Targeting Overbuilds and Improving Coordination Among Agencies. Under Commissioner Brendan Carr, expect to see a new approach to broadband funding that is focused on encouraging coordination of broadband funds among agencies...more
The constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund (USF) funding mechanism is currently being litigated, and its future has long been the subject of debate in Congress. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit found the...more
Under Commissioner Brendan Carr, expect to see a renewed focus on streamlining the rules for fiber and other wired infrastructure deployment. Commissioner Carr has pointed out that between 2016 and 2019, the Federal...more
Under Republican administrations, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has historically taken a more permissive approach to approving mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions involving companies that hold FCC...more
Under Commissioner Brendan Carr’s leadership, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will likely focus on expediting the review and approval process for applications to launch new satellites. Commissioner Carr has...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit heard oral arguments on a challenge to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules, which reclassified broadband Internet access services under Title II of...more
The new Trump administration will likely take a deregulatory approach to artificial intelligence (AI). President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to repeal President Joe Biden’s AI executive order, which imposed new reporting...more
Expect to see new entities added to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “Covered List” of communications equipment and services deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States...more
Congress and/or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may also look at reforms to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. President-elect Donald Trump and Commissioner Brendan Carr have both expressed support for...more
The 2024 election is over and Republicans are poised in January to take over Washington, D.C.—in the White House, on the Hill, at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and at other agencies (the National...more
12/3/2024
/ Acquisitions ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Broadband ,
CFIUS ,
China ,
Communications Decency Act ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
Deregulation ,
Enforcement ,
FCC ,
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Infrastructure ,
Mergers ,
National Security ,
Net Neutrality ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
NTIA ,
Presidential Elections ,
Telecommunications ,
Universal Service Fund
On September 27, 2024, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel gave a speech on AI regulation by the FCC, highlighting her goal of improving transparency in the use of AI technology in the communications industry. The speech...more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in recent months has stepped up its scrutiny of artificial intelligence (AI) in the communications sector, focusing on AI-generated robocalls and political advertisements. The...more
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled the Universal Service Fund (USF) funding mechanism is unconstitutional. The full court, sitting en banc, rejected the framework established by the Federal Communications Commission...more
On September 9, 2024, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced at an event in Washington, D.C. that the agency will be seeking Supreme Court review of a recent decision finding aspects...more
After months of negotiations and numerous last-minute extensions, the President signed into law the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which funds the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through...more
Key Points - On Thursday, April 25, the FCC voted 3–2 to reinstate the Commission’s net neutrality framework by reclassifying broadband Internet access service as a Telecommunications Service, which is regulated under Title...more
Key Points - The FCC is seeking public comment on methods to enable access to currently unassigned spectrum in their auction inventory that can be used for wireless radio service. The Commission took this step because...more
The FCC released a declaratory ruling on February 8, taking action to make AI-generated robocalls illegal. The declaratory ruling follows the attempted disruption of the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary by...more
2024 is shaping up to be a busy year in Washington for telecom, media and technology (TMT) companies. A number of notable topics will require public comment this year, including net neutrality, digital discrimination, data...more
2/9/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Broadband ,
Consumer Protection Laws ,
FCC ,
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ,
NDAA ,
Outer Space ,
Public Comment ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Spectrum ,
Technology Sector ,
Telecommunications
At the end of 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “the Commission”) adopted updates to its existing 16-year-old data breach notification rules (“prior rules”) designed to ensure that sensitive customer...more
On December 14, 2023, Congress passed an $874.2-billion defense authorization bill, sending it to the White House for President Biden’s signature. This alert provides a summary of key provisions of the National Defense...more
1/2/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Automation Systems ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Security ,
Department of Defense (DOD) ,
Machine Learning ,
National Security Agency (NSA) ,
NDAA ,
Pilot Programs ,
Popular ,
Satellites ,
Semiconductors ,
Supply Chain ,
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Key Points -
On November 15, 2023, the FCC adopted rules aimed at preventing discrimination in access to broadband services. The FCC vote satisfies the Commission’s obligation under the IIJA, which requires the FCC to...more
11/27/2023
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Broadband ,
Broadband Internet Access Services (BIAS) ,
Covered Entities ,
FCC ,
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) ,
National Broadband Plan ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
NTIA ,
OCR ,
Transparency
Key Points -
On November 13, the Biden administration released its National Spectrum Strategy through a Presidential Memorandum. The Spectrum Strategy, seeking to modernize spectrum policy and coordination and identify...more
On November 15, 2023—the statutory deadline—the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote on rules to prevent so-called “digital discrimination,” i.e., discrimination in access to broadband services.
The proposed...more
Key Points -
In a 3-2 vote, the FCC moved to advance a proposal that would restore so-called "net neutrality" rules and allow the agency to regulate broadband internet access service as a utility. The vote marks the start...more
10/26/2023
/ Broadband ,
Communications Act of 1934 ,
FCC ,
Infrastructure ,
Internet ,
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) ,
Internet Streaming ,
Net Neutrality ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Open Internet Rules ,
Social Media ,
Transparency