Mar
17
2021

March 2021 Open Commission Meeting

10:30 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Online Only

The FCC held this Open Meeting on the subjects listed below:

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and related agency telework and headquarters access policies, this meeting was held in a wholly electronic format and was open to the public on the Internet via live feed from the FCC’s web page at www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

Public Drafts of Meeting Items – The FCC is publicly releasing the draft text of each item expected to be considered at this Open Commission Meeting with the exception of items involving national security matters and specific, enforcement-related matters including restricted proceedings and hearing designation orders. One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item. Links to these materials are provided below.

  • Promoting Public Safety Through Information Sharing
    The Commission considered a Second Report and Order that would provide state and federal agencies with direct, read-only access to communications outage data for public safety purposes while also preserving the confidentiality of that data. (PS Docket No. 15-80)
  • Improving the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts
    The Commission considered a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry to implement section 9201 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which is intended to improve the way the public receives emergency alerts on their mobile phones, televisions, and radios. (PS Docket Nos. 15-94, 15-91)
  • Facilitating Shared Use in the 3.45 GHz Band
    The Commission considered a Second Report and Order that would establish rules to create a new 3.45 GHz Service operating between 3.45-3.55 GHz, making 100 megahertz of mid-band spectrum available for flexible use throughout the contiguous United States. (WT Docket No. 19-348)
  • Auction of Flexible-Use Service Licenses in the 3.45-3.55 GHz Band
    The Commission considered a Public Notice that would establish application and bidding procedures for Auction 110, the auction of flexible use licenses in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. (AU Docket No. 21-62)
  • Promoting the Deployment of 5G Open Radio Access Networks
    The Commission considered a Notice of Inquiry seeking comment on the current status of Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN) and virtualized network environments, including potential obstacles to their development and deployment, and whether and how deployment of Open RAN-compliant networks could further the Commission’s policy goals and statutory obligations. (WT Docket No. 21-63)
  • China Unicom Americas Proceeding
    The Commission considered an Order to initiate a proceeding to determine whether to revoke China Unicom Americas’ authority to provide domestic interstate and international telecommunications services within the United States under section 214 of the Communications Act. (GN Docket No. 20-110, ITC-214-20020728-00361, ITC-214-20020724-00427).
  • Pacific Networks and ComNet Proceeding
    The Commission considered an Order to initiate a proceeding to determine whether to revoke Pacific Networks’ and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet’s authority to provide domestic interstate services and to revoke and/or terminate their authority to provide international telecommunications services within the United States under section 214 of the Communications Act. (GN Docket No. 20-111, ITC-214-20090105-00006, ITC-214-20090424-00199)
  • Rising Eagle Spoofing Fine
    The Commission considered a Forfeiture Order to fine Texas-based telemarketers $225 million for transmitting approximately 1 billion robocalls, many of them illegally spoofed, to sell short-term, limited-duration health insurance plans. John C. Spiller and Jakob A. Mears, who used business names including Rising Eagle and JSquared Telecom, transmitted the spoofed robocalls across the country during the first four-and-a-half months of 2019.

Meeting Documents

FCC to Share Communications Outage Info with Federal & State Agencies

FCC Proposes to Further Strengthen Emergency Alerting

FCC Opens 100 Megahertz of Mid-Band Spectrum For 5G

FCC Seeks Comment on Mid-Band Spectrum Auction

FCC Seeks Comment on Open Radio Access Networks

FCC Initiates Proceeding on Revocation of China Unicom Authorizations

FCC Initiates Proceeding on Pacific Networks & ComNet Authorizations

FCC Issues Record $225 Million Fine for Spoofed Robocalls

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