Title 47 published on 2011-10-01
The following are only the Rules published in the Federal Register after the published date of Title 47.
For a complete list of all Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices view the Rulemaking tab.
In this document, the Commission adopts LPFM and translator licensing policies that conform to the Local Community Radio Act (“LCRA”). The LCRA requires the FCC to balance the competing demands of LPFM and translator applicants when making licensing decisions. Section 5 of the Act requires the Commission to ensure that: licenses are available for both LPFM and translator stations; licensing decisions are based on community needs; and translator and LPFM stations remain equal in status. The item finds that a previously adopted cap on translator applications pending from Auction No. 83 is inconsistent with the LCRA's directives, and adopts a market-specific processing policy. The item finds that this approach most faithfully implements Section 5's directives, and will allow the Commission to resume the processing of approximately 6,500 translator applications that have been pending since 2003, while also ensuring that the upcoming LPFM window will provide a real opportunity for significant community radio licensing in major metropolitan areas. The item also adopts national and market caps to prevent the trafficking of translator construction permits. Finally, the item relaxes the May 1, 2009, date restriction to allow pending translator applications from Auction No. 83 that are subsequently granted to rebroadcast the signals of AM stations at night.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission clarifies certain rules. The order clarifies, but does not otherwise modify, the USF/ICC Transformation Order. The petition for Clarification or, in the Alternative, for Reconsideration of Verizon is granted in part and dismissed in part, and the Petition for Reconsideration of United States Telecom Association is dismissed in part.
In this document, the Commission conditionally waives the requirement for National Deaf Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) certified programs to submit reimbursement claims only once every six months, to permit certified programs to submit reimbursement claims as frequently as monthly. The Commission waives this requirement for good cause shown, to reduce the financial burden on programs that the Commission certifies to participate in the NDBEDP, and to better enable selected participants to fully meet the needs of eligible low-income, deaf-blind individuals in a timely manner.
In this document, the Commission modifies its rules in order to implement provisions of the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (“LCRA”) that unambiguously require the Commission to eliminate its third-adjacent channel spacing requirements and to maintain the spacing requirements currently in place to protect radio reading services. The Commission also dismisses and/or denies various petitions for reconsideration of the Third Report and Order in MM Docket No. 99-25 and terminates a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in that docket.
This document corrects errors in the DATES section of a Federal Register document (77 FR 12952, March 2, 2012) regarding the Federal Communications Commission comprehensively reforming and beginning to modernize the Universal Service Fund's Lifeline program. The reforms adopted will substantially strengthen protections against waste, fraud, and abuse; improve program administration and accountability; improve enrollment and consumer disclosures; initiate modernization of the program for broadband; and constrain the growth of the program in order to reduce the burden on all who contribute to the Universal Service Fund. This document also contains corrections to the paragraph numbering of final rule regulations in part 54.
Pursuant to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, the FCC revises its regulations to require closed captioning of IP-delivered video programming that is published or exhibited on television with captions after the effective date of the new regulations. The FCC also imposes closed captioning requirements on certain apparatus that receive or play back video programming, and on certain recording devices. This action will better enable individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to view IP-delivered video programming, as Congress intended.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of September 26, 2011. The document announces the effective date of rules containing information collection requirements approved by the Office of Management and Budget that were adopted by the FCC to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules governing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to codify the obligation to process alert messages formatted in the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and to streamline and clarify these rules generally to enhance their effectiveness.
The Federal Communications Commission removes two modifications to its competitive bidding rules pursuant to a mandate by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission clarifies certain rules. This document also modifies certain initial filing deadlines required to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements, and finds good cause to delete certain rules that are now obsolete.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission comprehensively reforms and begins to modernize the Universal Service Fund's Lifeline program. The reforms adopted in this document substantially strengthen protections against waste, fraud, and abuse; improve program administration and accountability; improve enrollment and consumer disclosures; initiate modernization of the program for broadband; and constrain the growth of the program in order to reduce the burden on all who contribute to the Universal Service Fund.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's rules contained in the Second Report and Order, FCC 11-119, pertaining to carriage of video programming vendors by multichannel video programming distributors (program carriage rules). This notice is consistent with the Secord Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.
The Commission issues this final rule in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Lincoln Broadcasting, LLC (“LBL”), licensee of KFXL-TV, channel 51, Lincoln, Nebraska, requesting the substitution of channel 15 for channel 51 at Lincoln. While the Commission instituted a freeze on the acceptance of full power television rulemaking petitions requesting channel substitutions in May 2011, it subsequently announced that it would lift the freeze to accept such petitions for rulemaking seeking to relocate from channel 51 pursuant to a voluntary relocation agreement with Lower 700 MHz A Block licensees. Furthermore, according to LBL, this channel substitution is in the public interest as it will increase the station's service area by almost 700, 000 persons.
This document amends the Commission's rules to facilitate more efficient and effective use by the Amateur Radio Service of five channels in the 5330.5-5406.4 kHz band (the 60 meter band). Specifically, and consistent with our proposals in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in this proceeding, the Commission replaces one of the channels with a less encumbered one, increases the maximum authorized power amateur stations may transmit in this band, and authorizes amateur stations to transmit three additional emission designators. The Commission also adopts an additional operational rule that prohibits the use of automatically controlled digital stations and makes editorial revisions to the relevant portions of the Table of Frequency Allocations (Allocation Table) and our service rules.
This document makes a number of non-substantive, editorial revisions to the Commission's rules. These revisions are made to delete certain rule provisions that are without current legal effect and therefore are obsolete. These non-substantive revisions are part of the Commission's ongoing examination and improvement of FCC processes and procedures. The revisions clarify, simplify, and harmonize the rules, making them more readily accessible to the public and minimizing potential confusion for interested parties and Commission staff.
This document expands the Commission's Medical Device Radiocommunication (MedRadio) Service rules to permit the use of new wideband medical implant devices that employ neuromuscular microstimulation techniques to restore sensation, mobility, and other functions to paralyzed limbs and organs. These medical devices hold enormous promise to advance the state of medical care, lower health costs, and improve the quality of life for countless Americans. The rules will allow these new types of MedRadio devices to access 24 megahertz of spectrum in the 413-419 MHz, 426-432 MHz, 438-444 MHz, and 451-457 MHz bands on a secondary basis.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopts a rule that affects the process of tower construction by instituting a pre-application notification process so that members of the public will have a meaningful opportunity to comment on the environmental effects of proposed antenna structures that require registration with the Commission. As an interim measure pending completion of a programmatic environmental analysis and subsequent rulemaking proceeding, the Commission also requires that an EA be prepared for any proposed tower over 450 feet in height.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning rules that comprehensively reform and modernize the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation.
In this document, the Commission adopted procedures designed to promote the initiation of commercial FM radio service by and to Native American tribes, by providing a procedure for such tribes to establish threshold qualifications when applying for commercial FM allotments added to the Table of Allotments using the Commission's Tribal Priority.
In this document, the Commission amends rules regarding the attributes of “voice telephony service” to be supported by the Federal universal service support mechanisms. This action is necessary to reflect the evolution of the marketplace and to limit supported services. The Commission also waives certain effective dates so that intercarrier compensation for non-access traffic exchanged between Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) and Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers pursuant to an interconnection agreement in effect as of December 23, 2011, will be subject to a default bill-and-keep methodology on July 1, 2012, rather than on December 29, 2011. This action is necessary to limit marketplace disruption by delaying bill-and-keep until carriers are eligible to receive recovery as part of the transitional revenue recovery mechanism for this type of traffic.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning rules that govern access to toll-free numbers by users of Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Services (iTRS).
In this document, the Commission adopts rules that implement provisions of section 104 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), Public Law 111-260, the most significant accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. A Proposed Rule relating to implementation of section 718 of the Communications Act of 1934, as enacted by the CVAA, is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register . This proceeding amends the Commission's rules to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the incredible and innovative communications technologies of the 21st-century. These rules are significant and necessary steps towards ensuring that the 54 million Americans with disabilities are able to fully utilize and benefit from advanced communications services (ACS). People with disabilities often have not shared in the benefits of this rapid technological advancement. The CVAA implements steps in addressing this inequity by advancing the accessibility of ACS in a manner that is consistent with our objectives of promoting investment and innovation. This is consistent with the Commission's commitment to promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans.
In a rule published November 29, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopted fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding. This document provides additional information to the final rule document published on November 29, 2011.
In this document, the Commission amends its rules governing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules to extend the deadline for EAS Participants to be able to receive Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-formatted EAS alerts to no later than June 30, 2012. This is intended to provide EAS Participants with time to comply with any new CAP-based revisions to the Commission's rules.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Service Rules and Policies for the Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS), Report and Order (Second Report and Order). The information collection requirements were approved on November 17, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning new procedures for evaluating mutually exclusive proposals for radio service, as well as for applications to change a station's community of license. The Commission adopted these procedural changes to promote the initiation and retention of radio service in and to smaller communities and rural areas.
The Audio Division, at the request of Canyon Media Group, LLC, allots FM Channel 288C and deletes FM Channel 285C at Milford, Utah. The allotment change is part of a hybrid rule making and FM application proposal. Channel 288C can be allotted at Milford, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 38-31-11 NL and 113-17-07 WL, with a site restriction of 27.6 km (17.2 miles) northwest of the community See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning a rule authorizing the use of FM translators with licenses or permits in effect as of May 1, 2009, to rebroadcast the signal of a local AM Station.
The Audio Division, at the request of Kenneth W. Diebel (“Petitioner”), deletes FM Channel 230A and allots FM Channel 228A at Bastrop, Louisiana. The purpose of the proposed channel substitution is to accommodate Petitioner's pending application to upgrade FM Station KGGM, Delhi, Louisiana, to Channel 230C3. Channel 228A can be allotted at Bastrop, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 32-48-20 NL and 91-52-5 WL, with a site restriction of 7.2 km (4.5 miles) northeast of the community See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces the effectiveness of hearing aid compatibility requirements that have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Connect America Fund, Report and Order ( Order )'s access stimulation rules. This notice is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules. The Commission received OMB pre-approval for the proposed requirements on April 19, 2011 and final approval for the final requirements on December 1, 2011. Therefore, the information collection requirements were adopted as proposed.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning a rule that requires facilities-based providers of commercial mobile data services to offer data roaming arrangements to other such providers on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, subject to certain limitations, thereby advancing the Commission's goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to competitive broadband mobile data services.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning a rule establishing protections for broadband service to preserve and reinforce Internet freedom and openness.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding continuing efforts to increase flexibility in the use of microwave services licensed under our rules.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reforms and modernizes the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopts fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in a final rule published July 27, 2011. The information collection requirements were approved on February 7, 2011, and November 17, 2011, by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering, Report and Order ( Report and Order). The information collection requirements were approved on September 27, 2011 by OMB.
This document affirms the Commission's rules for Access Broadband over Power Line (Access BPL) systems. The Commission also makes certain minor modifications to improve and clarify the rules. These rules provide an appropriate balance between the dual objectives of providing for Access BPL technology that has potential applications for broadband and Smart Grid while protecting incumbent radio services against harmful interference.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Channel 32 Montgomery, LLC (“Channel 32”), the licensee of WNCF(TV), channel 32, Montgomery, Alabama, requesting the substitution of channel 31 for channel 32 at Montgomery. Channel 32 believes that operation on channel 31 would allow fuller replication of the station's former analog service area, which will significantly increase the geographic area within the station's protected contour. Therefore, the public interest will be served by substituting channel 31 for channel 32 at Montgomery.
In this document, the Commission announces that certain rules adopted in the Service Rules for the 698-806 MHz Band proceeding, to the extent they contained information collection requirements that required approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), were approved, October 28, 2011.
In this document, the Commission adopts an Order on Reconsideration that vacates Standardized and Enhanced Disclosure Requirements for Television Broadcast Licensee Public Interest Obligations; Extension of the Filing Requirement For Children's Television Programming Report (FCC Form 398), MB Docket No. 00-168, 00-44, FCC 07-205, Report & Order, (“ Order ”). The Order created a standardized form for the quarterly reporting of programming aired in response to issues facing a television station's community and a requirement that portions of each television station's public inspection file be placed on the Internet. The Order was never implemented.
