Good afternoon from Washington, DC! Below you will find our Weekly Wireless Wrap-Up, your update on the wireless telecommunications regulatory landscape, important wireless decisions, and more! Here is your wrap-up:
- DATA PRIVACY
- On 8/25, Chairwoman Rosenworcel announced that she was publicly sharing the responses received from the nation’s top 15 mobile carriers to her previous request for information on their data retention and privacy policies and practices. She also noted that the Enforcement Bureau was launching an investigation into carrier compliance with the FCC’s disclosure rules and that the FCC had made it easier for consumers to file privacy related complaints with the FCC. For more information and to view a copy of the announcement, see our post here.
- WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS
- On 8/30, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (“Bureau”) released an Order announcing that it was waiving the Commission’s rules to allow participating Commercial Mobile Service Providers to participate in a planned end-to-end Wireless Emergency Alert (“WEA”) test initiative, which will mirror real world alert circumstances and allow the Bureau to collect data on WEA’s effectiveness. The test is currently scheduled for limited geographic locations on September 12 and September 13. For more information and to view a copy of the Order, see our post here.
- GOVERNMENT FUNDING
- This morning, NTIA announced that Louisiana would be the first state to receive funds from the BEAD Program planning funds. Louisiana will receive nearly $3 million in funding to plan for the deployment and adoption of affordable, reliable, and equitable high-speed internet throughout the state. For more information see the NTIA’s announcement here.
- NEW PARTNERSHIPS
- On 8/25, T-Mobile and SpaceX announced that they were collaborating to “bring cell phone connectivity everywhere.” T-Mobile plans to utilize Starlink, SpaceX’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation, to provide service directly to cell phones on T-Mobile’s network everywhere in the United States, including in remote locations. This will certainly involve regulatory scrutiny and is something TLP will be tracking. This type of satellite service direct to cellphone technology is something that numerous other providers, including AST SpaceMobile, have been working on. For more information, see T-Mobile’s announcement here.
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