Wireless Telecommunications

The Federal Communications Commission will launch a formal proceeding to examine how it can best help stop abusers from using connectivity tools in vehicles to harass and intimidate their partners. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will examine how the agency can use existing law to ensure car manufacturers and wireless service providers are taking steps to assist abuse victims and seek comment on additional steps the Commission can take to safeguard domestic violence survivors.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues proposed rules to enable wireless communications for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) use in the 5 GHz band.

With the future of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) looking grimmer every day, wireless operators and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) are preparing for its demise and weighing their alternatives. The ACP is expected to run out of money by mid-May, leaving millions of Americans without discounted internet services.

Charter Communications said that although it “disagrees with NAD’s conclusion,” it will comply with modifications to an advertisement for its Spectrum Business Wireless Internet Backup service suggested by BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division (NAD). The challenge to the ad was brought by AT&T Services. NAD found that disclosures were not prominent enough and confusing.

We all have eclipse on the brain, so I thought it’d be fun to look at some eclipse broadband stats. In the path of totality, 8% of locations are either unserved or underserved according to the NTIA definition of reliable broadband. That’s just over 1 million locations out of 11.9 million locations in the path of totality in total. If the path of totality were a state, it would be ranked 19th in terms of access to broadband. It’s also interesting to think about the competition situation in the path of totality.

A private equity firm based in Canada may prevent a lot of rural US Midwesterners from getting fiber broadband. But that’s OK with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) because it’s all perfectly legal. Mercury Broadband, which is majority owned by the private equity firm Northleaf Capital Partners, has claimed it covers vast swathes of Michigan, Kansas and Indiana with its fixed wireless access (FWA) broadband service.

If Congress doesn’t act soon, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is expected to run out of money by the end of April, leaving millions of Americans without discounted internet services.

There are growing concerns among some lobbyists that 5G network operators will be able to use network slicing technology to evade the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) proposed net neutrality rules.

Starlink's mobile ambitions were dealt at least a temporary blow when the Federal Communications Commission dismissed SpaceX's application to use several spectrum bands for mobile service. SpaceX is seeking approval to use up to 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites with spectrum in the 1.6 GHz, 2 GHz, and 2.4 GHz bands. SpaceX could still end up getting what it wants but will have to go through new rulemaking processes in which the FCC will evaluate whether the spectrum bands can handle the system without affecting existing users.

The Michigan High Speed Internet Office kicked off its BEAD challenge process this week, and it’s doing everything in its power to scrub the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) map of locations where providers are overstating their coverage. The state is receiving a historic $1.56 billion BEAD funding allocation—the fourth highest in the nation.