Category Archives: Compliance

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  • Repealed Broadband Privacy Rules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 →

FCC Acts on Serial Spoofing; Warns that TCPA and Wire Fraud Activities Must Cease

At its monthly Open Meeting on June 22, the FCC voted to issue a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) finding that Adrian Abramovich (Abramovich) apparently perpetrated one of the largest spoofed robocall campaigns that the agency has ever investigated. Through its Enforcement Bureau (Bureau), the FCC concurrently released a separate Citation and Order notifying Abramovich of violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) as well as the federal wire fraud statute by making illegal telemarketing calls to emergency lines, wireless phones, and residential phones, and that the calls included prerecorded messages falsely claimed affiliation with well-known U.S. travel and hotel companies, thus defrauding unsuspecting consumers receiving these calls. Continue reading FCC Acts on Serial Spoofing; Warns that TCPA and Wire Fraud Activities Must Cease →

EAS National Test Deadlines Announced

On July 18, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that there will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on September 28, 2016, at 2:20pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).  All EAS Participants are required to participate during the National EAS Test, and they must register with the FCC’s new EAS reporting system by August 26, 2016. Continue reading EAS National Test Deadlines Announced →

FCC Gives Advance Notice To Displaced Low Power TV and TV Translator Stations

On May 26, 2016, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a Public Notice with the stated purpose of providing advance notice of the eligibility standards for Low Power television (“LPTV”) and TV Translator licensees seeking to file displacement applications in a future filing window. With the commencement of the Incentive Auction, the Media Bureau sought to provide permittees sufficient time to construct their authorized facilities if they wish to participate in the first displacement filing window to be opened shortly after the end of the Incentive Auction.

Continue reading FCC Gives Advance Notice To Displaced Low Power TV and TV Translator Stations →

Transition to New Online Public File Database Announced

In an earlier post, we discussed the adoption of rules requiring all radio stations, cable systems, and satellite radio and television licensees to transition their public inspection file onto an online database to be maintained by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

On May 12, 2016, the FCC announced the timeline for the migration for the affected parties.  In particular, the following parties will need to commence using the new database on June 24, 2016: Continue reading Transition to New Online Public File Database Announced →

Reminder – CPNI Annual Certification Filings Due March 1

Starting out the New Year with its first “enforcement advisory,” the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau on February 5, 2016 issued a Public Notice reminding telecommunications carriers and interconnected VoIP providers that they have until March 1, 2016 to file annual Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) certifications with the FCC. Continue reading Reminder – CPNI Annual Certification Filings Due March 1 →

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 →