In this document, the Commission, via the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), terminates, as dormant, certain docketed Commission proceedings. Termination of these inactive proceedings furthers the Commission's organizational goals of increasing the efficiency of its decision-making, modernizing the agency's processes in the digital age, and enhancing the openness and transparency of Commission proceedings for practitioners and the public.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) is making a number of nonsubstantive, editorial revisions to the Commission's rules. These revisions remove certain rule provisions that are without current legal effect and therefore are obsolete, amend rules that contain references to obsolete rules or statutory provisions, and correct rules that contain outdated terminology or typographical errors. These nonsubstantive revisions are part of the Commission's ongoing examination and improvement of FCC processes and procedures. The revisions clarify, simplify, and harmonize our rules, making the rules more readily accessible to the public and avoiding potential confusion for interested parties and Commission staff alike.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning the Commission's Second Report and Order.
The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register that contained new information collection requirements. This document announces that, on January 30, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gave approval for these information requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, as well as the Order on Reconsideration, Development of Nationwide Broadband Data To Evaluate Reasonable and Timely Deployment of Advanced Services to All Americans, Improvement of Wireless Broadband Subscribership Data, and Development of Data on Interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Subscribership.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Memorandum Opinion and Order. The information collection requirements were approved on October 20, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and Order (Second Report and Order). The information collection requirements were approved on October 20, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and Order and Order ( Second Report and Order and Order ). The information collection requirements were approved on October 20, 2011 by OMB.
The Federal Communications Commission published in the Federal Register of September 8, 2011, a document concerning implementation of the Video Description elements of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. Inadvertently the Compliance date was listed as October 1, 2012. This document corrects the Compliance date to reflect the item and rules as adopted and published, which require compliance beginning on July 1, 2012. It also adds a paragraph which was included in the Proposed Rules in this proceeding but inadvertently omitted from the Final Rules.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (“Gray”), the licensee of WJHG-TV, channel 7, Panama City, Florida, requesting the substitution of channel 18 for channel 7 at Panama City. Gray believes it is best to move to a UHF channel after two power increases and numerous attempts to resolve viewers' reception complaints. The channel substitution will serve the public interest by resolving significant over-the-air reception problems in certain areas of WJHG's predicted service area.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) addresses a number of issues pertaining to the Maritime Radio Services that were raised in the Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( Third FNPRM ), and amends its rules accordingly. The decisions adopted by the Commission herein advance the key objectives underlying this proceeding, which are to promote maritime safety, maximize effective and efficient use of the spectrum available for maritime communications, accommodate technological innovation, avoid unnecessary regulatory burdens, maintain consistency with international maritime standards to the extent consistent with the United States public interest, and regulate the Maritime Radio Services in a manner that advances our nation's homeland security.
The Audio Division, on its own motion, updates the FM Table of Allotments to reinstate certain vacant FM allotments. Formerly, the FM Table listed all vacant FM allotments as well as FM channels and communities occupied by authorized facilities. In 2006, the Commission removed the allotments of authorized and awarded FM facilities from the FM Table in order to accommodate the new application procedures for radio stations to change their communities of license. However, when an authorization is cancelled, the vacant allotment must be reinstated in the FM Table to preserve the opportunity to license a future station in the specified community. Accordingly, we are adding to the FM Table of Allotments thirty allotments in various communities that are considered vacant FM allotments.
In this document, the Commission provides guidance on how it will construe, on an interim basis, the term “economically burdensome” for purposes of evaluating requests for individual exemptions. The intended effect of these actions is to ensure that the Commission evaluates petitions for exemption from the captioning rules in the way intended by the Communications Act (Act).
In this document, the Commission grants an Application for Review challenging the Anglers Order, and reverses the two exemptions granted in the Anglers Order and the 296 exemptions subsequently granted in reliance on the Anglers Order. The intended effect of this action is to ensure that the Commission evaluates petitions for exemption from the captioning rules in the way intended by the Communications Act (Act).
In this document, the Commission announces that certain rules adopted in the Operation of Wireless Communications Services in the 2.3 GHz Band, WT Docket No. 07-293; Establishment of Rules and Policies for the Digital Audio Radio Satellite Service in the 2310-2360 MHz Frequency Band (WCS and SDARS) proceeding, to the extent it contained information collection requirements that required approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was approved, September 26, 2011.
In this document, the Commission addresses three petitions for clarification or reconsideration of a previous order, and amends and clarifies the Commission's rules regarding Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Services (iTRS) applicants for certification.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopts rules to implement a provision of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), which requires each provider of interconnected voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) service or non-interconnected VoIP service to begin participating in and contributing to the interstate Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund in a manner prescribed by regulation that is consistent with and comparable to the obligations of other TRS Fund contributors.
This document contains corrections to the final regulations which were published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 (76 FR 59559), of a Report and Order and Memorandum Opinion and Order , FCC 11-120, adopted and released on August 9, 2011. This document corrects Appendix A by correcting adopted § 101.147(p).
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces that it has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for public information collection 3060-0411, which is associated with the new complaint mechanism for resolving data roaming disputes with commercial mobile data service providers.
In this document, the Commission via the Office of Managing Director makes two nonsubstantive, editorial amendments to Part 64 of the Commission's rules. The Managing Director makes these amendments to delete certain provisions and notes that are without current legal effect and thus obsolete. The Chief of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau has approved these editorial amendments.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of September 9, 2011 [76 FR 55817]. The document removed broadcast flag rules that are without current legal effect and are obsolete. The document inadvertently removed unrelated rules contained in Subpart L of Part 73 of the Commission's rules. This document corrects that error.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Electronic Tariff Filing System (ETFS), Report and Order ( Order ). This notice is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.
This document announces the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection requirements in the sections outlined in the DATES section.
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to Title 47
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on how to amend its rules to implement certain provisions of the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (“LCRA”) that are not already the subject of Commission action. It also proposes changes to its rules intended to promote the low power FM service's localism and diversity goals, reduce the potential for licensing abuses, and clarify certain rules.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on whether the customers of Lower 700 MHz B and C Block licensees would experience harmful interference—and if so, to what degree—if the Lower 700 MHz band were interoperable. The Commission also explores the next steps should it find that interoperability would cause limited or no harmful interference to Lower 700 MHz B and C Block licensees, or that such interference can reasonably be mitigated through industry efforts and/or through modifications to the Commission's technical rules or other regulatory measures. The Commission initiates this proceeding to promote interoperability in the Lower 700 MHz band and to encourage the efficient use of spectrum.
This document proposes to modify the Commission's rules to allow Economic Area (EA)-based 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) licensees to exceed a channel spacing and bandwidth limitation, subject to two conditions. The Commission proposes to allow licensees to exceed the channel spacing and bandwidth limitation in the 813.5-824/858.5-869 MHz band in National Public Safety Planning Advisory Committee (NPSPAC) regions where 800 MHz public safety licensee reconfiguration is complete. In areas where 800 MHz public safety reconfiguration is incomplete, EA-based 800 MHz licensees would only be allowed to exceed the channel spacing and bandwidth limitation in the 813.5-821/858.5-866 MHz band. Further, the Commission proposes to require any EA-based 800 MHz SMR licensee that intends to exceed the channel spacing and bandwidth limitation of its rules, which govern the above-listed MHz bands, to provide 30 days written notice to public safety licensees with base stations in the NPSPAC region and within 113 kilometers (70 miles) of the affected NPSPAC region. The Commission seeks comment on any additional steps that may need to be taken to protect 800 MHz public safety licensees against any possible increased interference. The proposed rule changes would allow geographic-based 800 MHz SMR licensees the flexibility to deploy new technologies and to better utilize their licensed spectrum, while also protecting 800 MHz public safety entities.
This document requests comments on a petition for rulemaking filed by Connoisseur Media of Erie, LLC, proposing the allotment of Channel 265A at Westfield, New York, as its first local service. The proposed allotment of Channel 265A at Westfield accommodates the hybrid application, proposing the substitution of Channel 285B1 for Channel 265B1 at North East, Pennsylvania, and modification of the license of Station WRKT(FM) to reflect this change. See File No. BPH-20110509AAL. Channel 265A can be allotted to Westfield consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Rules with a site restriction 3.4 kilometers (2.1 miles) west of the community. The reference coordinates are 42-18-51 NL and 79-37-04 WL. The allotment of Channel 265A at Westfield is located 320 kilometers (199 miles) from the Canadian border. Therefore, Canadian concurrence has been requested and approved by the Canadian government.
This document sets forth a proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Section 73.202(b). The Commission requests comment on a petition filed by Delta Radio Network, LLC, proposing to amend the Table of Allotments by substituting Channel 224A for vacant Channel 289A, at Dermott, Arkansas, and by substituting Channel 226C2 for Channel 225C2 at Cleveland, Mississippi. The proposal is part of a contingently filed “hybrid” application and rule making petition. Channel 224A can be allotted at Dermott, Arkansas, in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 3.5 km (2.2 miles) southeast of Dermott, at 33-30-23 North Latitude and 91-24-19 West Longitude. Channel 226C2 can be allotted at Cleveland, Mississippi, in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 25.4 km (15.8 miles) northwest of Cleveland, at 33-55-25 North Latitude and 90-53-40 West Longitude. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
Jurisdictional separations is the process by which incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) apportion regulated costs between the intrastate and interstate jurisdictions. In this document, the Commission seeks comment on extending the current freeze of part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors used in jurisdictional separations. Extending the freeze would allow the Commission to provide stability for, and avoid imposing undue burdens on, carriers that must comply with the Commission's separations rules while the Commission considers issues relating to comprehensive reform of the jurisdictional separations process.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to amend the rules governing the 800 MHz Cellular Radiotelephone Service (Cellular Service). In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ), the Commission proposes to transition the Cellular Service from a site-based licensing model to a geographic-based model by offering an “overlay” license for every Cellular Market Area (CMA) and corresponding channel block (Block A or Block B), in two stages, via auction. The Overlay Licensees would be obligated to protect existing licensees' Cellular operations from harmful interference. The NPRM also includes proposals to update various other Cellular Service rules. The Commission seeks comment on all its proposals as well as on alternative proposals. The companion Order imposes certain interim procedures, including a freeze on the filing of certain Cellular applications in certain markets and other interim procedures regarding currently pending applications to help ensure an orderly and efficient rulemaking proceeding while the Commission considers changes to the Cellular Service rules.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks further focused comment on a number of issues related to the Lifeline program, including establishing an eligibility database, advancing broadband availability through digital literacy training, limiting section 251 resale of Lifeline-supported services, establishing a permanent support amount for voice service support, reforming Lifeline and Link Up support on Tribal lands, adding Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to the list of qualifying programs for Lifeline, establishing eligibility for homeless veterans, determining whether ETCs should be required to apply the Lifeline discount on all of their voice and data packages, examining whether the Commission should further clarify the own facilities requirement, determining whether ILECs should have the ability to opt out of the Lifeline program as well as whether the record retention requirement should be lengthened from three years to ten years.
In this document, the Commission, via the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment to refresh the record regarding misuse of Internet Protocol relay service. Further comments are requested to bring the record up to date on proposed additional rules that would have the intended effect of reducing or eliminating misuse of Internet Protocol Relay.
This Fourth FNPRM seeks comment on whether it would be in the public interest to extend the viewability rule and the HD carriage exemption, both of which are currently scheduled to sunset on June 12, 2012. First, we seek comment on whether to extend, in its current form, the “viewability” rule, which implements the statutory requirement that all cable subscribers, including those with analog equipment, be able to view must carry television signals. Second, given the apparent widespread reliance of small cable operators on the HD exemption, we propose to extend it for an additional three years, but ask whether this should be the final extension. We note that both rule and exemption would have expired on February 17, 2012 if the DTV transition had not been delayed by Congress. The Commission is therefore concurrently issuing a Declaratory Order clarifying that both the viewability rule and the HD Carriage Exemption will sunset on June 12, 2012, absent Commission action to extend them.
