FCC
US fines telcos $200M for sharing customer location data without consent
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Monday that it is fining the four U.S. major wireless carriers around $200 million in total for “illegally” sharing and selling customers’ real-time…
This restores, with some changes and protections, the rules passed back in 2015 allowing the FCC to enforce basic rules of connectivity and fairness in broadband.
Net neutrality’s long trip toward (then away from, then toward again, then away, and now once more toward) federal protections against broadband meddling may be entering its final chapter, either…
Biden’s FCC argues net neutrality restoration will increase online free speech
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Wednesday announced plans to vote on rules restoring net neutrality. The vote, set for April 25, would reinstate 2015 internet rules adopted under President Obama…
FCC commissioner pushes to investigate Apple’s decision to block Beeper Mini
FCC commissioner Brendan Carr said Monday that the agency should investigate Apple over the company’s decision to block the Beeper Mini service, which worked on bringing iMessage to Android. Pebble…
The FCC’s war on robocalls has gained a new weapon in its arsenal with the declaration of AI-generated voices as “artificial” and therefore definitely against the law when used in…
No one likes robocalls to begin with, but using AI-generated voices of people like President Biden makes them even worse. As such the FCC is proposing that using voice cloning…
The FCC has made a final denial of Starlink’s application for $885 million in public funds to expand its orbital communications infrastructure to cover parts of rural America, saying the…
FCC aims to investigate the risk of AI-enhanced robocalls
As if robocalling wasn’t already enough of a problem, the advent of easily accessible, realistic AI-powered writing and synthetic voice could supercharge the practice. The FCC aims to preempt this…
Featured Article
FCC begins second quest for net neutrality
The Federal Communications Commission officially began its effort to reestablish net neutrality at its monthly meeting today, with a proposed rule prohibiting broadband providers from favoring or throttling certain internet traffic. While it still faces a legal and political battle, the new rule benefits from eight years of hindsight. In its meeting today, the FCC…
FCC announces plans to reinstate net neutrality
Net neutrality is back on the menu, citizens. After a long, long battle ending in eventual defeat during Trump’s presidency, the FCC is set to reinstate rules that broadband providers…
FCC finally gets its 5th commissioner in Anna Gomez
The FCC is whole again with the Senate’s confirmation of Anna Gomez as the agency’s fifth commissioner, empowering it to take more and faster action regarding all matters regulatory in…
FCC fines robocaller a record $300M after blocking billions of their scam calls
The FCC’s robocaller penalties are growing as the agency tracks down and terminates their operations — this time resulting in a record $300 million forfeiture. But whether and when that…
FCC proposes satellite-to-phone rules to eliminate ‘no signal’ once and for all
The FCC has officially proposed, and voted unanimously to move forward with, a framework under which satellites can communicate directly with smartphones in a structured and useful way. The Notice…
FCC moves to form Space Bureau as its role in regulating orbit intensifies
The Federal Communications Commission regulates lots of industries and practices relating to telecommunications and the internet, but it is now cementing its role as a space regulator by voting to…
The FCC can finally hammer predatory prison phone call companies, thanks to just-passed bill
A brand-new law (awaiting only the president’s signature) will let the Federal Communications Commission directly regulate rates in the notoriously predatory prison calling industry. Under the threat of having to…
FCC 86es first carrier for flouting robocall rules
When it comes to robocalls, the FCC means business, though you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise as its various efforts over the last few years have crept rather than…
FCC orders ISPs to show broadband ‘nutrition labels’ with all fees and limits
Hidden fees and unexpected rate hikes have become an expected part of Americans’ internet, cable, and phone bills, but the FCC just passed a rule that may make this a…
Major space companies, including SpaceX and Relativity, are urging the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stick to its purview — spectrum usage — as it looks to potentially update…
FCC rules satellites must deorbit within 5 years of ending mission
Satellites in low Earth orbit can’t linger too long after they’ve finished what they went there to do, according to new rules passed by the FCC today. Now there’s a…
FCC solicits feedback from the public on rules to stop robotexts
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today proposed new rules to fight back against so-called “robotext” campaigns — the barrages of scam texts sent by malicious actors and large criminal…
FCC denies Starlink’s application for $885M subsidy
The FCC has rejected the application of Starlink to provide broadband to rural America at a cost of $885 million over 10 years, nullifying a tentative approval back in 2020.…
FCC hands down $116M robocall fine, but begs for the power to hammer perps itself
Robocalls and other automated scams are an everyday occurrence for millions of Americans. But while stricter rules are coming and the FCC is about to hit one robocaller’s operation with…
FCC proposes funding Wi-Fi on school buses
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel has proposed that federal funding be provided to equip school buses with Wi-Fi, potentially closing the homework gap by that much more. I don’t know if…
The FCC wants your comments on preventing ‘digital discrimination’ in broadband availability
Access to broadband is a must-have in today’s remote workplace, yet there are many places still where high-speed internet is unavailable, inconsistent, or overpriced. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission was…
FCC proposal would curb ISP lock-ins at apartment complexes
Most anyone who’s moved to a new apartment has had the same experience: Whatever broadband provider everyone else in the building has, you have. This kind of lock-in could become…
FCC proposes stricter requirements for reporting data breaches
The Federal Communications Commission is the next US regulator hoping to hold companies more accountable for data breaches.
Jessica Rosenworcel becomes the first woman to chair the FCC, and Gigi Sohn is nominated for 5th spot
The FCC has its first-ever woman as chair of the agency, Jessica Rosenworcel, who has been serving as acting chair since the beginning of the year. President Biden officially appointed…
FCC proposes new rules to combat SIM swapping scams
SIM swapping scams have been on the rise these past couple of years, but the FCC is seeking to create new rules that would help prevent SIM swapping scams and…
FCC showers schools across the US with $1.2B from Emergency Connectivity Fund
The FCC has sent out the first checks from its Emergency Connectivity Fund, an effort to help close the “homework gap” at schools by covering the cost of computers and…
