WASHINGTON—During the Federal Communications Commission’s last open meeting this year, the agency said it plans to consider a notice of proposed rulemaking that would amend its rules for radio and television stations “to reflect current application processing requirements, clarify and harmonize provisions, and remove references to outdated procedures and legacy filing systems.”
The FCC at its Dec. 11 meeting will also consider expanding unlicensed use of the 6-GHz band by very-low-power devices, several items from its Wireline Competition Bureau and some unnamed enforcement actions.
Items on the tentative agenda for Dec. 11 were described as follows:
- Office Of Engineering And Technology. Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band (ET Docket No. 18-295), Expanding Flexible Use in Mid-Band Spectrum Between 3.7 and 24 GHz (GN Docket No. 17-183). Summary: The FCC will consider a third report and order that would expand unlicensed use of the 6-GHz band by very-low-power devices in two additional subbands, making a contiguous 1,200 MHz of spectrum available for use by these devices.
- Media Bureau. Broadcast Rule Update (MB Docket No. 24-626). Summary: The commission will consider a notice of proposed rulemaking amending its rules for radio and television stations to reflect current application processing requirements, clarify and harmonize provisions, and remove references to outdated procedures and legacy filing systems.
- Wireline Competition Bureau. Connect America Fund (WC Docket No. 10-90); The Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund (WC Docket No. 18-143); Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (WC Docket No. 19-126); Letters of Credit for Recipients of High-Cost Competitive Bidding Support (WC Docket No. 24-144); Connect America Fund Phase II Auction (AU Docket No. 17-182); Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction (AU Docket No.20-34); Establishing a 5G Fund for Rural America (GN Docket No. 20-32). Summary: The commission will consider a report and order that would adopt targeted modifications to the requirements for letters of credit that recipients of Universal Service Fund high-cost support awarded through a competitive process must obtain.
- Enforcement Bureau. Enforcement Order on Reconsideration (EB Docket No. 23-64). Summary: The commission will consider an order on reconsideration of its March 19, 2024, memorandum opinion and order in the UPM Technology, Inc. v. Unigestion Holding, S.A., d/b/a Digicel Haiti, complaint proceeding.
- Enforcement Bureau. The commission will also consider three enforcement actions.
The FCC’s Dec. 11 open meeting will start at 10:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the FCC building at 45 L St. N.E., Washington. Open Meetings are streamed live at: www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC’s YouTube channel.
The FCC issued the notice of proposed rulemaking and opened MB Docket No. 24-626 on Nov. 20 with the aim of reducing potential confusion among the public, applicants, licensees, and practitioners as well as alleviating unnecessary burdens on stations.
More specifically, the FCC said the notice:
- Seeks comment on updating rules to conform to existing requirements and licensing systems.
- Proposes to eliminate outdated and obsolete requirements.
- Seeks comment on harmonizing processing procedures across services, including FM, LPFM and FM translators.
- Proposes to modify the signature rule to expand the definition of who may sign an application certification.
- Seeks comment on consolidating rules for clarity.
- Proposes to revise the informal objection rule to require service of pleadings upon the relevant applicant and objector, limit the type of responsive pleadings and impose filing deadlines.
The full notice is available here.
