Communications and Technology Alert: September Open Meeting Tentative Agenda; Senate Commerce to Consider FCC Nomination; FCC Prohibited Entity List; Comment Timeline Set for Direct-to-Device NRPM. [Vol. XXIII, Issue 37]
Commission Announces Tentative Agenda for September Open Meeting
On Wednesday, September 30th, the Commission will hold its September Open Commission Meeting. The tentative agenda for the meeting includes consideration of a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking streamlining the Commission’s implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and requesting additional public input on updating the Commission’s rules regarding Section 106 reviews under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Additionally, the Commission may consider four other items, including a Report and Order of Proposed Modification and two Further Notice of Proposed Rulemakings designed to increase available spectrum for satellite broadband activity, as well as a Notice of Inquiry into the modernization of the 9-1-1 framework and accessibility to emergency services. For more information, please contact Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271) or Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
Senate Commerce Committee to Consider Commission Nomination
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee announced that the committee will hold a hearing on September 17th to consider the nomination of Danielle Thumann Severs to the Commission. Thumann Severs previously served as senior counsel to then-Commissioner Brendan Carr, and advised him on matters concerning the Wireline, Public Safety and Homeland Security, and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureaus. A potential confirmation of Thumann Severs would shift the Commission’s balance to three Republicans to one Democrat, with Thumann Severs’ term starting retroactively from July 1, 2024. For more information, please contact Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271) or Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
Commission Publishes Consolidated Prohibited Entity List
Last Wednesday, the Commission released a Public Notice announcing that it had published a new consolidated prohibited entities list to support the integrity of its equipment authorization program and help applicants identify entities subject to national security restrictions. The list combines multiple federal government sources, including the Commission’s Covered List and several national security and trade restriction lists maintained by other agencies, into a single searchable resource. The consolidated database includes entity names, aliases, countries of origin, source citations, filtering tools, and a downloadable machine-readable CSV file to assist laboratories, certification bodies, and equipment manufacturers with compliance efforts. While the Commission will regularly update the list, the agency emphasizes that users remain responsible for verifying information against the underlying government sources because updates, affiliates, and ownership changes may not always be immediately reflected. For more information, please contact Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271) or Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
Comment Deadlines Set in D2D NPRM
Last Wednesday, the Federal Register published the final version of the Direct-to-Device Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), setting the initial comment deadlines on November 9, 2026 and reply comments on December 7, 2026. The NPRM aims to expand innovative uses of unlicensed wireless devices, specifically for direct-to-device (D2D) communications between satellites and terrestrial devices. The proceeding proposes to allocate 225 MHz of unlicensed spectrum to complement D2D services, as well as update equipment authorizations and licensing for Part 15 devices to permit connectivity between unlicensed devices and next-gen satellite constellations. The proceeding would also explore expanding the use of unlicensed devices in space and between spacecraft. For more information, please contact Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271) or Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239).
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