Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC to Expedite Release of New Devices and Technologies, FCC Encourages Deployment Of Broadcast Internet Services
FCC to Expedite Release of New Devices and Technologies
The FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking to enhance its equipment authorization rules to grant limited, early-stage flexibility to innovators to accelerate the deployment of common consumer devices like cellphones, laptops, and Wi-Fi routers after FCC authorization. The proposed rule changes would allow radiofrequency device manufacturers and marketers to better position their devices for sale and distribution once a device has been authorized by the FCC. Among other things, the FCC proposes to: (1) allow limited marketing and sale of wireless devices to consumers prior to equipment authorization so long as the devices are not actually provided to consumers until authorized by the FCC; and (2) allow limited pre-authorization importation of radiofrequency devices into the United States for certain pre-sale activities such as packaging and loading devices with specific software to demonstrate features and capabilities.
FCC Encourages Deployment of Broadcast Internet Services
The FCC released an Order updating its rules to promote the introduction of ATSC 3.0-enabled innovative ancillary and supplementary broadcast services, otherwise known as Broadcast Internet. The advances in spectrum efficiency provided by ATSC 3.0 means that broadcasters will continue to provide high-quality, free, over-the-air digital television while also having the extra capacity to complement the nation’s 5G wireless networks with Broadcast Internet data services. The Order also clarifies the fee structure pertaining to ancillary and supplementary services, thus ensuring that television broadcasters can easily partner with third parties to provide new services without the risk of having to pay the federal government excessive fees.
Recognizing the unique public service mission of noncommercial educational television (NCE) stations, the Order also adopts a number of additional proposals designed to facilitate their provision of Broadcast Internet services. Notably, the Order allows NCE stations to offer nonprofit, noncommercial, educational Broadcast Internet services alongside their television programming as part of the primary use of their spectrum and cuts the fee on revenue from those services in half, from five percent to two-and-a-half percent.
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Recent Briefings from Inteserra!
- FCC Adopts Rules To Allow Blocking Of Calls Associated With One-Ring Scams
- FCC Announces Final Eligible Services List for 2021 E-Rate Program
- FCC Announces First Quarter 2021 USF Factor
- FCC Eliminates Additional UNEs
- FCC Names Somos as Administrator of Telephone Numbers and Reassigned Numbers Database
- FCC Seeks Comment On Establishing A Portal For Receiving Information About Robocalls And Spoofing
- Washington Governor Further Extends Residential Disconnection Prohibition During COVID-19
The Regulatory Mix will be on hiatus from 12/23/2020 - 1/3/2021
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