In this document, the Commission continues the process of reexamining the fundamentals of the Commission's Video Relay Service (VRS) rules to ensure the VRS program fulfills the goals set for the Commission in section 225 of the Communications Act (the Act). Specifically, the Commission sets forth a series of options and proposals to improve the structure and efficiency of the program, to ensure that it is available to all eligible users and offers functional equivalence—particularly given advances in commercially available technology—and is as immune as possible from the waste, fraud, and abuse that threaten the long-term viability of the program as it currently operates.
In this document, section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires the Commission to review its broadcast ownership rules quadrennially to determine whether these rules are necessary in the public interest as a result of competition. This document solicits comment on proposed changes to the broadcast ownership rules in compliance with this requirement. In addition, this document solicits comment on certain aspects of the Commission's 2008 Diversity Order that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit remanded and directed the Commission to address in this proceeding. This document solicits comment also on potential changes to the Commission's broadcast attribution rules.
This document requests comments on two mutually exclusive proposals that were previously being considered in MB Docket No. 08-85. That proceeding was terminated without considering these proposals. The first proposal, RM-11517, filed by Rocket Radio, Inc., proposes the allotment of FM Channel 287C2 at Williams, Arizona, as the community's second local service; the substitution of Channel 228C2 for vacant Channel 286C2 at Ehrenberg, Arizona; and the substitution of Channel 281C for vacant Channel 247C at First Mesa, Arizona. Additionally, to facilitate the Williams allotment, we issue an Order to Show Cause to Univision Radio License Corporation as to why its license for Station KHOV-FM, Wickenburg, Arizona, should not be changed from Channel 287C2 to Channel 286C2; and to Grenax Broadcasting II, LLC as to why its license for Station KBTK(FM), Kachina Village, Arizona, should not be modified from Channel 286C2 to Channel 246C2. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
This document requests comments on a petition for rule making filed by Alatron Corporation, Inc., proposing the allotment of Channel 228A at Pike Road, Alabama, as its second local service. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 228A can be allotted to Pike Road consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Rules with a site restriction 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) south of the community. The reference coordinates are 32-14-29 NL and 86-06-40 WL.
The Audio Division dismisses a Petition for Rule Making filed by Michael Cusinato proposing the allotment of FM Channel 287B1 at Needles, California, as the community's fourth local transmission service, because no comments were received expressing an interest in the proposed allotment. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
This document proposes to modify our rules to permit the implementation of foreign object debris (FOD) detection radar in the 78-81 GHz band. FOD at airports can seriously threaten the safety of airport personnel and airline passengers and can have a negative impact on airport logistics and operations. We seek comment on service and technical rules, and on whether such operations should be authorized on a licensed or unlicensed basis.
The Media Bureau extends the deadline for filing reply comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ NPRM” ) in this proceeding which was published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2011. The extension will enable commenters to adequately review and respond to the comments filed in response to the NPRM.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on the implementation of certain provisions in sections 716, 717, and 718 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the most significant piece of accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Specifically, this document seeks comment on whether to adopt a permanent exemption for small entities that provide advanced communications services (ACS). The document also seeks comment on implementing section 718 of the Act which requires Internet browsers built into mobile phones to be accessible to and usable by persons who are blind or have a visual impairment, unless doing so is unachievable. This inquiry includes the recordkeeping and enforcement requirements related to section 718. People with disabilities have often faced technical challenges associated with the use of Internet browsers, video conferencing services, and the accessibility of information content. The CVAA attempts to bring existing communications laws protecting people with disabilities in line with 21st Century technologies while providing flexibility to the industry by allowing for new and innovative ways to meet the needs of people with disabilities. These actions will promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans across the country, which will in turn stimulate economic growth and provide opportunity.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a submission by the North American Numbering Council (NANC) recommending that a transferring service provider may only require the following information when the new service provider requests a CSR: any working telephone number associated with the customer's account; a positive indication that the new service provider has the authority from the customer; and the date the customer gave that authority. The Commission seeks comment on whether it should adopt the recommendation as a rule.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on several issues related to Eligible Telecommunications Carriers obligations, the funding mechanisms for rate-of-return, price cap and mobile carriers, and a Remote Areas Fund. The Commission also seeks comment on several issues related to bill-and-keep, end user charges, IP-to-IP interconnection, and call signaling rules. This is information will help the Commission to comprehensively reform and modernize the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation.
In this document the Commission seeks comment on revisions to the Commission's wireless hearing aid compatibility rules. The Commission's rules define hearing aid compatibility by reference to a third party technical standard. Recently, a new version of that technical standard was developed to test the hearing aid compatibility of the newest generation of digital wireless handsets. The proposed rules would adopt the revised version of the technical standard into the Commission's rules.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Lincoln Broadcasting, LLC (“LBL”), the licensee of KFXL-TV, channel 51, Lincoln, Nebraska, requesting the substitution of channel 15 for channel 51 at Lincoln. LBL's proposal complies with the Commission announcement that it would lift the current freeze on the acceptance of channel substitution rulemaking proceeding for petitions proposing to relocate from channel 51. LBL also states that the proposed facility will increase the net total population served by the station by almost 700,000 persons. LBL believes the grant of this petition would serve the public interest.
In this document, the Commission extends the deadline to for filing reply comments on the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on various proposals designed to assist consumers in detecting and preventing the placement of unauthorized charges on the their telephone bills, an unlawful and fraudulent practice commonly referred to as cramming. The extension will facilitate the development of a full record given the importance of the issues in this proceeding.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on a request by certain private parties, identified below, that the Commission authorize voluntary asymmetric digital sideband power for FM stations. This document establishes a period for public comment on this request and on two related technical reports.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a proposed requirement that each television station's public inspection file be made available in an online public file to be hosted on the Commission's Web site.
This document sets forth a proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments. The Commission requests comment on a petition filed by Threshold Communications, proposing to amend the Table of Allotments by substituting Channel 235C1 for vacant Channel 249C1, at Altamont, Oregon. The proposal is part of a contingently filed “hybrid” application and rule making petition. Channel 235C1 can be allotted at Altamont in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 32.3 km (20.1 miles) east of Altamont, at 42-07-04 North Latitude and 121-21-50 West Longitude. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
The Audio Division, at the request of Qantum of Ft. Walton Beach License Company, LLC, proponent of a petition for reconsideration of the Memorandum Opinion and Order in this proceeding, dismisses the petition for reconsideration and terminates the proceeding.
In this document, the Commission denies a petition for reconsideration of an August 12, 2009 Report and Order changing the allotted channel for station WWAZ-TV, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, from channel 44 to channel 5. The petitioner stated that the staff, in granting the original channel change, cited erroneous loss-of-service figures. The petitioner further argues that the primary technical justification for creation of this loss area was not raised until the reply comment stage, and that the record further does not support the technical justification. The order finds that the staff requested a re-engineered proposal that would result in the replacement translators covering the projected analog loss area. The document finds that the re-engineered translators sufficiently address any loss of service, and further finds that the public interest is served by substituting channel 5 for channel 44 at Fond du Lac because it permitted WLS-TV, an ABC network affiliate in Chicago, Illinois, to move from its post-transition channel 7 to channel 44, resulting in the restoration of ABC network service to numerous viewers that had lost service after the transition of WLS-TV to digital operations. Finally, the document notes that the petitioner's own engineer had recognized potential technical problems associated with WWAZ-TV's digital operations on channel 44.
This document sets forth a proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments. The Commission requests comment on a petition filed by Bryan King, proposing to amend the Table of Allotments by substituting Channel 242C3 for vacant Channel 293C3, at Llano, Texas. The proposal is part of a contingently filed “hybrid” application and rule making petition. Channel 242C3 can be allotted at Llano in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 19.1 km (11.9 miles) north of Llano, at 30-55-34 North Latitude and 98-43-24 West Longitude. Concurrence is required for the allotment of Channel 242C3 at Llano, Texas, because the proposed allotment is located within 320 kilometers (199 miles) of the U.S.-Mexican border. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
In this document, the Commission proposes to continue utilizing the factors used for the “undue burden” exemption standard when evaluating future petitions seeking individual exemptions under the new economically burdensome standard contained in the CVAA. In addition, the Commission proposes to replace all current references to “undue burden” in the Commission's closed captioning rules with the term “economically burdensome” to correspond with the new language reflected in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The intended effect of this action is to ensure that the Commission's rules conform to section 202 of the CVAA.
In this document, the Commission proposes to modify its rules to provide that a certified provider may subcontract with another certified provider for, or otherwise authorize the provision by another certified provider of, communications assistants (CA) services or call center functions only in the event of an unexpected and temporary surge in call traffic due to exigent circumstances, and seeks comment on this proposal. The purpose of this rule change is to provide clarity as to the circumstances under which the Commission will deem subcontracting of call handling functions acceptable.
In this document, the Commission extends the deadline for filing reply comments on the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in this proceeding, which was published in the Federal Register on September 28, 2011. The extension will facilitate the development of a full record given the importance of the issues in this proceeding.
In this document, we propose a new rule to allow cable operators to encrypt the basic service tier in all-digital systems, provided that those cable operators undertake certain consumer protection measures for a limited period of time in order to minimize any potential subscriber disruption.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Community Television of Ohio License, LLC (“Community Television”), the licensee of station WJW (TV), channel 8, Cleveland, Ohio, requesting the substitution of channel 31 for channel 8 at Cleveland. Community Television is seeking the channel substitution because a sizeable number of the station's viewers in areas southwest of the station's transmitter were not able to receive the station's over-the-air signal after it terminated analog service on June 12, 2009, and commenced post-transition digital service on its VHF channel. Many viewers reporting difficulty receiving WJW (TV)'s signal report they have no difficulty receiving the UHF stations in the area. Channel 31 was selected because this was Community Television's pre-transition digital channel and it has retained much of the channel 31 transmission equipment.
In this document, the Commission is initiating a review of its policies and procedures that apply to foreign ownership of common carrier, aeronautical en route and aeronautical fixed radio station licensees. The Commission seeks to reduce to the extent possible the regulatory costs and burdens imposed on common carrier, aeronautical en route and aeronautical fixed radio station applicants, licensees, and spectrum lessees; provide greater transparency and more predictability with respect to the Commission's foreign ownership filing requirements and review process; and facilitate investment from new sources of capital, while continuing to protect important interests related to national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade policy.
In this document, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) seeks comment on a proposal for disbursing Universal Service Fund low income support to eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) based upon claims for reimbursement of actual support payments made, instead of projected claims for support. Payment based on actual support payments would replace the current administrative process, under which the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) reimburses ETCs for low income support each month based on USAC's projection of payments and on a “true-up” calculated using an ETC's actual support payments. Among other things, we are seeking comment on a proposal that, if adopted, would require that the FCC Form 497 be filed monthly.
In this document, the Commission seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology that will enable the public to send emergency communications to 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) via text, photos, videos, and data and enhance the information available to PSAPs and first responders for assessing and responding to emergencies. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on a variety of issues related to the short-term and long-term transition to NG911.
The Audio Division, on its own motion, proposes the deletion of twenty vacant allotments in various communities in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin. These vacant allotments have been auctioned through our competitive bidding process, and are considered unsold permits that were included in Auction 91. Interested parties should file comments expressing an interest in the vacant allotments to prevent their removal. Moreover, interested parties must provide an explanation as to why they did not participate in our competitive bidding process.
This document proposes to amend the definition of “auditory assistance device” in the Commission's rules to allow such devices to be used by anyone at any location for simultaneous language interpretation, where the spoken words are translated continuously in near real time. This action is taken in response to a petition for declaratory ruling filed by Williams Sound Corporation (Williams Sound Petition), a provider of wireless auditory assistance devices. The current definition restricts the use of part 15 auditory assistance devices that operate in the 72.0-73.0 MHz, 74.6-74.8 MHz, and 75.2-76.0 MHz bands (72-76 MHz bands) to auditory assistance to a handicapped person or persons; such devices may be used for auricular training in an educational institution, for auditory assistance at places of public gatherings, such as a church, theater, or auditorium, and to handicapped individuals, only, in other locations. The proposed amendment would permit part 15 auditory assistance devices that operate in the 72-76 MHz bands to be used by anyone at any location for simultaneous language interpretation.
