry must follow.

Latest News from the FCC

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House Panel Advances Bill to Place DJI on FCC Covered List
February 20, 2024 |Congress
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a legislative hearing Feb. 15 to advance several pending measures, including a bill that would add Chinese drone company Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Covered list, which would prohibit DJI technology from operating on U.S. communications infrastructure.
FCC Considers Blocking Devices From Chinese Gearmakers
April 28, 2021 by Howard Buskirk|Other U.S.
The Federal Communications Commission is exploring whether untrusted vendors should be excluded from the FCC equipment authorization program, acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said April 26 at a virtual workshop on supply chain security, held in conjunction with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. “When it comes to network security, the threats are real, the stakes are high, and our defenses need to constantly evolve and improve,” Rosenworcel said. Just saying no isn’t a strategy, “so we’re moving fast,” she said.
FCC Commissioner Calls for Agency Action to Stop Imports of Devices Made With Forced labor
March 30, 2021 by Tim Warren|Top News
The Federal Communications Commission should strengthen the agency’s equipment authorization process to make sure no devices enter the U.S. that are produced with forced labor in China, Commissioner Brendan Carr said in a March 30 speech. The FCC's approach should align with legislation introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., earlier this year (see 2101290045), Carr said, according to a news release from his office. “We should do our part at the FCC by launching a proceeding that would update our equipment authorization rules to ensure that we are not approving any devices that have been produced with forced labor,” Carr said. “One way we can do this is by requiring every company that procures any devices or components from the [Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)] to meet a heightened burden to ensure that their supply chain does not rely on any forced labor. Communist China must not profit from their human rights abuses.”
FCC Import Rules Should Exempt Devices Used for Advertising, Display, Commissioner Says
June 3, 2020 |Other U.S.
The Federal Communications Commission should “allow an exception to the import rules for purposes of device advertising and retail display preparation,” said FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly in a June 2 blog post. FCC rules prohibit imports of radiofrequency devices that haven't received agency authorization. “While there are exceptions for the very limited importation of devices for trade shows, testing and evaluation, and a few other specific uses, this doesn’t accommodate the large percentage of consumers that simply want to see and touch products prior to purchase,” O'Rielly said.
CBP Seizes Drones on Issues With Undervaluation, FCC Required Labeling
June 3, 2020 |Customs
CBP in Detroit seized about 4,600 remote-controlled helicopter drones worth some $69,000 that didn't “meet Federal Communications Commission labeling requirements,” the agency said in a June 3 news release. The goods, which were imported from China and were subject to Section 301 tariffs, were also found to be undervalued by about $62,000, CBP said. The imports “were seized June 1 in conjunction with a previous shipment containing more than $400,000 in counterfeit merchandise” that was seized in late May, the agency said.
Topics:Section 301 (correct), Section 301 (too broad)
GE Gets COVID-19 Waiver From FCC for Medical Device Imports
May 12, 2020 |Other U.S.
The Federal Communications Commission granted a waiver for GE Healthcare to import, market and operate medical devices from new suppliers for use in healthcare facilities. The devices hadn’t been cleared under FCC equipment authorization rules. The order “benefits the public interest by allowing GEHC to overcome disruptions in the medical device supply chain as it addresses the surge in demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the declared state of national emergency,” a May 11 order by the Wireless Bureau and Office of Engineering and Technology said.