By Robert M. Gurss
For years, the FCC has been working to encourage Part 90, private land mobile radio licensees to convert to more efficient, narrowband radio
equipment. The original equipment required 25 kHz channels. As of January 1, 2013, licensees in bands below 512 MHz must operate on 12.5 kHz channels (or with equivalent
efficiency). That will require some licensees to replace very old radios, but equipment deployed since the late 1990s should already have 12.5 kHz capability.
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Don Evans
703-812-0430
email
In a surprise to no one, the FCC has adopted the Joint Board’s
recommendation to cap high cost support to competing service providers in an
effort to slow the rapid growth of funds needed to support these carriers. Veteran USF observers will recall that
almost a year ago, the Joint Board recommended this step, urging the FCC to act
swiftly on the proposal. But as we have seen, it takes monumental energy to change even slightly the $4 billion per year
momentum of that subsidy program – or any subsidy program. |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Peter Tannenwald
703-812-0404
email
The FCC is on the prowl again, this time striking at a station for going over the line with "underwriting" announcements before it gave up the noncommercial ship and switched to commercial
status. And the attack was on the sacred national treasure -- Tastee Freeze ice cream.
You will recall that noncommercial stations may acknowledge funding but may not use qualitative terms or suggest that listeners should make a purchase.
The announcements on this station (WCVZ, South Zanesville, Ohio) said that Tastee Freez products are "tastefully decorated" -- whoops, that says they are of good quality -- ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Mitchell Lazarus
703-812-0440
email
The day the D.C. Circuit decided ARRL v. FCC (the broadband-over-power-line case), I posted a brief summary of the decision.
The following is a more complete account, including background on past disagreements between the unlicensed-device industries and the amateur radio community.
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On April 25, an appeals court sent parts of the Broadband-over-Power-Line (BPL) rules back to the FCC for a second look. The challenged rules remain in force in the meantime.
So-called Access BPL, the form at issue here, is a technology for delivering broadband, including high-speed Internet, to homes and businesses over the electrical power lines. (Another kind,
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Ron Whitworth
703-812-0478
email
An updated version of “The Public and
Broadcasting,” a Commission publication which all broadcasters must place in their public inspection files, was released on April 24. All broadcasters must replace the former version of the
document with the revised version immediately and also must be prepared to provide copies to any member of the public who requests one.
The Commission also announced that it will provide two “Broadcast Information Specialists,” one in the Media Bureau’s Audio Division and the other in its Video Division, to serve as contact points
for the public to ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Mitchell Lazarus
703-812-0440
email
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, responding to an appeal brought by the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), today sent parts of the Broadband-over-Power-Line (BPL) Rules back to
the FCC for a second look. The challenged rules remain in force in the meantime.
The court was unhappy with two aspects of the FCC's decision-making process.
First: Among the many technical studies that played a part in the proceeding were five performed by the FCC itself. The FCC placed these in the public docket, but redacted some passages
that it said were "preliminary or partial results ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Mitchell Lazarus
703-812-0440
email
Readers of this blog know that full-power analog TV stations will go off the air for good on February 17, 2009, leaving only their digital counterparts. Sadly, though, not everyone is so
well-informed. Come that Tuesday morning, a lot of people will turn on their trusty old TVs, ready to start the day with a little news or Gilligan's Island, and instead see . . . nothing.
With a little advance warning, those folks can either upgrade to digital TVs or attach a government-subsidized adapter to the old one. But some people -- many of them ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Harry Cole
703-812-0483
email
As we reported here in early March, the Commission ordered applicants with more than 10 short-form translator applications still pending (from the 2003 filing window) to advise the Commission of
which 10 applications the applicant wants to continue to prosecute. All others would then be dismissed. The deadline for those notices was Thursday, April 3.
But five days after that deadline, the Commission has had a change of heart. In a public notice, the Commission has
announced that the dismissal of FM translator applications has been suspended.
According to the Commission, the suspension will permit it ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Lee Petro and Harry Cole
703-812-0400
email
As reported yesterday, the rules for the DTV Education Initiative became effective on March 31, 2008. The FCC has also received final approval for the FCC Form 388 and, as of April 1, the Commission
has posted the form on its webpage.
Heads up!!! Form 388 is NOT available in CDBS. Rather, it must be filed as a Report in MB Docket 07-148. That means that you will have to access the blank form on the Commission’s website (at the
address indicated above), print ... |
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| Posted by FHH Law at | | | |
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By Lee Petro
703-812-0453
email
As previously reported, the Commission adopted rules
requiring broadcasters, MVPDs and telecommunications carriers to engage in a
coordinated educational campaign regarding the DTV Transition. The rules were to become effective once (a)
the FCC’s notice had been published in the Federal Register, (b) the Office of
Management and Budget had approved the new “information collection”
requirements, and (c) notice of the OMB’s approval had been published in the
Federal Register. Those three events
have all occurred – the last occurring with the March 31 Federal Register
notice of OMB’s approval. That Notice
indicates that: the rules become effective March 31; ... |
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