This document grants a motion requesting an extension of time to file comments in response to a draft programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) program. The purpose of the PEA is to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the Commission's ASR program. Owners of structures that are taller than 200 feet above ground level or that may interfere with the flight path of a nearby airport must register those structures with the FCC.
The Federal Communications Commission published in the Federal Register of September 23, 2011, a document establishing rules to preserve the open Internet. Inadvertently the wrong paragraph was amended. This document corrects the error.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a submission by the North American Numbering Council (NANC) recommending a set of standard thresholds and intervals for non-simple ports and “projects”—port requests that involve a large quantity of telephone numbers. Specifically, the Commission seeks comment on whether the thresholds and processing timelines for non-simple ports and projects are appropriate and whether the Commission should adopt the recommendation as a rule.
In 1993, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules pertaining to carriage of video programming vendors by multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), known as the “program carriage rules.” The rules are intended to benefit consumers by promoting competition and diversity in the video programming and video distribution markets. In this document, the FCC amends its rules to improve the procedures for addressing complaints alleging violations of the program carriage rules.
In 1993, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules pertaining to carriage of video programming vendors by multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), known as the “program carriage rules.” The rules are intended to benefit consumers by promoting competition and diversity in the video programming and video distribution markets. In this document, the FCC seeks comment on proposed revisions to or clarifications of the program carriage rules, which are intended to further improve the Commission's procedures and to advance the goals of the program carriage statute.
In this document, the Commission continues to strengthen its existing Enhanced 911 (E911) location accuracy regime for wireless carriers by retaining the existing handset-based and network-based location accuracy standards and the eight-year implementation period established in our September 2010 E911 Location Accuracy Second Report and Order but providing for phasing out the network-based standard over time. We also require all Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers, launching new stand-alone networks, to comply with the handset-based location criteria, regardless of the location technology they actually use. In addition, we will require wireless carriers to periodically test their outdoor E911 location accuracy results and to share the results with Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), state 911 offices, and the Commission, subject to confidentiality safeguards.
In this document, the Commission proposes rules to implement provisions of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (“CVAA”) that mandate rules for closed captioning of certain video programming delivered using Internet protocol (“IP”). The Commission seeks comment on rules that would apply to the distributors, providers, and owners of IP-delivered video programming, as well as the devices that display such programming.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts rules to improve assignment of telephone numbers associated with Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (iTRS). These rules specifically address Video Relay Service (VRS), which allows individuals with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate using sign language through video equipment, and IP Relay, which allows these individuals to communicate in text using a computer. The final rules set forth in this Order reflect the objectives laid out in the iTRS Toll Free Notice to promote the use of geographically appropriate local numbers, while ensuring that the deaf and hard-of-hearing community has access to toll free telephone numbers that is equivalent to access enjoyed by the hearing community.
In this document, the Commission gives notice of two Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding concerning Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Second Report and Order and Order in CG Docket No. 10-51 (Second Report and Order), and sets an expedited schedule for filing oppositions and replies. In light of impending deadlines for initial and recertification Video Relay Service (VRS) applications, and to avoid waste, fraud, and abuse in the VRS program, the Commission finds that good cause exists in this instance to alter the comment periods specified in the Commission's rules.
In this document, the Commission continues its efforts to increase flexibility in the use of microwave services licensed under our rules. This additional flexibility will enable FS licensees to reduce operational costs, increase reliability, and facilitate the use of wireless backhaul in rural areas. The steps we take will remove regulatory barriers that limit the use of spectrum for wireless backhaul and other point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communications. We also make additional spectrum available for wireless backhaul—as much as 650 megahertz—especially in rural areas, where wireless backhaul is the only practical middle mile solution. By enabling more flexible and cost-effective microwave services, the Commission can help accelerate deployment of fourth-generation (4G) mobile broadband infrastructure across America.
In this document, the Commission seeks more targeted comments on proposals originally discussed in its Notice of Inquiry (NOI), for increasing the flexibility of our part 101 rules to promote wireless backhaul. We seek comment on certain proposals offered by parties in response to the NOI that we believe warrant further consideration. We also seek comment on additional ways to increase the flexibility, capacity and cost-effectiveness of the microwave bands, while protecting incumbent licensees in these bands. By enabling more flexible and cost-effective microwave services, the Commission can help accelerate deployment of fourth-generation (4G) mobile broadband infrastructure across America. In addition, we address a petition for rulemaking filed by Fixed Wireless Communications Coalition (FWCC).
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Report and Order ( Report and Order ). The information collection requirements were approved on September 16, 2011 by OMB.
This Report and Order establishes protections for broadband service to preserve and reinforce Internet freedom and openness. The Commission adopts three basic protections that are grounded in broadly accepted Internet norms, as well as our own prior decisions. First, transparency: fixed and mobile broadband providers must disclose the network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms of their broadband services. Second, no blocking: fixed broadband providers may not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices; mobile broadband providers may not block lawful Web sites, or block applications that compete with their voice or video telephony services. Third, no unreasonable discrimination: fixed broadband providers may not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic. These rules, applied with the complementary principle of reasonable network management, ensure that the freedom and openness that have enabled the Internet to flourish as an engine for creativity and commerce will continue. This framework thus provides greater certainty and predictability to consumers, innovators, investors, and broadband providers, as well as the flexibility providers need to effectively manage their networks. The framework promotes a virtuous circle of innovation and investment in which new uses of the network—including new content, applications, services, and devices—lead to increased end-user demand for broadband, which drives network improvements that in turn lead to further innovative network uses.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Section 105, Relay Services for Deaf-Blind Individuals, Report and Order ( Report and Order ). The information collection requirements were approved on September 13, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) Second Report and Order. The information collection requirements were approved on July 5, 2011 by OMB.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) hereby makes certain changes to its regulations, which relate to the public availability of the Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (NTIA Manual). Specifically, NTIA updates the version of the Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management with which federal agencies must comply when requesting use of the radio frequency spectrum.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the regulations for issues relating to the unlicensed use of the TV bands (TV White Space). The information collection requirements were approved on September 7, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the regulations for issues relating to the video description rules. The final information collection requirements were approved on September 8, 2011 by OMB. The Commission received OMB preapproval for the proposed requirements on April 22, 2011. The information collection requirements were adopted as proposed.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adds the statutory language from the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act regarding the education of students about appropriate online behavior to the existing Commission rules implementing the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) for the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism (also known as the E-rate program). The Commission also makes minor non-substantive revisions to its rules to conform to existing statutory language from the CIPA statute where necessary. Finally, the Commission makes minor corrections to its Schools and Libraries Sixth Report and Order.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission's) International Bureau (Bureau) adopts its proposal to remove from the Section 214 Exclusion List those non-U.S.-licensed space stations that have been allowed to enter the U.S. market for satellite services pursuant to the procedures adopted in the DISCO II Order.
In this document, the Commission makes several nonsubstantive, editorial revisions to parts 1, 73 and 76 of the Commission's rules. The Commission removes rules that are without current legal effect and are obsolete. The deleted rules include the fairness doctrine, broadcast flag rules and cable programming services complaint rules.
This Order reinstates the video description rules adopted by the Commission in 2000. “Video description,” which is the insertion of audio narrated descriptions of a television program's key visual elements into natural pauses in the program's dialogue, makes video programming more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The Order reinstates the requirement that large-market broadcast affiliates of the top four national networks, and multichannel video programming distributor systems (“MVPDs”) with more than 50,000 subscribers, provide video description. It also reinstates the requirement that that all network-affiliated broadcasters (commercial or non-commercial) and all MVPDs pass through any video description provided with network programming they carry, to the extent that they are technically capable of doing so and when that technical capability is not being used for another purpose related to the programming.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the Third Report and Order in PS Docket 06-229, FCC 11-6. The information collection requirements were approved on August 18, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a draft programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) of the Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) program. The purpose of the PEA is to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the Commission's ASR program. Owners of structures that are taller than 200 feet above ground level or that may interfere with the flight path of a nearby airport must register those structures with the FCC. The antenna structure owner must obtain painting and lighting specifications from the Federal Aviation Administration and include those specifications in its registration prior to construction.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Channel 32 Montgomery, LLC (“Channel 32”), the licensee of WNCF(TV), channel 32, Montgomery, Alabama, requesting the substitution of channel 31 for channel 32 at Montgomery. Channel 32 believes operating on channel 31 would offer more meaningful replication of the station's former analog service area, and would significantly increase the geographic area within the station's protected contour.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association (“HRETA”), the licensee of noncommercial educational television station WHRO-TV, channel *16, Hampton-Norfolk, Virginia, requesting the reallotment of its channel *16 to Norfolk, Virginia-Elizabeth City, North Carolina, as Elizabeth City's first local TV service. HRETA also requests modification of station WHRO-TV's license to specify Norfolk, Virginia-Elizabeth City, North Carolina as its community of license. There is presently a freeze on the filing of television allotment rulemaking petitions, but since HRETA'S proposal contemplates no changes in the technical specifications of WHRO-TV, a grant of its request for a waiver of the freeze will not undermine the underlying purpose of the freeze. Waiving the freeze will serve the public interest by moving forth with HRETA's proposal to change its community of license to provide Elizabeth City with its first television broadcast station.
The purpose of this document is to seek comment on proposed amendments to the Commission's Truth-in-Billing rules that would require wireline telephone companies ( i.e. wireline telecommunications common carriers) to notify subscribers clearly and conspicuously, at the point of sale, on each bill, and on their Web sites, of the option to block third-party charges from their telephone bills, if the company offers that option, and place charges from non-telephone company third-parties in a bill section separate from telephone company charges, and would require both wireline and wireless ( i.e. Commercial Mobile Radio Service (“CMRS”) common carriers) telephone companies to notify subscribers on all telephone bills and on their Web sites that subscribers may file complaints with the Commission, provide the Commission's contact information for the submission of complaints, and include on Web sites a link to the Commission's complaint Web page. This action will enable subscribers to detect, rectify, and prevent placement of unauthorized charges on their telephone bills; a practice known as “cramming.”
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (“Gray”), the licensee of station WJHG-TV, channel 7, Panama City, Florida, requesting the substitution of channel 18 for channel 7 at Panama City. WJHG's viewers continue to experience problems receiving the station's VHF channel 7 digital broadcasts despite two power increases since it began operations on digital channel 7. Gray states that the best solution to resolve the majority of viewers reception problems is to move to a UHF channel, which serves the public interest by resolving over-the-air reception problems in certain areas of WJHG's predicted service areas.
In this document, the Commission adopts an initial set of rules necessary to ensure the development of a nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network. The establishment of a common air interface for 700 MHz public safety broadband networks will create a foundation for interoperability and provide a clear path for the deployment and evolution of the nationwide network.
