Communications and Technology Alert: FCC Releases Open Meeting Agenda; House Commerce Committee Passes Telecom Bills; Law Enforcement Groups Advocate for Changes in FirstNet; CTIA Report Argues for Lessened Environmental Rules [Vol. XXIII, Issue 4]
FCC Sets Agenda for January Open Meeting
Last week, the Commission finalized the agenda for its January 29th Open Meeting, which will begin at 10:30 am EST. First the Commission will consider a Fourth Report and Order that would permit a new class of unlicensed devices to operate in the 6 GHz Band. Second, the Commission will vote on a Report and Order that would require "a broad range of holders of licenses, authorizations, or approvals to attest whether they are owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary, and, if so, to disclose additional information about such foreign adversary control." Next the Commission will consider another Report and Order that would update foreign ownership disclosure rules by clarifying certain definitions and concepts, as well as streamlining the review processes. Finally, the Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would update Internet Protocol Relay and Video Relay services by "updating or eliminating obsolete rules, and closing outdated dockets." For more information, please contact Casey Lide (lide@khlaw.com; 202.434.4186) or Sean Stokes (stokes@khlaw.com; 202.434.4193).
House Committee Advances Three Telecom Bills
Last week, the House Commerce Committee advanced three telecommunications related bills for consideration by the full House of Representatives. The Emergency Reporting Act directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue reports after major natural disasters detailing any instances where individuals were unable to reach 9-1-1 and to provide guidance to mobile carriers about how to better notify 9-1-1 centers of service disruptions. The Kari’s Law Reporting Act builds on the Kari’s Law of 2018, which requires that multi-line telephone systems, such as hotels and offices, allow direct dialing of 9-1-1 without needing to press additional digits, by mandating that the FCC report on industry compliance with these requirements. Finally, Lulu's Law would require the FCC to issue an order explicitly permitting the transmission of wireless emergency alerts to mobile phones in the event of a shark attack. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Law Enforcement Groups Advocate Competition for FirstNet
Last week, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Major Cities Chiefs Association submitted a letter to House and Senate leaders advocating for a modification to the FirstNet system that would allow for multiple providers to receive funding. FirstNet's statutory authorization lapses in 2027 and Congress is beginning discussions about the reauthorization of the program, including a hearing in the Senate Commerce Committee on January 27th. In the joint letter, the law enforcement groups argued that FirstNet's sole reliance on AT&T has led to transparency issues and a lack of redundancy in situations where AT&T's network has gone down. Further, they argue that many public safety entities choose other carriers and thus do not receive any benefit from FirstNet funding. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
CTIA Report Argues for Relaxed Environmental Reviews
Last week, CTIA released a report finding that modernizing FCC environmental and historic preservation regulations for wireless infrastructure could eliminate more than $7.5 billion in consumer losses and other economic harm. It highlights that complying with NEPA and NHPA requirements is costly—averaging $15,500 per wireless installation—and that these burdens are increasing annually. Current permitting processes also delay wireless deployments by nearly six months, resulting in about $1.3 billion in downstream consumer impact. The report emphasizes that these delays reduce U.S. competitiveness, noting that Chinese state owned firms can construct towers 18× faster due in part to less burdensome permitting. Finally, CTIA argues that the recent NEPA NPRM creates an opportunity to "cut costs, accelerate wireless deployment, and deliver benefits to American consumers. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
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