At Congress's direction, the FCC is moving forward with proposals that would (a) substantially increase regulatory burdens on VoIP providers and (b) immerse the Commission in areas that aren't exactly within its area of expertise.… Continue Reading
Our colleague Mitchell Lazarus, having apparently worn out his welcome as a speaker with the local lawyers' groups, has turned to the engineering profession in pursuit of fresh audiences.… Continue Reading
Hot on the heels of its 2009-2010 multi-billion dollar broadband stimulus spending spree, the Rural Utilities Service has opened the coffers again. This time, up to $700 million dollars in low-interest loans for rural broadband is available.… Continue Reading
In an "Enforcement Advisory", the FCC has wagged a threatening finger at broadcasters relative to its nondiscrimination in advertising policy. But the Advisory still leaves questions unanswered. After three years, that's par for the course.… Continue Reading
Licensees in the Educational Broadband Service can breathe easier now: their deadline for demonstrating substantial service has just been extended.… Continue Reading
The Commission has signaled that the recently adopted certification requirements for AM/FM applications proposing changes in community-of-license need to be approved by OMB. The process of seeking that approval has now started.… Continue Reading
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step . . . and also (when it comes to overhauling the Universal Service Fund and Intercarrier Compensation regime) with a 229-page Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. We summarize that NPRM here.… Continue Reading
The White House Coordinator on U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement has issued a white paper urging that:(1) illegal streaming should be made a felony; and (2) a performance rights measure should be enacted.… Continue Reading
To facilitate the ability of noncommercial broadcasters to undertake on-air fund-raising in support of relief efforts for victims of the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, the FCC has spelled out the easy steps necessary for noncoms to obtain waivers of the general prohibition against on-air fund-raising for non-licensees.… Continue Reading
The Media Bureau has released a Public Notice shedding further light on the upcoming renewal process. It includes a couple of interesting surprises worthy of mention and a couple of non-surprises worthy of attention.… Continue Reading
Weeks before the next Form 499-A deadline, the FCC slaps a six-figure fine on a telecom carrier for (among other things) failing to file its annual Form 499-A. There's probably a message there.… Continue Reading
OET has just released an Erratum to the NPRM in the experimental licensing proceeding. It advises that one of the two docket numbers listed in the original caption of that NPRM was wrong.… Continue Reading
If you're a TV licensee providing over-the-air feeds to one or more distant translator/LPTV/Class A stations, cable head-ends or satellite local receive sites, heads up. You need to act soon if you want those sites to be protected from unlicensed "white spaces" devices.… Continue Reading
The Copyright Office is exploring the possible elimination of the compulsory copyright licenses that form the core of the must-carry system.… Continue Reading
While the FCC dangles the possibility of shared auction proceeds to generate support for TV spectrum re-purposing, there's one nagging problem: the FCC doesn't have the statutory authority to share those proceeds. But three bills introduced in Congress this session might resolve that problem.… Continue Reading
The folks in the Audio Division are gearing up for the next cycle of renewal applications - and they're doing what they can to help radio broadcasters do the same.… Continue Reading