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) sought public comment on proposed reforms that would assist the Commission in assessing strategies to increase broadband adoption, without increasing overall program size. Based on the current record in this proceeding, four issues in particular merit further inquiry. In this document, the Commission seeks further inquiry on four issues: designing and implementing a Lifeline/Link Up broadband pilot program to evaluate whether and how Lifeline/Link Up can effectively support broadband adoption by low-income households; limiting the availability of Lifeline support to one discount per residential address; revising the definition of Link Up service, as well as the possible reduction of the $30 reimbursement amount for Link Up support; and improving methods for verifying continued eligibility for the program. The Commission believes that this analysis would benefit from further development of these issues in the record, and therefore seek further comment focused on these areas.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission adopts rules to mitigate space path interference between the 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) space-to-Earth transmissions and the feeder link receiving antennas of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service (DBS) space stations that operate in the same frequency band. We adopt an off-axis power flux density (pfd) coordination trigger for 17/24 GHz BSS space stations. We also require a minimum orbital separation of 0.2 degrees between 17/24 GHz BSS space stations and DBS space stations. We place bounds on orbital eccentricity and inclination of 17/24 GHz BSS space stations and condition the protection of DBS networks to certain assumed limits on eccentricity and inclination. By these actions, we facilitate the introduction of the 17/24 GHz BSS and anticipate that it will provide new and innovative services, including video, audio, data, and video-on-demand, to consumers in the United States and promote increased competition among satellite and terrestrial services. We revised our informational requirements to require 17/24 GHz BSS space station applicants to file pfd calculations (and if the pfd coordination trigger is exceeded, to file coordination information), and to file predicted and measured transmitting antenna off-axis gain information. We also require both 17/24 GHz BSS applicants and DBS applicants to file maximum orbital eccentricity information with their application. Finally, we adopt procedures to enable pending applicants and existing authorization holders to file relevant information related to these rules.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (“Gray”), licensee of WEAU-TV, channel 13, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, requesting the substitution of channel 38 for channel 13 at Eau Claire. The tower holding WEAU-TV's main antenna collapsed on March 22, 2011, which Gray must rebuild and also replace the station's transmission equipment. In addition, viewers have reported difficulties receiving the station's digital signal on channel 13 since the end of the digital transition. Substituting channel 38 for channel 13 will allow Gray to leverage the significant and unplanned cost of rebuilding the station.
The Commission revises its Schedule of Regulatory Fees to recover an amount of $335,794,000 that Congress has required the Commission to collect for fiscal year 2011. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual assessment and collection of regulatory fees for annual “Mandatory Adjustments” and “Permitted Amendments” to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees.
In this document, Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding concerning Fixed and Mobile Services in the Mobile Satellite Service Bands at 1525-1559 MHz and 1626.5-1660.5 MHz, 1610-1626.5 MHz and 2483.5-2500 MHz, and 2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz and published pursuant to 47 CFR 1.429(e). See 1.4(b)(1) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.4(b)(1).
The Audio Division, at the request of Black Hills Broadcasting, L.C., as modified pursuant to the counterproposal of Cumulus Licensing LLC (“Cumulus”), allots FM Channel 227A at Gearhart, Oregon. Channel 227A can be allotted at Gearhart, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 45-57-11 NL and 123-56-14 WL. In addition, the Audio Division substitutes Channel 248C3 for vacant Channel 228C3 at Manzanita, Oregon, and substitutes Channel *243C1 for vacant but applied for Channel *251C1 at Madras, Oregon. The reference coordinates for Channel 248C3 at Manzanita, Oregon, are 45-41-05 NL and 123-54-38 WL, and the reference coordinates for Channel *243C1 at Madras Oregon, are 44-50-02 NL and 120-45-55 WL. In addition, the Audio Division granted the application of Cumulus (File No. BMPH-20100805AKO) for a channel upgrade and change of community of interest for Station KNRQ-FM, from Channel 250C2 at Tualatin, Oregon, to Channel 250C1 at Aloha, Oregon. Finally, as proposed by Cumulus in its application, the Audio Division required Station KCYS(FM), Seaside, Oregon, to change from Channel 251A to Channel 243A. See Supplementary Information infra.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks targeted comment on certain issues in the Universal Service—Intercarrier Compensation Transformation proceeding. The Commission has received several proposals in the record in this proceeding to which we would like to receive comment from interested parties. This opportunity for additional, targeted comment will facilitate comprehensive universal service and intercarrier compensation reform.
In this document, the Commission adopts interim rules requiring that Internet-based Telecommunications Relay Service (iTRS) providers certify, under penalty of perjury, that their certification applications and annual compliance filings are truthful, accurate, and complete. These rules are necessary to help ensure that the Commission has true and complete information, thereby ensuring that only qualified providers are eligible for compensation from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund).
In this document, the Commission adopts modifications to its certification process for all Internet-based telecommunications relay service (iTRS) providers to ensure that all entities seeking certification in the future—or currently certified entities seeking re-certification—are fully qualified to provide iTRS in compliance with its rules and requirements, to reduce waste, fraud and abuse, and to improve the Commission's oversight of these providers once they have been certified.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (the Commission) proposes measures to improve 911 availability and location determination for users of interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. First, the Commission considers whether to apply our 911 rules to “outbound-only” interconnected VoIP services, i.e., services that support outbound calls to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) but not inbound voice calling from the PSTN. These services, which allow consumers to place IP-based outbound calls to any telephone number, have grown increasingly popular in recent years. The Commission asks whether such services are likely to generate consumer expectations that they will support 911 calling and consider whether to extend to outbound-only interconnected VoIP service providers the same 911 requirements that have applied to other interconnected VoIP service providers since 2005. The Commission seeks comment on whether our proposal to amend the definition of interconnected VoIP service for 911 purposes has any impact on our interpretation of certain statutes that reference the Commission's existing definition of interconnected VoIP service.
In this document, the Commission considers how the recently enacted Local Community Radio Act (“LCRA”) will impact future LPFM and translator station licensing. Section 5 of the Act requires the Commission to ensure that: Licenses are available for both LPFM and translator stations; licensing decisions are based on community needs; and translator and LPFM stations remain equal in status. The item tentatively finds that a previously adopted cap on translator applications is inconsistent with the LCRA's directives. It considers three alternate processing schemes, and tentatively concludes that a market-specific processing policy would most faithfully implement section 5's directives. The item sets forth proposed LPFM channel floors for the top 150 markets, and proposes to dismiss all translator applications in markets where the number of available LPFM channels is below the channel floor. The item also considers whether the Commission should take additional steps to prevent the trafficking of translator construction permits, and whether translators from Auction No. 83 should be allowed to rebroadcast the signals of AM stations at night.
In the Second Report and Order , the Commission takes steps to resolve the remaining issues in this proceeding in order to allow a timely and successful completion of the low power television digital transition. Although Congress established a hard deadline of June 12, 2009 for full power stations to cease analog operations and begin operating only in digital, the statutory deadline did not apply to low power television stations. Therefore, while all full power television stations have ceased over-the-air analog broadcasting, many low power television stations are continuing to transmit analog signals.
I n this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements in a final rule concerning commercial availability of navigation devices, and compatibility between cable systems and consumer electronics equipment.
The staff reinstates and grants a rulemaking petition filed by East Kentucky Broadcasting Corporation (“East Kentucky”), upgrading its Station WPKE-FM, Coal Run Kentucky, from Channel 276A to Channel 221C3.
A petition for rulemaking was filed by NPG of Texas, LP (“NPG”), licensee of KVIA-TV, channel 7, El Paso, Texas, requesting the substitution of channel 17 for channel 7 at El Paso. KVIA-TV has experienced extensive signal coverage problems on channel 7 following the June 12, 2009 digital transition deadline, after which the Video Division granted KVIA-TV Special Temporary Authority to supplement its service on channel 7 with continued service on channel 17. This channel substitution will serve the public interest by significantly improving the public's digital signal reception from KVIA-TV.
The Audio Division has denied the petition for reconsideration of Victoria Radio Works, LLC (“VRW”), seeking reconsideration of the Audio Division's Report and Order. The Report and Order allotted Channel 283A at Markham, Texas, upgraded Station KHTZ(FM), Ganado, Texas, to Channel 235C, and substituted Channel 284C3 for Channel 236C3, at Victoria, Texas. In this Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Audio Division denied VRW's petition for reconsideration, which requested that Station KHTZ(FM) be ordered to operate on Channel 235C2 on an interim basis.
In this Report and Order (Order), the Commission adopts rules to implement the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 (Truth in Caller ID Act, or Act). The Truth in Caller ID Act, and the Commission's implementing rules, prohibit any person or entity from knowingly altering or manipulating caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts rule revisions enabling all tariff filers to file tariffs electronically over the Internet, using the Electronic Tariff Filing System (ETFS). Additionally, the Commission clarifies and makes more consistent certain technical rules related to tariff filings. The Commission concludes that it is appropriate to apply the same electronic filing requirements to all tariff filers and expands the applicability of the Commission's rules to include all tariff filers. The Commission also concludes that the Commission's rules, which require specific formatting and composition of tariffs, will now apply to all tariff filers. The Chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau will be responsible for administering the adoption of electronic tariff filing requirements for all tariff filers.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) concludes that it should eliminate outdated and unnecessary reporting requirements related to international telecommunications traffic for which the burdens on U.S. international service providers outweigh the benefits. Specifically, the Commission finds four information collections are no longer necessary and removes them from its rules: The division of telegraph tolls report; the quarterly large carrier traffic report; the quarterly foreign-affiliated switched resale carrier report; and the circuit-addition report. The Commission also finds that the annual traffic and revenue reports and annual circuit status reports can be simplified by removing the requirement to separately report for off-shore U.S. points.
This document denies the Application for Review filed by Rawhide Radio, LLC, Capstar TX Limited Partnership, Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc., and CCB Texas Licenses, L.P. (“Joint Petitioners”) of the dismissal of a second alternative proposal to their Counterproposal in this proceeding because it was technically defective.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in 47 CFR 73.7000, FCC Forms 301 and 340 and the AM Auction Section 307(b) Submissions. The information collection requirements were approved on July 5, 2011 and July 11, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is reviewing its reporting requirements for providers of international telecommunications services. The Commission proposes to amend its reporting requirements for providers of international telecommunications services and transmission facilities in order to simplify the filing of the annual traffic and revenue report and the annual circuit-status report and modernize the information collected under those reports. The Commission also proposes to amend its rules to create a new annual services report designed to obtain basic information about providers of international telecommunications services and to update contact information. The Commission also proposes to amend its rules to clarify the confidential treatment of certain disaggregated information reported under the traffic and revenue report and the circuit-status report. This action is part of the Commission's comprehensive review of its international reporting requirements and is intended to remove unnecessary information collections and tailor its information collections to the current state of the international telecommunications market.
The Federal Communications Commission proposes to remove the International Settlements Policy (ISP) from all U.S. international routes except Cuba. Eliminating the ISP will enable more market-based arrangements between U.S. and foreign carriers on all U.S. international routes. The Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on a proposal to enable the Commission to better protect U.S. consumers from the effects of anticompetitive conduct by foreign carriers in instances necessitating Commission intervention. Specifically, it seeks comments on proposals and issues regarding the application of the Commission's benchmarks policy.
The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register that contained new information collection requirements. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gave approval for these information requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, Implementation of Section 224 of the Act; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future.
In this document, we adopt new rules designed to improve the operation of the CableCARD regime until a successor solution becomes effective. The Commission has not been fully successful in implementing the command of Section 629 of the Communications Act to ensure the commercial availability of navigation devices used by consumers to access the services of multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”). The rules adopted in this order are intended to bolster support for retail CableCARD devices so that consumers may access cable services without leasing a set-top box from their cable operators.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in the regulations in the Satellite Home Viewer Extension Act of 2004. The information collection requirements were approved on June 14, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) takes immediate action to address potential waste in the universal service Lifeline and Link Up program (Lifeline/Link Up or the program) by preventing duplicative program payments for multiple Lifeline-supported services to the same individual. On March 4, 2011, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to reform and modernize Lifeline/Link Up. In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission underscored its commitment to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in Lifeline/Link Up and presented a comprehensive set of proposals to better target support to needy consumers and maximize the number of Americans with access to modern communications services. To ensure that Lifeline support is limited to the amount necessary to provide access to telecommunications service to qualifying low-income consumers, we adopt measures to prevent, detect and resolve duplicative Lifeline claims for the same consumer. The near-term reforms we adopt here will reduce waste in the Fund and give the Commission flexibility to modernize the Low-Income Program in order to align it with changes in technology and market dynamics, such as the proposal we currently are reviewing to support broadband pilot projects for low-income consumers.
