By unanimous vote, the FCC launched a rulemaking this past week to consider allocating the 1675-1680 MHz band for co-primary use by flexible commercial terrestrial fixed and mobile operators with incumbent federal operators. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”), released on Monday, May 13, is, in many fundamental ways, similar to a proposal Ligado first made in a 2012 petition for rulemaking, with adjustments over the years, seeking to allow terrestrial mobile operations in the 1675-1680 MHz band.
1-833-AUCTION: FCC Proposes Procedures for First-Ever Auction of Numbering Resources
By Steve Augustino & Avonne Bell on
At its May 2019 Open Meeting, the FCC approved a Public Notice (“Notice”) that sets the stage for the auction of certain toll free numbers with the dialing code 833—the first time an auction mechanism will be used to distribute any numbering resources. The FCC intends to auction over 17,000 numbers set aside during the opening of the 833-prefix because more than one entity expressed an interest in the number. In 2018, the FCC approved the use of competitive bidding to allocate these numbers. With this Public Notice, the FCC sets proposed ground rules for the auction. Comments on the auction pre-bidding procedures proposed in the Notice are due by June 3, 2019 and reply comments by June 10, 2019.
New Podcast: Tuning into Spectrum
By Chip Yorkgitis, Joshua Guyan & Avonne Bell on
Posted in Federal & State Regulatory, Wireless
Our “Tuning into Spectrum” podcast series takes a close look at hot topics and issues in radio spectrum. Thanks to technological advancements, a major development in recent years has been the growing prospects for innovative use of higher spectrum bands. In this episode, Associate Avonne Bell talks with Partners Chip Yorkgitis and Josh Guyan about the FCC’s heightened focus on millimeter wave spectrum. They discuss the connection to 5G, potential impacts on federal meteorological and passive services, the use of an incentive auction in a new setting, innovative proposals for spectrum access, and more. Look out for additional spectrum updates in the coming months in this continuously evolving environment.
To listen to this episode and subscribe, please click here.
FCC Adopts Limited Sharing Arrangements in the Upper 37 GHz and 50 GHz Bands
By Chip Yorkgitis & Avonne Bell on
Posted in Federal & State Regulatory
At its April Open Meeting, the FCC approved a Fifth Report and Order (“R&O”) in the Spectrum Frontiers Proceeding that adopted sharing rules in two settings. The new rules will allow the federal government to deploy, in limited circumstances, additional station sites in spectrum to be auctioned for flexible mobile and fixed use in the 37.6-38.6 GHz frequency range (the “Upper 37 GHz Band”). The rules also will allow fixed satellite service (“FSS”) operators to individually license earth stations in the 50.4-51.4 GHz band (the “50 GHz Band”) while the FCC considers whether spectrum in the 50 GHz Band should also be auctioned for flexible mobile and fixed use. By acting now on these matters, the Commission intends to help provide Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service (“UMFUS”) providers with certainty regarding their potential future use of the spectrum before the auctions commence.
Continue Reading FCC Adopts Limited Sharing Arrangements in the Upper 37 GHz and 50 GHz Bands
FCC Seeks Further Information About Satellite Use of C-Band from FSS Space and Earth Station Operators
The FCC is requiring fixed-satellite service (“FSS”) operators to provide the Commission with information about their current use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band (“C-Band”) by May 28, 2019, according to a Public Notice released jointly earlier this month by the FCC’s International Bureau, Wireless Bureau, and Office of Engineering and Technology. The FCC will use the information to consider potential rules that allow new commercial terrestrial services in the Band while protecting incumbent satellite and earth station operators. The Band is currently allocated to FSS and the fixed service, but the Commission has proposed adding a mobile, except aeronautical mobile, allocation, which would allow commercial wireless providers to operate 5G services in the Band. The amount of spectrum to be reallocated or shared, the extent of protection for incumbents, and the means of protection for incumbents are all, as yet, undetermined, and they are topics of substantial debate among stakeholders.
