June 30, 2021 Weekly Wireless Wrap-Up

Welcome back to TLP’s Weekly Wireless Wrap-Up, your weekly update on the wireless telecommunications regulatory landscape, important wireless decisions, and more!  This week, the FCC announced its Tentative Agenda for the July Open Meeting and released a Report and Order on 911 Fee Diversion, among other things.  Here’s your wrap up:

FCC:

• Late last Tuesday, June 22, 2021, the FCC announced its Tentative Agenda for the July Open Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 10:30 AM. The FCC is set to consider five items, including a Third Report and Order amending the rules that govern the Rip and Replace Program.  For more information, see our post here.
• Last Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the FCC announced that it was adopting a new requirement mandating that licensees to provide the FCC with an email address in anticipation of retiring the Legacy CORES system later this year. This is intended to facilitate the FCC’s plans to shift to primarily electronic delivery of notices and formally shift away from the U.S. Postal Service.  For more information, check out our post here.
• On Thursday, June 24, 2021, the FCC released a Report and Order adopting new rules in the 911 Fee Diversion proceedings. The Report and Order implements the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, both of which address 911 fee diversion by state and local governments.  The adopted rules specify acceptable and unacceptable uses for 911 fees, and set up procedures for jurisdictions to seek declaratory rulings on their use of 911 fees, among other things.  For more information, see our post here.
• On Friday, June 25, 2021, the FCC signed an interagency agreement with NTIA and USDA on the coordination for the distribution of funds for broadband deployment programs. The agreement requires the agencies to share information with each other about existing plans or projects that will receive funds for new broadband deployment under the agencies’ various programs.  For more information, see the agreement here.
• Finally, as a reminder, today, June 30, 2021 is the deadline for voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN on the IP portions on their networks, unless they are subject to an extension or exemption. In addition, today is the deadline for all voice service providers to file their certifications in the Robocall Mitigation Database.  For more information, see our post here.

Relevant Court Decisions:

• On Monday, June 28, 2021, the Supreme Court denied several local and state government’s petition for review of the FCC’s Small Cell and Local Moratoria and One Touch Make Ready In August of last year, the 9^th Circuit had largely upheld the FCC’s orders, finding that only the FCC’s attempt to limit local government concerns regarding the aesthetics of small cell wireless facilities was arbitrary and capricious.  With the Supreme Court’s decision, the 9^th Circuit’s order stands and the FCC’s rules will become final.  For more information, see the 9^th Circuit’s decision here and the Supreme Court’s docket here.

For more information or assistance on telecommunications matters, please contact us.