In this document, the Commission amends its rules to clarify that winning bidders in auctions of commercial broadcast spectrum are required to submit an application filing fee with their post-auction long-form applications. This clarification is intended to rectify a possible inconsistency throughout the Commission's rules, and in an earlier Commission Order.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts an interim rule permitting health care providers that are located in a “rural area” under the definition used by the Commission prior to July 1, 2005, and that have received a funding commitment from the rural health care program prior to July 1, 2005, to continue to be treated as if they are located in “rural” areas for purposes of determining eligibility for all universal service rural health care programs. The Commission takes these actions to ensure that health care providers located in rural areas can continue to benefit from connecting with grandfathered providers, and thereby provide health care to patients in rural areas.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on whether to make the “grandfathered” providers permanently eligible for discounted services under the rural health care program. Grandfathered providers do not currently qualify as “rural,” but play a key role in delivering health care services to surrounding regions that do qualify as “rural” today. Thus, we take these actions to ensure that health care providers located in rural areas can continue to benefit from connecting with grandfathered providers, and thereby provide health care to patients in rural areas.
The Federal Communications Commission extends the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments on the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ), in this proceeding, which was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, May 10, 2011.
This document requests comments on a petition for rulemaking filed by Kenneth W. Diebel, licensee of FM Station KGGM, Channel 228A, Delhi, Louisiana, proposing the substitution of FM Channel 228A for vacant FM Channel 230A at Bastrop, Louisiana. The proposed substitution of Channel 228A at Bastrop accommodates the hybrid application, which requests the substitution of Channel 230C3 for Channel 228A at Delphi, Louisiana. See File No. BNPH-20110214ADS. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 228A can be allotted to Bastrop consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Rules, with a site restriction 5.3 kilometers (3.3 miles) northeast of the community. The reference coordinates are 32-48-20 NL and 91-52-05 WL. See Supplementary Information, supra.
The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register of June 9, 2011, concerning request for comments on a proposal to extend the Commission's communications outage reporting requirements to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers and broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The document contained incorrect information regarding proposed information collection.
The Audio Division grants a Petition for Rule Making issued at the request of RF Services, Inc., licensee of a new FM station at Rocksprings, Texas, that requests the deletion of vacant Channel 234A at Brackettville to accommodate the hybrid application, which requests the substitution of Channel 234C3 for Channel 235C3 at Rocksprings, Texas, reallotment of Channel 234C3 from Rocksprings, to Brackettville, Texas, and modification of the new FM station authorization. See File No. BNPH-20091019AFF.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on proposed changes to its rules governing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to codify the obligation to process alert messages formatted in the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and to streamline and clarify these rules generally to enhance their effectiveness.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (“Gray”), the licensee of station WEAU-TV, channel 13, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, requesting the substitution of channel 38 for channel 13 at Eau Claire. The tower holding WEAU-TV's main antenna collapsed, destroying the station's transmission equipment, on March 22, 2011. Gray requests this channel substitution so that the station's reconstructed facility will resolve over-the air reception problems and improve the station's ability to provide service to viewers using hand-held and mobile devises in the future.
In this document the Commission proposes to amend rules to enable enhanced vehicular radar technologies in the 76-77 GHz band to improve collision avoidance and driver safety. Vehicular radars can determine the exact distance and relative speed of objects in front of, beside, or behind a car to improve the driver's ability to perceive objects under bad visibility conditions or objects that are in blind spots. These modifications to the rules will provide more efficient use of spectrum, and enable the automotive and fixed radar application industries to develop enhanced safety measures for drivers and the general public. The Commission takes this action in response to petitions for rulemaking filed by Toyota Motor Corporation (“TMC”) and Era Systems Corporation (“Era”)
In this document, the Commission seeks additional, focused comment on certain issues raised in its Wireless Backhaul proceeding to remove regulatory barriers to the use of spectrum for backhaul and other point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communications and to increase efficient use of spectrum for backhaul, by updating regulatory classifications that may not have kept pace with the evolution of converged digital technologies. Specifically, we seek to supplement the record in this proceeding on the feasibility of sharing in the 7 and 13 GHz bands, limiting the frequency ranges available for Fixed Service (FS) in order to ensure the continuation of electronic newsgathering operations, and the appropriate channelization scheme, coordination procedures, and capacity and loading requirements for the bands.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) denies a petition for reconsideration of the period in which inland VPCSA incumbents must vacate Channel 87B, and declines to extend this period generally to non-AIS operations because such an extension would undermine the primary goal of this proceeding. Further, the Commission determines that rechannelizing the VPC frequency band in order to facilitate more efficient spectrum usage is beyond the scope of this rulemaking proceeding.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by NewsChannel 5 Network, LLC (“NewsChannel 5”), the licensee of WTVF(TV), requesting the substitution of channel 25 for channel 5 at Nashville. According to NewsChannel 5, after WTVF(TV) transitioned from its pre-transition digital channel 56 to its post-transition digital channel 5, thousands of calls were received from viewers that could no longer view the station's digital signal.
The purpose of this document is to seek comment on a proposal to extend the Commission's communications outage reporting requirements to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service providers and broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This action will help ensure that our current and future 9-1-1 systems are as reliable and resilient as possible and assist our Nation's preparedness for man-made or natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina.
This document contains a corrected mailing address for the Defense Information Systems Agency in the regulations that we published in the Federal Register of January 14, 2002, 67 FR 1615.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on a proposal to use wider channel bandwidths for the provision of broadband services in certain spectrum bands. Specifically, we consider changes to the out-of-band emission limits for mobile Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS) devices operating in the 2496-2690 MHz band (2.5 GHz band). The proposed changes may permit operators to use spectrum more efficiently, and to provide higher data rates to consumers, thereby advancing key goals of the National Broadband Plan. Also, the changes would promote greater harmonization of FCC requirements with global standards for mobile devices in the 2.5 GHz band, potentially making equipment more affordable and furthering the development of mobile broadband devices. In addition, we seek comment on whether the proposed changes can be made without increasing the potential for harmful interference to existing users in the 2.5 GHz band and adjacent bands.
In this document, the Commission proposes rules to implement the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (“CALM”) Act. Among other things, the CALM Act directs the Commission to incorporate into its rules by reference and make mandatory a technical standard developed by an industry standard-setting body that is designed to prevent television commercial advertisements from being transmitted at louder volumes than the program material they accompany. Specifically, the CALM Act requires the Commission to incorporate by reference the ATSC A/85 Recommended Practice (“ATSC A/85 RP”) and make it mandatory “insofar as such recommended practice concerns the transmission of commercial advertisements by a television broadcast station, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor.” As mandated by the statute, the proposed rules will apply to TV broadcasters, cable operators and other multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”). The new law requires the Commission to adopt the required regulation on or before December 15, 2011, and it will take effect one year after adoption. The document seeks comment below on proposals regarding compliance, waivers, and other implementation issues.
In this document, the Commission amends its rules to make additional spectrum available for new investment in mobile broadband networks while also ensuring that the United States maintains robust mobile satellite service capabilities. First, this document adds co-primary Fixed and Mobile allocations to the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) 2 GHz band, consistent with the International Table of Allocations, allowing more flexible use of the band, including for terrestrial broadband services, in the future. Second, to create greater predictability and regulatory parity with the bands licensed for terrestrial mobile broadband service, the document extends the Commission's existing secondary market spectrum manager spectrum leasing policies, procedures, and rules that currently apply to wireless terrestrial services to terrestrial services provided using the Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) of an MSS system.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of May 9, 2011, 76 FR 26641. The document adopts rules to establish the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) pilot program in accordance with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA).
Jurisdictional separations is the process by which incumbent local exchange carriers (incumbent LECs) apportion regulated costs between the intrastate and interstate jurisdictions. In this document, the Commission extends the current freeze of part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors used in jurisdictional separations until June 30, 2012. Extending the freeze will allow the Commission to provide stability for, and avoid imposing undue burdens on, carriers that must comply with the Commission's separations rules while the Commission and the Federal-State Joint Board consider issues relating to comprehensive reform of the jurisdictional separations process.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of May 2, 2011. The document adopted rules to address fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry.
The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register at 76 FR 24376, May 2, 2011, which contained information collection requirements. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) gave approval on May 16, 2011, for these information collection requirements contained in the Commission's Report and Order, Amendment of the Commission's Ex Parte Rules and Other Procedural Rules.
The Commission will revise its Schedule of Regulatory Fees in order to recover an amount of $335,794,000 that Congress has required the Commission to collect for fiscal year 2011. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual assessment and collection of regulatory fees for annual “Mandatory Adjustments” and “Permitted Amendments” to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees.
In this document, the Commission amends its rules to revise its Schedule of Application Fees per Section 8(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934. The Commission is required to revise its application fee rates every two years based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. For FY 2011, calculated from October 2007 and October 2009, the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”) increased 3.5 percent. The attached Schedule of Application Fees reflects revised fee rates based on a CPI-U rate increase of 3.5 percent.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by NPG of Texas, LP (“NPG”), licensee of station KVIA-TV, El Paso, Texas, requesting the substitution of channel 17 for channel 7 at El Paso. NPG states that the proposed channel substitution will serve the public interest by significantly improving the public's digital signal reception from KVIA-TV.
The Commission has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Montana State University (“MSU″) requesting that channel *46 be transferred from the Pre-Transition DTV Table of Allotments, 47 CFR 73.622(b), to the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments, 47 CFR 73.622(i). MSU states that the grant of its rulemaking petition and application will serve the public interest by eliminating a substantial noncommercial educational white space area in northwest Montana and will further the Congressional mandate in Section 396(a)(9) of the Communications Act to ensure that all citizens have access to public telecommunications services.
This document proposes to modify our rules to permit the implementation of Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) technology in the United States. We also seek comment on our proposed technical rules that would enable digital technologies like TETRA to operate without causing interference to existing systems, and on how the deployment of TETRA technology may affect public safety interoperability. Comments on these proposed rule changes will aid the Commission in determining whether or not it is in the public interest to make TETRA technology available to private wireless users, especially those that must comply with the upcoming narrowbanding requirements.
In this document the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on revisions to its rules to help fill gaps in wireless coverage and expand broadband in rural and difficult-to-serve areas, and protect wireless networks from harm. The development and deployment of well-designed signal boosters holds great potential to empower consumers in rural and underserved areas to improve their wireless coverage in their homes, at their jobs, and when they travel by car, recreational vehicle, or boat.
In this document, the Commission revises its pole attachment rules to promote competition and to reduce the potentially excessive costs of deploying telecommunications, cable, and broadband networks. The Commission also revises the telecommunications rate formula for pole attachments consistent with the statutory framework, reinterprets the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to allow incumbent LECs to file complaints before the Commission if they believe a pole attachment rate, term, or condition is unjust and unreasonable, and confirms wireless providers are entitled to the same rate as other telecommunications carriers. In addition, the Commission resolves multiple petitions for reconsideration and addresses various points regarding the nondiscriminatory use of attachment techniques.
In this document, the Commission adopts rules to establish the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) pilot program in accordance with the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The CVAA adds a new section to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). This new section of the Act requires the Commission to establish rules that define as eligible for support those programs approved by the Commission for the distribution of specialized customer premises equipment (CPE) to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind. For these purposes, this new section of the Act authorizes $10 million annually from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund. The equipment distributed under the NDBEDP pilot program will make telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced communications, including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and information services, accessible to individuals who are deaf-blind.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopts a rule that requires facilities-based providers of commercial mobile data services to offer data roaming arrangements to other such providers on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, subject to certain limitations, thereby advancing the Commission's goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to competitive broadband mobile data services.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding listed below by Kona Coast Radio, LLC (“Kona Coast”), seeking reconsideration of actions taken in a Report and Order in Kahuku and Kualapuu, Hawaii. In the Report and Order, the Media Bureau (the Bureau) allotted FM Channel 296C2 at Kualapuu, Hawaii, and granted the proposal of Big D Consulting, Inc. (“Big D”) to upgrade the facilities of FM Station KNAN, Nanakuli, Hawaii, from Channel 294C3 to Channel 294C2. The Bureau also dismissed Kona Coast's proposal for the allotment of FM Channel 296C3 at Kahuku, Hawaii. Kona Coast argues that the Bureau erred in giving priority to Big D's proposal, which was filed before Kona Coast's petition for rule making reached the Office of the Secretary. Kona Coast asserts that the public was given actual notice of the proposal as of the filing date of the Form 301 for Channel 296C3 at Kahuku, Hawaii. Kona Coast also argues that its alternative proposal would result in a preferential use of spectrum.