FCC Announces May 15th Deadline for Rural Call Completion Intermediate Provider Registration
By Steve Augustino & Bradford Currier on
Continuing to implement the FCC’s rules to improve service to rural areas, the FCC announced that all “intermediate providers” (i.e., entities that carry, but do not originate, long distance traffic) must register with the agency by May 15, 2019. The registration requirement stems from rules adopted by the FCC last summer designed to increase transparency and accountability in the rural call completion process and avoid dropped calls. Intermediate providers must register with the FCC by the deadline in order to continue to receive traffic from carriers that originate long distance calls (known as “covered providers”). The registration requirement applies to all intermediate carriers, not just ones completing calls to rural areas. Covered providers will be prohibited from transmitting their traffic to unregistered intermediate providers beginning on August 13, 2019 (90 days after the registration deadline). Intermediate providers must register with the FCC online and the registration instructions may be found here.
Click here to read our full advisory on the registration requirement.
FCC to Deny Chinese Telecom Provider Access to U.S. Market, Citing National Security Concerns
The FCC plans to bar a Chinese telecommunications provider from offering international telecommunications service between the United States and foreign points based on national security concerns at its next open meeting scheduled for May 9, 2019. Under a draft Order released last week, the agency would conclude that China Mobile International USA (“China Mobile USA” or the “Company”) is ultimately controlled by the Chinese government and subject to Chinese government exploitation, influence, and control that could undermine the security and reliability of U.S. networks. The denial of China Mobile USA’s application would mark the first time the FCC has rejected an application to access the U.S. market based on national security concerns raised by the group of federal Executive Branch agencies commonly known as “Team Telecom.” The denial also would represent another salvo in the FCC’s recent efforts to combat network security and corporate espionage issues involving foreign-owned carriers. While the proposed action against China Mobile USA likely will not affect foreign carrier investment or access to the U.S. telecommunications market overall, it serves as a reminder of the barriers foreign-owned telecommunications providers (and particularly those with ties to China) may face when dealing with the FCC.
4th Circuit Declares Government Debt Exemption to the TCPA Unconstitutional, But Leaves the Rest of the Statute Intact
Since its adoption, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) has periodically been attacked as unconstitutional on grounds that it violates the First Amendment right to free speech due to its content-based restrictions. Until today, those attacks have generally failed, leaving defendants with the threat of potentially crippling statutory damages. Today, the Fourth Circuit announced that part of the TCPA, an exemption for calls to collect government debts, is unconstitutional and will be stricken from the Act.
FCC Plans to Bar Chinese Telecom Provider from U.S. Market and Open Up More Shared Use Spectrum at May Open Meeting
Highlighting recent network security and corporate espionage issues involving foreign-owned carriers, the FCC plans to take the unprecedented step of denying a Chinese telecommunications provider’s application to offer service in the United States based on law enforcement concerns at its next open meeting on May 9, 2019. The agency would conclude that China Mobile USA, a Delaware corporation ultimately owned by the Chinese government, is vulnerable to foreign exploitation that could undermine the security and reliability of U.S. networks. The proposed denial is in line with the 2018 recommendation of the federal agencies commonly known as “Team Telecom,” which represented the first time the group called for the rejection of a carrier’s application due to security risks. The FCC also anticipates freeing up additional spectrum for commercial wireless operations by allowing shared use of the 1675-1680 MHz band currently allocated for federal weather monitoring operations. Rounding out the major actions on the May agenda, the FCC expects to seek comment on the procedures governing its long-awaited auction of “833” toll free numbers, adopt rules aimed at improving the Video Relay Service (“VRS”) used by individuals with hearing or speech disabilities, and propose the regulatory fees for fiscal year 2019.
You will find more details on the significant May meeting items after the break:
FCC Adopts Procedures to Set the Stage for Second-Ever Incentive Auction in Late 2019
By Chip Yorkgitis & Avonne Bell on
Posted in Federal & State Regulatory, Wireless
The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), at its April 12, 2019 Open Meeting, voted to adopt a Public Notice that proposes application and bidding procedures for the single, simultaneous auction of three mmW spectrum bands—37 GHz (37.6-38.6 GHz), 39 GHz (38.6 GHz-40 GHz), and 47 GHz (47.2-48.2 GHz)—as we previously reported. The Public Notice lays the groundwork for the second-ever incentive auction (in the 37 and 39 GHz Bands) and continues the FCC’s intent to make more mmW band spectrum available for auction. The auction is scheduled to begin on December 10, 2019. Comments on the Public Notice are due by May 15, 2019 and reply comments are due by May 30, 2019.