Today:  FCC Announces Tentative Agenda For November Open Meeting, FTC Announces More Privacy and Data Security Hearings, White House Memo on Spectrum Strategy Released

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda For November Open Meeting

The FCC announced the tentative agenda for its November 15, 2018, Open Meeting, which the Chairman has dubbed “Space Month” because the FCC will be taking up nine items to “ensure that America leads in the New Space Age, with an emphasis on cutting through the red tape.”

The only non-space related item on the agenda relates to the FCC’s Wireless Hearing Aid Compatibility requirements.  That Report and Order that would replace requirements for wireless service providers to report annually on their offerings of hearing aid-compatible handsets with a requirement to provide enhanced information on their websites and to certify annually whether providers are in full compliance with the hearing aid compatibility rules.   The other items are as follows:

Galileo Order:  An Order that addresses waivers of certain satellite licensing requirements for receive-only earth stations operating with the Galileo Radionavigation-Satellite Service.

Mitigation of Orbital Debris in the New Space Age:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing comprehensive updates to the FCC’s orbital debris rules for all FCC-authorized satellites.

Facilitating Satellite Earth Stations in Motion: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing rules to facilitate the deployment of non-geostationary-orbit (NGSO) fixed-satellite service earth stations that transmit while in motion.

SpaceX V-Band Authorization: A Memorandum Opinion, Order and Authorization that would grant SpaceX’s request to deploy and operate a proposed non-geostationary constellation to provide broadband services around the world.

Kepler Communications Market Access Request:  An Order and Declaratory Ruling that would grant Kepler’s request for U.S. market access to offer global connectivity for the Internet of Things using a proposed constellation of non-geostationary orbit satellites.

Telesat V-Band Market Access Request:  An Order and Declaratory Ruling that would grant Telesat’s request to access the U.S. market to provide broadband services using a proposed constellation of non-geostationary orbit satellites.

LeoSat Market Access Request:  An Order and Declaratory Ruling that would grant LeoSat’s request for U.S. market access to provide satellite broadband services in the United States using a proposed constellation of non-geostationary orbit satellites, including high-speed connectivity for enterprises.

Further Streamlining of Satellite Regulations: A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing additional streamlining of space and earth station licensing rules.

Updating and Streamlining Rules for the Direct Broadcast Satellite Service:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to align the DBS licensing procedures with those of the geostationary fixed-satellite service.

Electronic Delivery of MVPD Communications:  A Report and Order that would modernize certain consumer notice provisions in Part 76 of the FCC’s Rules governing multichannel video and cable television service.

FTC Announces More Privacy and Data Security Hearings

The FTC announced several new planned dates for its sessions on Consumer Privacy and Data Security As Part of its Hearings on Competition and Consumer Protection in the 21st Century.  The December hearings will focus on data security and will take place December 11-12, 2018 at the FTC Constitution Center Auditorium, 400 7th St., SW, Washington, DC. The hearings on consumer privacy will take place in the same venue on February 12-13, 2019.  The data security hearings will include five panel discussions and additional discussion of research related to data breaches and data security threats. The first day’s panel discussions will examine incentives to invest in data security and consumer demand for data security. Discussions on the second day will focus on data security assessments, the U.S. framework related to consumer data security, and the FTC’s data security enforcement program.

The FTC hearings on consumer privacy will provide the first comprehensive re-examination of the FTC’s approach to consumer privacy since 2012. 

White House Memo on Spectrum Strategy Released

The White House released a memo outlining how it would like to develop a sustainable spectrum strategy.  The memo focuses on spectrum sharing, efficient government spectrum use, and leading the world in 5G deployment. 

“It is the policy of the United States to use radiofrequency spectrum (spectrum) as efficiently and effectively as possible to help meet our economic, national security, science, safety, and other Federal mission goals now and in the future. To best achieve this policy, the Nation requires a balanced, forward-looking, flexible, and sustainable approach to spectrum management,” the memo says.  Within 180 days, executive departments and agencies must report to the Commerce Department, working through NTIA, “on their anticipated future spectrum requirements for a time period and in a format specified by the Secretary. Additionally, agencies shall initiate a review of their current frequency assignments and quantification of their spectrum usage in accordance with guidance to be provided by the Secretary.” 

The memo also talks about the creation of a Spectrum Strategy Task Force and revokes the Presidential Memoranda of June 28, 2010 (Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution) and June 14, 2013 (Expanding America’s Leadership in Wireless Innovation).

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.