Wireless Roundup (January 2021)
Upcoming Filing and Comment Deadlines
Upcoming Effective Dates
Upcoming Meetings and Events
New Items on Circulation
Coming Up Next
Did You Know?
Recent Wiley Client Alerts, IoT Blog Posts, and Podcasts
Upcoming Filing and Comment Deadlines
FCC Seeks Comment on Requests to Extend STIR/SHAKEN Implementation Deadline: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) seeks comment through a Public Notice on requests (available here, here, and here) and a related Petition for Declaratory Ruling to extend the June 30, 2021 deadline for voice service providers to implement the STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication framework in the IP portions of their networks. Comments are due January 4 and reply comments on January 19.
FCC Requests Comment on Shared Use in the 3.1-3.55 GHz Band Order Petition for Reconsideration: Replies are due January 4 (Public Notice here) to oppositions to the Petition for Reconsideration filed by the National Association for Amateur Radio. The petition asks the FCC to reconsider decisions in its Report and Order to: (i) remove the secondary allocation for the Amateur service at 3300-3500 MHz, and (ii) require that Amateur operations in the 3450-3500 MHz band cease “on a date consistent with the first possible grant of flexible use authorizations to new users[.]”
DOD Seeks Extension of Information Collection on Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements: Comments are due January 4 on the Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Acquisition Regulations System request for comment on its proposal to extend an information collection requirement—approved already for use through April 30, 2021—until April 30, 2024. Through this extension, DOD seeks to continue to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities in its supply chain by verifying contractor implementation of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171 security requirements.
FCC Seeks Comment on ICS Petition for Reconsideration: Oppositions are due January 11 to a Petition for Reconsideration filed by Global Tel*Link Corporation (GTL) of the FCC’s Report and Order on Remand responding to remands by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on ancillary services charges for inmate calling services (ICS). GTL requests reconsideration of how the Commission determines the jurisdictional nature of a call. Replies to an opposition are due January 21.
FCC Requests Comment on Expanding Access to and Investment in the 4.9 GHz Band: Reply comments are due January 29 on the Commission’s Seventh Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to expand access to and investment in the 4940-4990 MHz band (4.9 GHz band). The FNPRM proposes new licensing rules to facilitate investment in the 4.9 GHz band, spectrum from which States may lease for both public safety and non-public safety purposes.
Upcoming Effective Dates
Streamlined Local Approval of Wireless Infrastructure Modifications: The Report and Order takes effect January 4. The Report and Order revises the Commission’s rules implementing section 6409(a) of the Spectrum Act of 2012 in an effort to facilitate 5G deployment. The revised rule broadens the scope of wireless facility modifications that are eligible for streamlined review to include modifications that entail ground excavation or deployment up to 30 feet outside a current site.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
FCC Open Meeting: The next FCC Open Meeting is scheduled for January 13. When available, the agenda will be posted here.
Multistakeholder Process on Promoting Software Component Transparency Meeting: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will hold a virtual meeting of a multistakeholder process on promoting software component transparency on January 13. Dial-in and slide share will be available to the public and when available will be posted here.
FCC Technological Advisory Council Meeting: The FCC Technological Advisory Council (TAC) will meet on January 14 via a publicly available conference call. More information is available here.
Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee Meeting: The Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) will meet on January 14 via audio teleconference. More information, including a call-in number, is available here.
Virtual Workshop on Improving the Security of DevOps Practices: The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) will hold a virtual workshop on January 21. NCCoE’s workshop, which is focused on improving the security of DevOps practices, will solicit proposed approaches from participating organizations and community perspectives. More information and registration are available here.
NIST Virtual Workshop on Explainable AI: NIST will hold a virtual workshop on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (AI) between January 26 and 28. More information and registration are available here.
DevSecOps and Zero Trust Architecture for Multi-Cloud Environments Conference: NIST will hold a virtual conference on DevSecOps and zero trust architecture (ZTA) on January 27. More information and registration are available here.
National Strategy to Secure 5G Industry Listening Meeting: NTIA will hold a virtual industry roundtable listening session on the implementation plan of the Secure 5G strategy on January 28. When available, dial-in information will be posted here.
New Items on Circulation
The following items of interest went on circulation before the full Commission in the past month and remains pending as of publication of this Wireless Roundup.
Call Authentication Trust Anchor Second FNPRM (circulated December 4 by the Wireline Competition Bureau)
Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act Report and Order (circulated December 8 by the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau)
Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls (circulated December 8 by the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau)
Coming Up Next...
Comments are due February 1 on the NIST draft interagency report titled, Identifying and Estimating Cybersecurity Risk for Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) (Draft NISTIR 8286A).
Comments are due February 12 on NIST Special Publication 800-213, titled IoT Device Cybersecurity Guidance for the Federal Government: Establishing IoT Device Cybersecurity Requirements.
Comments are due February 12 on Draft NISTR 8259B, titled IoT Non-Technical Supporting Capability Core Baseline.
Comments are due February 12 on Draft NISTR 8259C, titled Creating a Profile Using the IoT Core Baseline and Non-Technical Baseline.
Comments are due February 12 on Draft NISTR 8259D, titled Profile Using the IoT Core Baseline and Non-Technical Baseline for the Federal Government.
The next Open Commission Meeting is scheduled for February 17. The meeting agenda, once posted, will be available here.
Did You Know?
Wiley announced partner promotions for 2021. Congratulations to associate Meredith Singer. Learn more here.
Partner Megan Brown authored the National Security Institute’s New Law and Policy Paper. Learn more here.
Listen On-Demand to the Post-Election Webinar Series. Below are the four webcasts:
- Telecom and Media Post-Election
- Privacy and Cybersecurity
- Wireless Regulation, Spectrum, and Auctions
- The Future of Wireless Infrastructure
January 12: Wiley’s partner Peter Hyun and of counsel Rob Walker and Signal Group DC’s Charlie Moskowitz will host a webinar on “Preparing for Congressional Investigations in the 117th Congress.” Learn more and RSVP here.
Recent Wiley Client Alerts, IoT Blog Posts, and Podcasts
FCC Clarifies That Government Contractors Must Obtain Prior Express Consent Under the TCPA
FCC Proposes to Ease Equipment Marketing and Importation Rules
FCC Proposes Rule Changes to Allow “Zonecasting” by FM Booster Stations
Select Team Telecom Modernization Rules Will Go Into Effect Before the New Year
What You Can Market This Holiday Season (And Possibly Next!)
Another Court Loss for President’s TikTok Ban, Questions Loom About the Future
Esports: What You Should Know About the Industry
CISA Publishes Insider Threat Mitigation Guide for Critical Infrastructure
Commerce Bans Exports to Dozens of Companies, Including Chinese Semiconductor, Drone Manufacturers
Privacy in Focus (December 2020)
Wiley Consumer Protection Download (December 7, 2020)
Wiley Consumer Protection Download (December 21, 2020)
Roundup Disclaimer: Information in the Wireless Roundup is current as of December 22, 2020. This document is for informational purposes only and does not intend to be a comprehensive review of all proceedings and deadlines. Deadlines and dates are subject to change. Please contact your relevant Wiley attorney for further information on the content of this document.