In this document the Commission revises certain ex parte and organizational rules. This document amends and reforms the Commission's rules on ex parte presentations made in the course of Commission rulemakings and other permit-but-disclose proceedings. It also adopts a new rule requiring all oral ex parte communications to be documented, and their contents described. This reform should enable those participating in our proceedings as well as those observing them to better identify and understand the issues being debated before the Commission. New electronic filing rules will empower anyone using the Internet to access this information, and stronger enforcement provisions will bolster these new requirements. Given the complexity of the issues we must decide and the far-reaching impact our decisions often have, we believe these initiatives to increase transparency serve the best interests of the Commission, the entities we regulate, and the public we serve.
In this document, the Commission revises certain procedural and organizational rules. The rule revisions fall into three general categories. First, the Commission adopts several docket management measures, such as broadening the use of docketed proceedings; expanding the requirement for electronic filing (and reducing the scope of the obligation to file paper copies); and permitting staff in certain circumstances to notify parties electronically of docket filings and to close inactive dockets. Second, the Commission revises rules regarding the reconsideration of agency decisions, delegating authority to the staff to dismiss or deny defective or repetitive petitions for reconsideration of Commission decisions, and amending the rule that authorizes the Commission to reconsider a decision on its own motion within 30 days to make clear that the Commission may modify a decision (not merely set it aside or vacate it). Finally, the Commission implements changes to miscellaneous regulations. In order to make its processes more uniform and understandable, the Commission sets a default effective date for FCC rules in the event the Commission does not specify an effective date in a rulemaking order and revises its computation of time rule to adopt the “next business day” approach when a Commission rule or order specifies that Commission action shall occur on a day when the agency is not open for business. To eliminate confusion, these rule amendments clarify when the Commission's Headquarters and other offices will be considered to be open for business; and corrects typographical errors in two debt collection rules. The Commission also makes a number of minor rules changes regarding requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in order to correct errors or omissions that have been noted following the agency's last amendment of these rules in 2008. Overall, these revisions are intended to increase the efficiency of Commission decision-making, modernize Commission procedures for the digital age, and enhance the openness and transparency of Commission proceedings for practitioners and the public.
In this document, the Commission adopts rules to address fraud, waste, and abuse in the Video Relay Service (VRS) industry. These rules are necessary to combat reported and detected activity that has resulted in inappropriate payments to VRS providers from the Interstate TRS Fund (Fund). The intended impact of these rules is to minimize fraud in order to safeguard the sustainability of the VRS program.
In this document the Commission seeks comment on amending the rules to require that notices of ex parte discussions disclose real parties-in-interest. The change was proposed because the existing rules do not enable interested parties to know whose interests are being represented when a contact is made. By requiring the disclosure of this information the proposed amendment would increase transparency and openness in Commission proceedings. The FNPRM was adopted in conjunction with a Report and Order amending the ex parte rules, which is published elsewhere in this Federal Register.
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on proposed modifications to its certification process for Internet-based relay providers to ensure that all entities seeking certification to provide Internet-based telecommunications relay services (TRS) in the future—or currently certified entities seeking re-certification—are fully qualified to provide Internet-based relay service in compliance with the Commission's rules and requirements, and to improve the Commission's oversight of these providers, once they have been certified.
In this document, the Commission tentatively concludes that it will extend the current video relay service (VRS) rates for the upcoming fund year. The Commission is considering various options for reforming the VRS industry, and therefore proposes to maintain the current rates until new VRS rules are adopted. The intended effect of this action is to ensure stability and certainty for VRS while the Commission continues to evaluate the issues and the substantial record developed in response to the reform proceeding.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in regulations concerning wireless E911 location accuracy requirements. The information collection requirements were approved on March 30, 2011 by OMB.
This document seeks comment on particular issues for consideration by the Federal Communication Commission in connection with the proposed creation of a new Mobility Fund to make available one-time support to significantly improve coverage of current-generation or better mobile voice and Internet service for consumers in areas where such coverage is currently missing. Specifically, comment is sought on developing a more tailored approach that provides at least some Mobility Fund support for Tribal lands.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by WAND(TV) Partnership (“WAND(TV)”), the licensee of WAND(TV), Decatur, Illinois, requesting the substitution of channel 17 for channel 18 at Decatur. WAND(TV) states that this channel substitution will expand service to a greater number of viewers and lessen the interference to its normally protected service area.
In this document the Federal Communications Commission updates its rules to reflect the current license expiration dates for radio and television broadcast stations. The current version of the rule specifies license expiration dates from 2011 through 2014 for radio stations and 2012 through 2015 for television stations; these expiration dates are long out of date. Modifying the rule will enable broadcast station licensees to quickly peruse the rule to determine when their stations' licenses will expire. It will also accurately reflect the expiration dates listed both in the Commission's data base and on the broadcast stations' most recent license or renewal authorization.
In this document, the Commission extends the comment and reply comment period deadlines. This action is taken in order to provide a limited extension to serve the public interest by allowing parties additional time to fully and carefully analyze the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to adopt rules that implement provisions in section 104 of the “Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010.”
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by George S. Flinn, Jr. (“Flinn”), the licensee of WWJX, channel 51, Jackson, Mississippi, requesting the substitution of channel 23 for channel 51 at Jackson. Flinn raises concerns regarding potential interference that may occur to Long Term Evolution cellular base stations operating on adjacent channel spectrum and believes substituting channel 23 for channel 51 will better serve the public interest.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Comcorp of El Paso License Corp. (“Comcorp”), the licensee of KTSM-TV, channel 9, El Paso, Texas, requesting the substitution of channel 16 for channel 9 at El Paso. Comcorp states that this channel substitution is necessary because KTSM-TV has experienced significant technical difficulties since the station terminated its analog service and transitioned to post-transition channel 9 and believes channel 16 will allow better broadcast service to the public.
In this document, the Commission adopted a number of procedures, procedural changes, and clarifications of existing rules and procedures, designed to promote ownership and programming diversity, especially by Native American tribes, and to promote the initiation and retention of radio service in and to smaller communities and rural areas.
In this document, the Bureau invites comment, pursuant to the rules of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), on draft rules and interim procedures designed to ensure that the environmental effects of proposed communications towers, including their effects on migratory birds, are fully considered prior to construction.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc. (“CPBI”), the licensee of noncommercial educational station WEDY, New Haven, Connecticut, requesting the substitution of channel *41 for channel *6 at New Haven. CPBI's channel *6 facility is subject to substantial levels of new interference from other post-transition stations' power increases, and the substitution of channel *41 will resolve any interference being experienced by CPBI's viewers.
This document seeks comment on a range of specific proposals and issues with the objective of promoting greater use of spectrum over unserved and underserved Tribal lands.
In this document, the Commission proposes rules to implement the “Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010” (CVAA) which requires each interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider and each provider of non-interconnected VoIP service to participate in and contribute to the Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund. The law directs that within one year after the date of enactment of the CVAA, such VoIP providers shall participate in and contribute to the Fund in a manner prescribed by the Commission by regulation. The regulations must oblige such participation in a manner that is consistent with and comparable to the obligations of other contributors to the fund.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Southern Media Holdings, Inc. (“SMH”), the licensee of station WFXG, Augusta, Georgia, requesting the substitution of channel 51 for channel 31 at Augusta. SMH seeks this channel substitution as it cannot obtain the credit necessary to construct the channel 31 facility and states that the money required to construct the channel 31 facility will instead be used to serve other aspects of the public interest.
In this document, the Commission seeks comments to clarify the rules on the payment of filing fees by winning bidders in auctions of construction permits in the broadcast services in conjunction with their long-form applications.
The Federal Communications Commission has published a number of requirements related to practice and procedure before the Commission. This document announces the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection requirements contained in the sections outlined in the DATES section.
This document revises the Amateur Radio Service rules to amend and clarify the rules with respect to amateur stations transmitting spread spectrum emissions. The rule amendments are necessary to eliminate the requirement that an amateur station use automatic power control to reduce transmitter power when the station transmits a spread spectrum emission, and to reduce the maximum allowed transmitter output power for an amateur station transmitting a spread spectrum emission. The effect of this action is to eliminate the automatic power control provision which has proven to be virtually impossible to implement, and to encourage amateur stations to experiment with spread spectrum communications technologies.
This document considers a petition for rulemaking requesting comment on a petition for rulemaking filed by OCAS, Inc. (OCAS) regarding audio visual warning systems (AVWS). OCAS, Inc. installs such technology under the trademark OCAS ®. AVWS are integrated air hazard notification systems that utilize radar frequencies and VHF voice frequencies to activate obstruction lighting and transmit audible warnings to aircraft on a potential collision course with obstacles such as power lines, wind turbines, bridges and towers. OCAS requests that we amend part 87 of the Commission's rules to permit AVWS stations to operate radar units, and to transmit audible warnings to pilots. We seek comment on operational, licensing, eligibility and equipment certification issues regarding AVWS stations and technology.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) addresses a number of important issues pertaining to the Aviation Radio Services, amending its rules in the interest of accommodating the communications needs of the aviation community to the greatest possible extent, and ensuring that aeronautical spectrum is used efficiently to enhance the safety of flight.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stays indefinitely a rule that rule prohibits the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or continued use of 121.5 MHz emergency locator transmitters (ELTs). The Commission is staying the effective date of the amendment because information that first came to its attention after the adoption and release of the Third R&O indicates that it would serve the public interest to augment the record on this issue by providing an additional opportunity for public comment.
On August 6, 2009, the Commission published a final rule adopting procedural rules to govern petitions for forbearance filed pursuant to section 10 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. One section within that document could not take effect until the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had approved the associated information collection requirements. OMB approved those information collection requirements on April 5, 2010, under OMB Control Number 3060-1138. This document confirms the effective date of that rule.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) seeks comment on a series of proposals to streamline and clarify the Commission's rules concerning or affecting retransmission consent negotiations. The Commission believes that these rule changes could allow the market-based negotiations contemplated by the statute to proceed more smoothly, provide greater certainty to the negotiating parties, and help protect consumers.
In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Commission proposes rules to implement the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009. The proposed rules prohibit caller ID spoofing done with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value. The Commission also seeks comments that will assist the Commission in preparing a statutorily required report to Congress on whether additional legislation is necessary to prohibit the provision of inaccurate caller identification information in technologies that are successor or replacement technologies to telecommunications services or IP-enabled voice services.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding listed in this document (Amendment of the Amateur Service Rules Governing Vanity and Club Station Call Signs). In the Rulemaking proceeding, the Commission amended the rules governing amateur radio service vanity and club station call signs to, among other things, limit club stations to holding one vanity call sign and limit individuals to serving as the trustee for one club. ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, formerly known as the American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL), filed a Petition for Reconsideration arguing that the rule amendments adopted by the Commission are capable of being evaded, and thus do not fully effectuate the Commission's intent of preventing individuals from using club station licenses to hoard vanity call signs. ARRL proposes alternate regulatory language that it believes would better prevent hoarding of vanity call signs.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) puts forward a set of proposals to reform and modernize Lifeline/Link Up, including recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Government Accountability Office, and the National Broadband Plan. The reforms proposed will significantly bolster protections against waste, fraud, and abuse; control the size of the program; strengthen program administration and accountability; improve enrollment and outreach efforts; and support pilot projects that would assist the Commission in assessing strategies to increase broadband adoption, while not increasing overall program size.
The Audio Division dismisses the petition for rule making filed by Katherine Pyeatt, proposing the allotment of Channel 294C2 at Lake Brownwood; and grants the counterproposal filed by Munbilla Broadcasting Properties, Ltd., requesting the allotment of Channel 294A at Early, Texas. Channel 294A can be allotted at Early, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 31-46-21 NL and 98-52-41 WL, with a site restriction of 7.2 km (4.5 miles) northeast of the community
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by NewsChannel 5 Network, LLC, the licensee of station WTVF(TV), channel 5, Nashville, Tennessee, requesting the substitution of channel 25 for channel 5 at Nashville. NewsChannel 5 lost service to many of its analog viewers when the station transitioned to digital operations and now requests this channel substitution in order to permanently resume service to these viewers.
