Category Archives: Satellite

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

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  • Repealed Broadband Privacy Rules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

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

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

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

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