Welcome to TLP’s inaugural Weekly Wireless Wrap-Up, where we will provide you with an update on all of the important happenings in the wireless world over the last week! To kick us off, last week, the FCC released several important items and held its April Open Commission Meeting. The following items were particularly relevant for wireless providers:
- The FCC released a Public Notice announcing that the Robocall Mitigation Database is open for filing. Voice service providers are required to submit a certification and contact information, among other things, to the database on or before June 30, 2021. Providers who fail to submit the required information to the database will be subject to blocking from intermediate providers and terminating voice service providers beginning on September 28, 2021. For more information, see our post here.
- The FCC held its April Open Commission Meeting on Thursday, April 22, 2021. The FCC considered and adopted seven items, which are described in our post here. An eighth item was originally set for consideration, a Public Notice on Imposing an Application Cap in the Upcoming NCE FM Filing Window, however, the FCC adopted the item prior to the Open Meeting and accordingly deleted the item from consideration in this Notice. Two items adopted by the FCC at the Open Meeting are particularly relevant to wireless providers. Here’s a breakdown for you:
- First, the FCC adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”) that proposes and seeks comment on requiring covered text providers to support Text-to-988. Comments will be due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and reply comments will be due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. For more information on the FNPRM, see our post here.
- Second, the FCC adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) which seeks to improve the framework for reporting network disruptions that affect 911 service and harmonize the reporting requirements of covered 911 service providers and originating service providers. Comments will be due 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register and reply comments will be due 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. For more information on the NPRM, see our post here.
- On Monday, April 26, 2021, the FCC hosted a Joint Workshop with the National Counterintelligence and Security Center on the efforts both agencies have taken to secure the nation’s communications supply chain. The workshop featured panels that explored initiatives to promote supply chain integrity for small and medium sized businesses and efforts to protect software. Parties interested in viewing the workshop and related materials can do so here.
- Also on Monday, The Office of Engineering and Technology (“OET”) and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (“WTB”) released a Public Notice seeking comment on aligning Parts 2 and 30 of the FCC’s rules with the unwanted emissions limits into the passive 23.6-24.0 GHz band that were adopted at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (“WRC-19”). Comments will be due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and reply comments will be due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. For more information, check out our post here.