In this document, the Commission takes an initial step to implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, by seeking comment on the mandated reinstatement of video description rules that would apply to MVPDs and network-affiliated broadcasters.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission denies two petitions for reconsideration filed by Telesat Canada (Telesat) challenging certain aspects of the processing and technical rules adopted for the 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS). Specifically, we decline to adopt Telesat's proposal that the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) impose additional blanket international coordination licensing conditions on U.S.-licensed 17/24 GHz BSS space stations. Finally, we are not persuaded by Telesat's argument that the Commission's technical and procedural rules concerning assignment of orbital locations and frequencies are inapplicable to requests filed by non-U.S.-licensed 17/24 GHz BSS space stations operators seeking to access the market in the United States.
In this document, the Commission adopted a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SFNPRM), in which it announced that it wished to develop a more comprehensive record regarding measures to assist Federally recognized Native American Tribes and Alaska Native Villages (Tribes) in obtaining commercial FM radio station authorizations. Specifically, the Commission sought comment on the use of threshold qualifications for Tribes applying for commercial FM radio channel allotments that were added to the Table of Allotments using the Tribal Priority adopted by the Commission in the First Report and Order (First R&O) in this proceeding. The Commission also sought further comment on whether a Tribal Bidding Credit would accomplish the goal of increasing Tribal ownership of commercial stations broadcasting to Tribal Lands, and sought comment on the financial and other barriers facing Tribes wishing to enter the commercial broadcast arena.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by KSQA, LLC, permittee of station KSQA(TV), channel 12, Topeka, Kansas, requesting the substitution of channel 22 for channel 12 at Topeka.
The Audio Division, at the request of Miriam Media, Inc., allots FM Channel 258A at Willow Creek, California. Channel 258A can be allotted at Willow Creek, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 40-57-29 NL and 123-42-23 WL, with a site restriction of 6.7 km (4.2 miles) west of the community See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
This document requests comments on a petition for rulemaking filed by Charles Crawford, proposing the substitution of Channel 282A for vacant Channel 232A at Hebbronville, Texas. The proposed substitution of Channel 282A at Hebbronville accommodates the hybrid application, which requests the substitution of Channel 232A for Channel 282A at Benavides, Texas. See File No. BNPH-20070502ADP. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 282A can be allotted to Hebbronville consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Rules with a site restriction 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) northwest of the community. The reference coordinates are 27-23-18 NL and 98-44-26 WL. The proposed Channel 282A at Hebbronville is located 320 kilometers from the Mexican Border. Therefore, Mexican concurrence has been requested.
In this document, the Commission proposes to adopt rules that implement provisions in section 104 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the most significant piece of accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. This proceeding would update and amend the Commission's rules to ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to fully utilize advanced communications services (ACS) and equipment and networks used for such services. Specifically, we seek comment on ways to implement the CVAA's requirements on providers of ACS and manufacturers of equipment used for ACS to make their services and products accessible to people with disabilities. The intended effect is to promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans across the country, because broadband technology can stimulate economic growth and provide opportunity for all Americans.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements international telecommunications service regulations. The information collection requirements were approved on February 18, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements in international telecommunications service regulations. The information collection requirements were approved on February 18, 2011 by OMB.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules governing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to provide for national EAS testing and collection of data from such tests. This will help determine whether the EAS functions as intended to deliver a national Presidential alert.
The Audio Division, at the request of Kemp Communications, Inc., allots FM Channel 296C2 at Kualapuu, Hawaii. Channel 296C2 can be allotted at Kualapuu, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, at coordinates 21-10-57 NL and 157-13-26 WL, with a site restriction of 19.4 km (12 miles) west of the community. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION infra.
The Federal Communications Commission published in the Federal Register of February 28, 2011, a document concerning modernization of the FCC Form 477. Inadvertently the Comment Filing Procedures section of the February 28, 2011 publication mistakenly references WC Docket No. 10-191. This document removes that incorrect reference and replaces it with the correct docket number in this proceeding, WC Docket No. 11-10.
In this document, The Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in FCC Form 337. The form changes were approved on February 7, 2011.
This document summarizes the Fourth Report and Order, which establishes a new 800 MHz band plan for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). This action is necessary to meet the Commission's goals to improve public safety communications in the 800 MHz band. The effect of this order ensures an orderly and efficient transition to the new 800 MHz band plan in the USVI.
In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding listed in this document (Table of Allotments, FM Broadcast Stations (Pacific Junction, Iowa)).
In this document, the Commission proposes the removal of the narrowband comparably efficient interconnection (CEI) and open network architecture (ONA) reporting requirements that currently apply to the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs) due to a lack of continuing relevance and utility. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking continues the Commission's examination of its data practices through the Data Innovation Initiative, including identification of data collections that can be eliminated without reducing the effectiveness of the Commission's decision-making process.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes several specific, near-term steps that will accelerate broadband investment in unserved areas and set the Universal Service Fund and Intercarrier Compensation system on a path that is consistent with the principles the Commission has proposed; the Commission then describes alternatives for completing the reform process over the longer term. The Commission intends to monitor the progress of the near-term reforms and adjust course as necessary as the Commission completes the reform process from among the longer-term options.
In this document, the Commission considers whether and how to reform the Form 477 data program, which serves as the Commission's primary tool for collecting broadband and local telephone data. The Commission believes it is time to consider whether modifying the Form 477 will improve the Commission's ability to carry out its duties under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), and is an important part of the Commission's larger initiative to modernize and streamline how the Commission collects, uses, and disseminates data.
In this document, the Commission seeks comments on the development of a technical interoperability framework for the nationwide public safety broadband network. This document considers and proposes additional requirements to further promote and enable nationwide interoperability among public safety broadband networks operating in the 700 MHz band. This document addresses public safety broadband network interoperability from a technological perspective and considers interoperability at various communication layers.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Montana State University, requesting that we add channel *46, Kalispell, Montana, which is already allotted to the Pre-Transition DTV table of Allotments, to the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments.
This document grants the Application for Review filed by Hall Communications, Inc. of the Report and Order in this proceeding to the extent of rescinding the staff action reallotting FM Channel 231A to Morrisonville, New York, and reinstating the allotment of Channel 231A at Keeseville, New York, because an interest had been expressed in retaining the allotment at Keeseville. The document also affirms the Report and Order in all other respects. Finally, the document modifies the FM allotment processing policies so that, on a going forward basis, the Commission will no longer accept proposals involving the reallotment, class down-grade, or deletion of a vacant FM allotment. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, supra.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Declaratory Ruling and Order ( Order ). This notice is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in FCC Form 303-S. The form changes were approved on February 2, 2011.
In this document, the Commission seeks to promote innovation and efficiency in spectrum use in the Experimental Radio Service (ERS). For many years, the ERS has provided fertile ground for testing innovative ideas that have led to new services and new devices for all sectors of the economy. The Commission proposes to leverage the power of experimental radio licensing to accelerate the rate at which these ideas transform from prototypes to consumer devices and services. Its goal is to inspire researchers to dream, discover and deliver the innovations that push the boundaries of the broadband ecosystem. The resulting advancements in devices and services available to the American public and greater spectrum efficiency over the long term will promote economic growth, global competitiveness, and a better way of life for all Americans.
In this document, the Commission initiated a process to further its ongoing commitment to addressing America's growing demand for wireless broadband services, spur ongoing innovation and investment in mobile and ensure that America keeps pace with the global wireless revolution, by making a significant amount of new spectrum available for broadband. The approach proposed is consistent with the goal set forth in the National Broadband Plan (the “ Plan ”) to repurpose up to 120 megahertz from the broadcast television bands for new wireless broadband uses through, in part, voluntary contributions of spectrum to an incentive auction. Reallocation of this spectrum as proposed will provide the necessary flexibility for meeting the requirements of these new applications.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposes revisions to the Commission's Registration System (CORES), which is used by individuals and entities doing business with the FCC to obtain a unique identifying number called an FCC Registration Number, or “FRN.” The proposed modifications to CORES include: Requiring entities and individuals to rely primarily upon a single FRN that may, at their discretion, be linked to subsidiary or associated accounts; allowing entities to identify multiple points of contact; eliminating some of our exceptions to the requirement that entities and individuals provide their Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) at the time of registration; requiring FRN holders to provide their e-mail addresses; modifying CORES log-in procedures; adding attention flags and automated notices that would inform FRN holders of their financial standing before the Commission; and adding data fields to enable FRN holders to indicate their tax-exempt status and notify the Commission of pending bankruptcy proceedings. These modifications, if implemented, will make CORES more feature-friendly and improve the Commission's ability to comply with various statutes that govern debt collection and the collection of personal information by the Federal government.
In this document, the Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Local TV Alabama License, LLC, the licensee of station WHNT-TV, Huntsville, Alabama. Local TV requests the substitution of channel 19 for channel 46 at Huntsville, Alabama.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by George S. Flinn, Jr., the licensee of station WWJX-DT, channel 51, Jackson, Mississippi, requesting the substitution of channel 23 for channel 51 at Jackson.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Comcorp of El Paso License Corp. the licensee of station KTSM-TV, channel 9, El Paso, Texas, requesting the substitution of channel 16 for channel 9 at El Paso.
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission takes action to reclaim high-cost universal service support surrendered by a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) when it relinquishes ETC status in a particular state. This change would reduce the overall cap on competitive ETC support in a state when a competitive ETC relinquishes its designation in the state, rather than redistributing the excess funding to other competitive ETCs in the state.
In this document, the Commission proposes rules for a pilot program to distribute funds for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) established by Congress in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). The law directs the Commission to establish rules within six months of enactment of the new statute that define as eligible for relay service support those programs approved by the Commission for the distribution of specialized customer premises equipment (specialized CPE) to people who are deaf-blind. The goal of this NDBEDP is to make telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced communications, including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and information services, accessible by low income individuals who are deaf-blind.
The Commission grants a petition for rulemaking filed by Hearst- Argyle Stations, Inc. (“Hearst-Argyle”), the licensee of station WPTZ(DT), channel 14, North Pole, New York, proposing to reallot channel 14 from North Pole to Plattsburgh, New York, and to modify station WPTZ(DT)'s authorization to specify Plattsburgh as its community of license.
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by WAND(TV) Partnership, the licensee of station WAND(TV), channel 18, Decatur, Illinois, requesting the substitution of channel 17 for channel 18 at Decatur.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) solicits comment on whether to modify the existing rules governing the licensing and operation of Travelers' Information Stations (TIS) to expand the scope of permitted operations. By initiating this proceeding, the Federal Communications Commission (the Commission) grants petitions for rulemaking filed by Highway Information Systems, Inc. (HIS) and the American Associations of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requesting the commencement of a proceeding to amend the TIS rules.
In this order, on recommendation of the Emergency Response Interoperability Center (ERIC), the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) approved an initial set of technical requirements for public safety jurisdictions (Petitioners) that were granted conditional waivers by the Commission for early deployment in the 700 MHz public safety broadband spectrum. The order grants Petitioners that previously declined to file an interoperability showing a renewed opportunity to do so and to proceed with network deployment.
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comments on the operation and effectiveness of the Commission's rules relating to hearing aid compatibility of wireless handsets. On the basis of the evaluation, the Bureau will consider whether to recommend to the Commission both rule revisions and non-regulatory measures to ensure that persons with hearing loss will continue to have broad access to evolving modes of wireless communication.
The Notice of Inquiry (NOI) initiates a comprehensive proceeding to address how Next Generation 911 (NG911) can enable the public to obtain emergency assistance by means of advanced communications technologies beyond traditional voice-centric devices. The NOI seeks to gain a better understanding of how the gap between the capabilities of modern networks and devices and today's 911 system can be bridged and seeks comment on how to further the transition to IP-based communications capabilities for emergency communications and NG911.
The order provides notice that the comment period cycle for the Commission's Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) and Notice of Inquiry (NOI) has been extended to provide interested parties a meaningful opportunity to file full and informed comment for a complete record concerning the numerous issues raised in the proceeding.
