Communications and Technology Alert: Tentative April Open Meeting Agenda; USF Notice of Suspensions; Foreign Ownership Rule Changes; Space Operations NPRM Comment Dates; WCB Denies RDOF Requests [Vol. XXIII, Issue 15]
Commission Announces Tentative Agenda for April Open Meeting
Last Thursday, the Commission announced the tentative agenda for the April Open Commission Meeting, scheduled for Thursday, April 30th. The agenda includes consideration of multiple Report and Orders, such as rules modernizing spectrum sharing between geostationary and non-geostationary satellite systems, establishing a new E-rate competitive bidding portal, and improving reciprocity and national security procedures for the Commission’s equipment authorization program. The Commission will also tentatively consider Notices of Proposed Rulemaking to enhance existing know-your-customer requirements, prohibit Covered List entities from providing domestic interstate telecommunication services pursuant to blanket authority under Section 214, and amend the Audible Crawl Rule. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Commission Suspends Seven Individuals from USF Participation
Last Wednesday, the Enforcement Bureau announced that seven individuals had been issued Notices of Suspension after being found guilty of crimes related to the USF-supported E-Rate program. According to the Notices, the suspended individuals unlawfully withheld reimbursements to schools longer than allowed, submitted false certifications to USAC, or otherwise took actions to defraud the E-Rate program. The Enforcement Bureau utilized the recently updated suspension and debarment program to streamline efforts by the Commission to combat waste, fraud, and abuse across federal programs. For more information, please contact Greg Kunkle (kunkle@khlaw.com; 202.434.4178) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Commission Releases Effective Date for New Foreign Ownership Rules
Last Thursday, the Commission released a final rule in its proceeding that aims to "codify and clarify longstanding policies and practices" related to foreign ownership policies for broadcast, common carrier, and aeronautical radio licenses, effective May 11, 2026. For all covered licensees, the rule formalizes existing policies on practices such as identifying the controlling U.S. parent, identifying voting interests, disclosing trusts and trustees, U.S. residency requirements, and procedures for remedial petitions and amendments. For broadcast licensees specifically, the Media Bureau is directed to issue guidance on how applications will be processed while a remedial foreign ownership petition is pending and clarifies foreign ownership considerations for noncommercial educational and low power FM stations. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wight@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Commission Sets Comment Deadline for Emergent Space Operations NPRM
Last Thursday, the Commission announced that comments in its “Spectrum Abundance for Weird Space Stuff" NPRM are due May 11 and reply comments are due June 8th. This proceeding aims to determine the spectrum needs for "emergent space operations" which the Commission defines as "spacecraft or commercial operations in space that use radio spectrum for control of, or communications with, a spacecraft, but which are not communications satellites." The proposed rule would create a new secondary allocation for "Space Operation Services" (SOS) in lightly used spectrum bands, primarily the 2320-2345 MHz Band. The proposed rules would also permit incumbent licensees in the proposed SOS bands to lease their spectrum to earth station Licensees with emergent space operations. For more information, please contact Wes Wright (wright@khlaw.com; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty (doughty@khlaw.com; 202.434.4271).
Commission Denies RDOF Request for Waiver
Last Thursday, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) released an Order denying Mediacom Wireless of Florida LLC and Mediacom Wireless of Georgia LLC’s collective request for waiver of the RDOF requirement to certify service in 40% of the Connect America Cost Model (CAM)-estimated locations by December 31, 2025, or meet the requirements for an extension of the service milestone. WCB also denied a request by Consolidated Communications Inc. to remove a census block group (CBG) from its Texas RDOF service area to comply with offering service to 60% of the model-estimated number of locations by December 31, 2025. The WCB stated that neither party demonstrated good cause for supporting a waiver of the Commission’s rules, and that the RDOF non-compliance framework was sufficient to allow carriers to catch up on buildouts without granting individual petitions. For more information, please contact Sean Stokes (stokes@khlaw.com; 202.434.4193).
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