FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler looked at the past, yesterday at CTIA 21016, to give a vision of the future, while also asking, “What do we need to do seize the 5G opportunity?”. One key requirement, according to Wheeler, would be to get local officials in municipalities to agree to the installation of 5G equipment to support the higher speeds that …
FCC chief throws in the towel as his agency accepts municipal broadband defeat
The Federal Communications Commission will not appeal a ruling by the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appelas striking down its move to prevent states from blocking the expansion of broadband service offered by local governments. “The FCC will not seek further review of the Sixth Circuit’s decision on municipal broadband after determining that doing so would not be the best …
FCC refuses to halt spectrum bidding for trade show attendance as the auction yawns on
The FCC has informed two rural carrier organizations that it will not slow down or suspend the broadcast spectrum incentive auction in September due to a conflict in trade show scheduling. The Rural Wireless Association (RWA) and NTCA: The Rural Broadband Association had petitioned the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to provide breaks in the auction for RWA’s Rural Wireless Summit …
Court strips the FCC of its power to preempt state laws
A circuit court of appeals dealt a severe blow to the Federal Communications Commission when it ruled today that the agency could not preempt state laws that restrict the growth of municipal broadband networks. In February 2015, the FCC voted to block laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that prevent municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their service areas. Chairman Tom …
Amended colocation agreement lessens historic preservation reviews and speeds up 5G
The Federal Communications Commission took another significant step to facilitate the deployment of infrastructure critical to ensuring American leadership on next-generation wireless service, or 5G. Building on previous infrastructure reforms, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau signed an agreement to eliminate historic preservation review for small facility deployments across the U.S. that do not adversely impact historic sites and locations. The agreement …
FCC’s new sweeping Spectrum Frontier rules will open up 11 GHz of spectrum
The FCC today adopted new rules for wireless broadband operations in frequencies above 24 GHz, making the United States the first country in the world to make this spectrum available for next generation wireless services. Building on the successful, flexible approach to spectrum policy that enabled the explosion of 4G (LTE), these rules set a strong foundation for the rapid …
AM station counts continue to decline in FCC’s latest totals
According to the FCC’s latest quarterly report, ending June 30, 2016, there were four fewer AM broadcast stations from the previous quarter. Since June 30, 2015, the total decline is 22. Commercial FM stations increased from year to year by 48, increasing by one in the past quarter. Commercial TV stations saw mixed results for the quarter. One UHF station …
GCI feels the FCC’s wrath again, this time for 911 outages costing them $2.4 million
The Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau has reached a $2.4 million settlement with General Communication, Inc. (GCI), resolving an investigation into five 911 service outages that occurred on the company’s wireless network in various parts of Alaska between August 2008 and April 2016. As part of the settlement, GCI has agreed to strengthen its procedures for providing 911 service and …
Confounding clearing cost of $86,433,558,704 reached in spectrum auction
An unexpectedly high clearing cost of $86,422,558,704 was reached in the first reverse stage of the TV spectrum incentive auction that has concluded, according to the Federal Communications Commission’s Incentive Auction Dashboard. Analysts were expecting between $35 billion to $60 billion. The next stage is the forward auction that will be for the wireless industry bidders to cover that amount, …
FCC chief wants to quit studying 5G and roll it out now with spectrum trifecta
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced today his proposal for the FCC to free up a huge swath of airwaves for a new generation of faster wireless systems that could support remote surgery, guide cars, and control electricity grids. “And that’s damn important,” said Wheeler in his speech before the National Press Club which is available below, “because it …
FCC shuffle puts Suzanne Tetreault in the deputy bureau chief’s seat
FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Jon Wilkins has announced his intention to appoint Suzanne Tetreault as deputy bureau chief. Tetreault will move from her current position as deputy general counsel in the Office of General Counsel. Tetreault will replace current Deputy Bureau Chief Jean Kiddoo who is joining the FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force as Deputy Chair for Transition. “Suzanne’s …
The Glass Half Full: Rats live longer with cell phone RF radiation
After the preliminary findings of a $25 million National Toxicology Program (NTP) cell phone radiofrequency radiation study on rats were released last Thursday, conversationalists at Memorial Day picnics, whose endless knowledge base is fragilely built on headlines, most likely had their fellow guests wondering if they should hold their phone at arm’s length while texting their children at the other …
Company offering cell, drone and other jammers is fined $35 million
Although it might not be able to collect it, the Federal Communications Commission issued a $34.9 million fine forfeiture order yesterday against C.T.S. Technology, a Chinese electronics manufacturer and online retailer, for marketing and selling signal jamming devices to U.S. consumers. So-called “jammers” are radio frequency transmitters that intentionally block, jam, or interfere with wireless communications, such as cellphone calls, …
FCC publishes final list of 99 applicants for 600 MHz auction
The Federal Communications Commission released the 99 names of completed bidder applications (below) for the forward auction that will see wireless carriers and other participants bid upon spectrum in the 600 MHz band being let go by many TV broadcasters. The next step in the auction will be when the FCC decides whether the 99 applicants are qualified bidders. That …
FCC’s small cell and DAS webcast workshop corrals top industry experts
The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, in cooperation with the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), will host a workshop focusing on distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cell solutions on Tues., May 3, 2016, in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC from 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM EDT. Panelists, moderators and other speakers …
Environmental siting workshop will cover a broad range of topics, including bats
The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will host its annual educational workshop on the environmental compliance and historic preservation review process required for the construction of wireless communications facilities on Wed., May 4, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC Headquarters, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC. This year’s workshop will include information relevant to the construction …
Eyes are on Sprint as T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon provide favorable capex reports
Although subscriber growth is a good indicator of a carrier’s favorable outlook by analysts, capex is the tailwind of wireless infrastructure providers, and this week’s news deflated the sails of a number of analysts who have speculated that carriers would cut their capex in early 2016. In his typical over the top presentation with a 360-degree camera, T-Mobile CEO John …
American Tower and other companies can start issuing POs for pre-auction expenses
The FCC released a ruling yesterday that repacking expenses incurred before or during the upcoming broadcast incentive auction, such as tower mapping and structural analysis expenses, will be compensated by the FCC so long as they are coverer repacking-related expenses and the TV station has to move to a new channel in the repack. “We interpret the statutory reimbursement mandate …
Broadcasters will hear about the consequences of the FCC’s incentive auction
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. will participate in a featured presentation about the incentive auction at the NAB Show Broadcasting Engineering Conference on Tues., April 19, 2016, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. PT at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Shane O’Donoghue, Director of Broadcasting for Empire State Building, will speak on the Consequences of the Incentive Auction for Broadcasters as part …
FCC chief says spectrum auction could extend into fiscal year 2017
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler informed a Senate appropriations subcommittee yesterday morning that the incentive auction of 600 MHz spectrum may extend into 2017 if it doesn’t raise enough to pay broadcasters for the airwaves. The possibility of an extended timeframe is one reason why the FCC is requesting an additional $11 million in federal funds, Wheeler said during the hearing. …
