Communications and Technology Alert: Final October Open Meeting Agenda; Senator Supports Equipment Authorization NPRM; Senate Approves Foreign Robocall Bill; CTIA Requests Revisit of Interconnection Rules [Vol. XXII, Issue 43]
Communications and Technology Regulatory Recap: Shutdown Impact on FCC Business
Keller and Heckman LLP’s Communications and Technology Practice continues its series of webinar updates regarding recent changes in leadership, policy, and regulations in the communications industry. For this week’s Regulatory Recap, Partner Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271) covers the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on the Commission’s operations.
Commission Finalizes Agenda for October 28th Open Commission Meeting
Last week, the Commission finalized the agenda for the October Open Commission Meeting. The agenda includes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) focuses on how the Commission can accelerate the transition to all-IP interconnection for voice services, with an emphasis on the public safety and consumer protection transition. The Commission will also consider an NPRM aimed at encouraging more intensive use of the bands above 24 GHz that are shared between microwave and fixed-satellite services. Other agenda items include an overhaul of the Commission’s satellite licensing system, the deletion of 400 "obsolete" wireless rules, and an item that aims to give consumers more accurate caller ID information. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Senator Voices Support of FCC’s Draft Equipment Authorization Item
On October 21st, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) wrote a letter to Chairman Brendan Carr expressing his support for the draft order modifying the Commission’s equipment authorization program. Scott specifically stated that DJI and foreign manufactured equipment pose threats to national security and the domestic supply chain, and new disclosure and authorization procedures are needed. Scott had previously supported a congressional-mandated investigation into DJI and Autel Robotics as part of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. In conjunction with recommendations from executive agencies, the Commission has the authority to list previously authorized equipment and services on the Covered List, which prohibits their sale and use within the United States. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Senate Commerce Committee Approves Foreign Robocall Bill
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee advanced eight bills to the full Senate. Among them was Senator Ted Budd's (R-NC) Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, which would require the FCC and FTC to develop a task force to investigate how relevant US agencies can better combat foreign robocalls and assess the effectiveness of the STIR/SHAKEN protocol at mitigating foreign robocalls. During markup, the bill was amended to include a new bond requirement of up to $100,000 for companies to register in the Robocall Mitigation Database." This requirement was added in order to impose costs upon "fraudulent providers" who have recently been removed from the database. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
CTIA Requests Revision to Interconnection Rules
In a letter released on October 20th, CTIA requested the Commission consider revisions to interconnection rules between local exchange carriers (LEC) and Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers, as part of the Commission’s draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the transition to all-Internet Protocol (IP) networks. In particular, CTIA requests the Commission revisit 47 C.F.R. § 20.11(e), which currently allows LEC’s to request interconnection agreements with CMRS providers, triggering negotiation and arbitration procedures between the parties. On behalf of wireless carriers, CTIA found these procedures burdensome and urged the Commission to consider the relevancy of these rules against the modern telecommunications landscape. For more information, please contact Casey Lide (lide@khlaw.com; 202.434.4186) or Sean Stokes (stokes@khlaw.com; 202.434.4193).
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