All posts by Anthony D. Glosson

PLI’s 2017/2018 Telecommunications Law Answer Book by Drinker Biddle Now Available

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Each year since 2014, a wide range of Drinker Biddle lawyers, including Telecom Highlights contributors Laura Phillips, Lee Petro and Anthony Glosson, have written the Practising Law Institute (PLI) Telecommunications Law Answer Book, a 600-plus page comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory issues faced by the telecommunications industry.  Each year the content is updated to reflect new legal, regulatory and policy developments.  Laura Phillips serves as the publication’s Editor.

The Answer Book is presented in an easy-to-read Q&A format, and offers expert guidance on numerous issues for practitioners, corporate general counsels and senior management, and other professionals in the many areas of the telecommunications industry.  Topics highlighted in this year’s Answer Book include, among others:

  • Pending Proposals to Reclassify Broadband Internet Access Service
  • Spectrum Auctions
  • Regulatory Developments to Support 5G Mobile Services
  • Cybersecurity US Executive Order
  • Repealed Broadband Privacy Rules
  • Executive-Branch Ethics and Gift Rules
  • Recent Antitrust/Sherman Act Claims
  • New Developments with the Connect America Fund
  • Revisions to FCC Foreign Ownership Rules

For more information, please visit the PLI site here

FCC Adopts Notice of Inquiry Seeking Comment on Enterprise Communications Systems’ 911 Capabilities

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In a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) released last week, the FCC sought input on the state of 911 capabilities in office and other enterprise environments (Enterprise Communications Systems, or “ECS”).  The FCC expressed concern about continuing reports of several difficulties in accessing 911 services through ECS, including:

  • Lack of direct 911 dialing – e.g., a requirement to dial 9-911 to dial out to emergency services.
  • Lack of ability to route calls to the closest Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
  • Failure of some ECS networks to provide PSAPs with detailed information about the caller’s location.

Continue reading FCC Adopts Notice of Inquiry Seeking Comment on Enterprise Communications Systems’ 911 Capabilities →

Currently Pending FCC Petitions in TCPA Matters

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With the TCPA dockets remaining active going into 2016, we decided to put together a list of notable petitions pending at the FCC.  The following list provides details on most petitions that the FCC has yet to rule on, including links to the petition and, where applicable, the public notice, some background on the issues implicated by the petitions, and details on important dates associated with the proceeding.

Nonpublic draft FCC orders on the following petitions are currently on circulation before the Commission for a vote:

Further details on these petitions are included below. Continue reading Currently Pending FCC Petitions in TCPA Matters →

Update on FCC Proceeding to Remove Cuba from the International Section 214 Exclusion List

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The Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) International Bureau (“IB”) has removed Cuba from the International Section 214 Exclusion List, an index of countries that are not covered by the FCC’s otherwise global “International Section 214” authorizations to carry telecommunications traffic beyond U.S. borders.  Entities seeking to operate lines between the U.S. and countries on the Exclusion List were required to obtain specific authorization from the FCC and the U.S. Department of State (“State Department”).

Continue reading Update on FCC Proceeding to Remove Cuba from the International Section 214 Exclusion List →

FCC Reforms Broadcast Ownership Reports and Filing Procedures

On January 20, 2016, the FCC released a Report and Order adopting new broadcast ownership reporting forms in a bid to improve demographic information available to the FCC. The order (1) imposed a requirement for a new Restricted Use FCC Reporting Number (“RUFRN”); (2) increased reporting obligations for noncommercial education broadcasters; (3) limited the availability of Special Use FRNs; and (4) revised the relevant reporting forms for improved efficiency. Continue reading FCC Reforms Broadcast Ownership Reports and Filing Procedures →