A couple of months ago we reported on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) looking to expand the use of wireless services, particularly in-flight Wi-Fi, on aircraft traveling over the contiguous United States. The idea is to establish a nationwide network of air-to-ground stations that would allow plane passengers to connect to the Internet more easily and cheaply, at least while they’re in U.S. airspace. The NPRM has now been published in the Federal Register, as a result of which the deadlines for comments and reply comments have now been set. Comments are due by August 26, 2013 and reply comments are due by September 23. And a bonus deadline! Since the FCC’s proposals include some new “information collections” subject to the hilariously-named Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the Commission has also invited separate comments on that aspect of the NPRM. PRA comments are due by September 9.
