FCC Reforms License Renewal Rules for Wireless Spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission took steps to streamline and harmonize its license renewal and service continuity rules to ensure that Wireless Radio Services (WRS) licensees have a consistent framework and use spectrum to benefit all Americans. The Report and Order provides a clear, harmonized set of rules, including:

• Establishing a consistent standard for renewing wireless licenses;
• Setting forth safe harbors providing expedited renewal for licensees that meet their initial term construction requirement and remain operating at or above that level;
• Adopting consistent service continuity rules, which provide for automatic termination of any license on which a licensee permanently discontinues service or operation;
• Eliminating unnecessary, legacy “comparative renewal rules”; and,
• Requiring that when portions of geographic licenses are sold, both parties to the transaction have a clear construction obligation and penalty in the event of failure, closing a loophole used to avoid our construction requirements.

The FCC also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on a range of ideas to facilitate continued investment during the renewal terms