SpaceX and T-Mobile's partnering on satellite-to-cellular service is the latest competition in what's becoming an increasingly crowded market, said satellite executives and industry watchers. SpaceX and T-Mobile announced plans Thursday for SpaceX coverage, using mid-band T-Mobile PCS spectrum, to provide voice and messaging service in parts of the U.S. and territorial waters not covered by T-Mobile's network. Some see SpaceX/T-Mobile raising regulatory issues.
The FCC published wireless carrier responses to July letters asking about their data retention and data privacy policies. Privacy advocates said this week they hope the letters lead to a renewed focus by the FCC on data privacy issues (see 2208220054).
The FCC published wireless carrier responses to July letters asking about their data retention and data privacy policies. Privacy advocates said this week they hope the letters lead to a renewed focus by the FCC on data privacy issues (see 2208220054).
The U.S. hopes its drive for international agreement on a direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) testing ban will be a springboard for crafting international norms for other space operations issues, said Eric Desautels, State Department acting deputy assistant secretary-arms control, verification and compliance, Wednesday. At a conference put on by Aerospace's Center for Space Policy and Strategy and George Washington University's Space Policy Institute. Desautels said the U.S. will try to direct U.N. discussions in coming months toward establishing norms on such issues as purposeful interference with satellite command and control and ASAT testing near other countries' satellites. The U.S. committed in April to not doing direct-ascent ASAT testing (see 2204190057).
Backers of a bid to fully fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program believe appropriations legislation, including a likely continuing resolution to extend federal payments past Sept. 30, is the most viable vehicle for formally allocating the additional money, due to concerns about delayed action on the House-passed (see 2207280052) Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624). Senate Commerce Committee leaders are grappling during the August recess with how to respond to HR-7624, which would allocate some proceeds from a proposed auction of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for rip and replace reimbursements, given disagreements on spectrum policy priorities (see 2208090001).
The Alarm Industry Communications Committee told the FCC it supports a National Association of State 911 Administrators' (NASNA) petition for a rulemaking or notice of inquiry to fully implement next-generation 911 (see 2110190066). “AICC joins NASNA in urging the Commission to initiate a rulemaking to establish its regulatory authority over the delivery of NG911 services” through emergency services IP networks, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 21-479: “FCC regulation is necessary to protect the integrity of those services and the ability of [public safety answering points] to do their jobs, as well as to ensure that service providers have adequate and reasonably priced access to network facilities.”
The Supreme Court postponed Georgia Public Service Commission elections. After nearly a month of uncertainty, SCOTUS in a Friday order restored a district court’s decision to stop this November’s Georgia PSC elections due to a voting rights issue. The decision closely followed a state court ruling that Georgia improperly tried to stop Democrat Patty Durand from challenging incumbent Tim Echols (R).
As the Biden administration enacts legislation to bolster the green energy and semiconductor industries, the U.S. likely will see an influx of foreign investment in both sectors, which could lead to more filings with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., said Michael Considine, a Department of Energy official, speaking during a Vinson & Elkins webinar last week. He also expects some emerging clean-energy technologies to have dual-use capabilities, which also could trigger more CFIUS reviews.
The FCC’s report to Congress on the future of the USF, released Monday (see 2208150048), contained more questions than answers, industry experts said Tuesday. The 65-page report has few broad conclusions on the future of USF, declining to adopt competition as a separate goal or to set a separate deployment goal targeting mobile broadband. It weighs against assessing a fee based on broadband internet access service (BIAS).
California legislators killed a social media bill that would have held platforms civilly liable for addicting children, after opposition from the web industry and free-speech advocates. But some other controversial internet bills made it through Friday’s cutoff for fiscal committee votes. Bills on broadband, free inmate calls and the 988 mental-health hotline also advanced to floor votes.