Technology, Communications & Media

Read about the Supreme Court’s holding in Wisconsin Bell, Inc. v. United States ex rel. Heath that requests for funding from the FCC’s E-rate program are “claims” for purposes of the False Claims Act and an upcoming oral argument at the Court on related issues.

The wireless industry has revolutionized the way we connect, from facilitating teleworking, distance learning, and telemedicine to allowing the American public to interact virtually in almost all other aspects of their daily lives.  Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools and resources it needs to keep pace with this evolving landscape.  This blog provides monthly updates on actions by federal regulatory bodies responsible for communications policy and Congressional efforts to support wireless connectivity.  And this month we highlight the FCC’s release of proposals to enhance U.S. cybersecurity in communications networks in the wake of the Salt Typhoon hack.

Read about how President Trump’s recent executive order, which directs all executive departments and agencies to pause currently pending proceedings and review any proposed or adopted rules not yet in effect, apparently applies to three FCC TCPA- and TRACED Act-related actions.

Read about the Eleventh Circuit’s decision in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC, which vacated the FCC’s one-to-one consent rule just one business day before it was set to go into effect.

Read about how President Trump’s recent executive order, which directs all executive departments and agencies to pause currently pending proceedings and review any proposed or adopted rules not yet in effect, apparently applies to three FCC TCPA- and TRACED Act-related actions and the Eleventh Circuit’s decision in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC, which vacated the FCC’s one-to-one consent rule.

The wireless industry has revolutionized the way we connect, from facilitating teleworking, distance learning, and telemedicine to allowing the American public to interact virtually in almost all other aspects of their daily lives.  Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools and resources it needs to keep pace with this evolving landscape.  This blog provides monthly updates on actions by federal regulatory bodies responsible for communications policy and Congressional efforts to support wireless connectivity. And this month we highlight two FCC proposals to enhance U.S. cybersecurity in communications networks in the wake of the Salt Typhoon hack.

Read about a case on appeal to the Fourth Circuit about whether the disclosure requirements under the E-SIGN Act apply to the TCPA and a Georgia federal court’s decision to stay a case in light of a pending Supreme Court case likely to provide further guidance on the limits of agency rulings.

Read about a recent FCC Order directing over 2,000 telecommunications service providers to cure deficiencies in each of their Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) certifications and robocall mitigation plans, a draft Report and Order proposing to change RMD filing requirement rules, an appeal sent to the Fourth Circuit about whether the disclosure requirements under the E-SIGN Act apply to the TCPA, and a Georgia federal court’s decision to stay a case in light of a pending Supreme Court case likely to provide further guidance on the limits of agency rulings.

Read about a recent FCC Order directing over 2,000 telecommunications service providers to cure deficiencies in each of their Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) certifications and robocall mitigation plans and Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s announcement about a draft Report and Order proposing to change RMD filing requirement rules to promote increased diligence and accountability.

The wireless industry has revolutionized the way we connect, from facilitating teleworking, distance learning, and telemedicine to allowing the American public to interact virtually in almost all other aspects of their daily lives.  Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools and resources it needs to keep pace with this evolving landscape.  This blog provides monthly updates on actions by federal regulatory bodies responsible for communications policy and Congressional efforts to support wireless connectivity.  And this month we highlight the FCC’s grant of SpaceX’s request to provide direct-to-cell services from Starlink satellites using T‑Mobile spectrum so that T-Mobile customers can have access to wireless services where they do not have it today. 

This month’s newsletter covers an FCC Report and Order authorizing many telecommunications service providers to use third parties to “sign” calls on their behalf consistent with STIR/SHAKEN’s technical requirements. It also discusses a California federal court’s summary judgment decision in Williams v. DDR Media, LLC, which sent a message that compliance tools that prioritize privacy and operate without substantive interpretation of communications are not wiretapping consumers under the California Invasion of Privacy Act.

Read about an FCC Report and Order authorizing originating, intermediate, and gateway telecommunications service providers to engage third parties to perform the technological act of “signing” calls on their behalf consistent with the technical requirements of the STIR/SHAKEN standards. 

Read about a California federal court’s summary judgment decision in Williams v. DDR Media, LLC, which sent the message that that compliance tools that prioritize privacy and operate without substantive interpretation of communications are not wiretapping consumers under the California Invasion of Privacy Act.

The wireless industry has revolutionized the way we connect, from facilitating teleworking, distance learning, and telemedicine to allowing the American public to interact virtually in almost all other aspects of their daily lives.  Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools and resources it needs to keep pace with this evolving landscape.  This blog provides monthly updates on actions by federal regulatory bodies responsible for communications policy and Congressional efforts to support wireless connectivity.  And this month we highlight the release of the National Spectrum Research and Development Plan.

Read about FCC compliance rules concerning consumer requests to revoke consent for calls and texts under the TCPA, FCC Enforcement Bureau actions aimed at stopping the transmission of illegal robocall traffic over gateway provider Identidad Advertising Development LLC’s network, and a pending Supreme Court case that raises the issue of whether the Hobbs Act required a district court to accept the FCC’s interpretation of the TCPA as it pertains to faxes received by email. 

Read about FCC compliance rules concerning consumer requests to revoke consent for calls and texts under the TCPA and FCC Enforcement Bureau actions aimed at stopping the transmission of illegal robocall traffic over gateway provider Identidad Advertising Development LLC’s network.

Read about McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates, Inc. v. McKesson Corporation, a pending Supreme Court case that raises the issue of whether the Hobbs Act required a district court to accept the FCC’s interpretation of the TCPA as it pertains to faxes received by email. 

The wireless industry has revolutionized the way we connect, from facilitating teleworking, distance learning, and telemedicine to allowing the American public to interact virtually in almost all other aspects of their daily lives.  Leading policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a top priority to ensure that the wireless industry has the tools and resources it needs to keep pace with this evolving landscape.  This blog provides monthly updates on actions by federal regulatory bodies responsible for communications policy and Congressional efforts to support wireless connectivity.  And this month we highlight the Ninth Circuit’s ruling on the FCC’s clarifications with respect to wireless infrastructure deployment.

Read about an FCC Report and Order commissioners will vote on individually that encompasses two other pending orders related to call-blocking, text-message blocking, and making e-mail-to-text an opt-in service. This month’s newsletter also covers a Florida federal court’s dismissal of a TCPA class action involving a text message and multiple calls stemming from the plaintiff’s disclosure of her phone number during a store survey.

Read about an FCC Report and Order commissioners will vote on individually that encompasses two other pending orders related to call-blocking, text-message blocking, and making e-mail-to-text an opt-in service. As drafted, the order declines to impose several call and text blocking requirements.