press release

The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced a five-year cooperative research and development agreement with the University of Colorado Boulder to develop a wireless test bed. NTIA’s Boulder-based Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) will work with the university to install spectrum monitoring sensors throughout the CU Boulder campus, with data to be available to both parties for spectrum management research.

Uber Technologies has agreed to expand the proposed settlement it reached with the Federal Trade Commission in 2017 over charges that the ride-sharing company deceived consumers about its privacy and data security practices. After the announcement of 2017’s proposed settlement, the FTC learned that Uber had failed to disclose a significant breach of consumer data that occurred in 2016 -- in the midst of the FTC’s investigation that led to the August 2017 settlement announcement. Due to Uber’s misconduct related to the 2016 breach, Uber will be subject to additional requirements.

There are two general approaches to expanding access to high-speed broadband in small towns and rural areas: with wires (fiber) and without (fixed wireless). Because trenching fiber is very costly in low-density areas, there is a growing recognition that “wireless fiber”–otherwise known as fixed wireless access–can provide broadband at high capacity (100/10 Mbps or better) at a fraction of the cost and also far more quickly.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that significant progress has been made as a result of the Commission’s renewed commitment to combating unlawful broadcasting—often called “pirate radio.” The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has led an effort to crack down on this illegal activity, resulting in unlawful broadcasts going off the air, seizure of equipment, fines against pirates, proposed fines against pirates and property owners actively aiding pirate radio operations, and numerous other enforcement

The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on the subjects listed below on Tuesday, April 17, 2018:

The Federal Communications Commission announced settlements with Sprint and Mobilitie in two separate but related investigations into whether the companies completed proper tower registration as well as environmental and historic impact reviews prior to construction of wireless infrastructure facilities.  To settle the investigations, Sprint agreed to pay $10 million and Mobilitie agreed to pay $1.6 million to the US Treasury.

The Federal Communications Commission announced the launch of a new Honors Engineer Program to recruit current students and recent engineering school graduates to the FCC and into the forefront of the technology and communications fields. This is an opportunity for individuals to gain public
sector experience at the beginning of their careers through a valuable one-year career development program. At the end of the one-year program, Honors Program engineers will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC. 

The Federal Communications Commission approved an application by Space Exploration Holdings, doing business as SpaceX, to provide broadband services using satellite technology in the United States and around the world. SpaceX proposed a satellite system comprised of 4,425 satellites and was granted authority to use frequencies in the Ka (20/30 GHz) and Ku (11/14 GHz) bands to provide global Internet connectivity. The Memorandum Opinion, Order and Authorization outlines the conditions under which SpaceX is authorized to provide service using its proposed NGSO FSS satellite constellation.

Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Mignon Clyburn announced the appointments of Neşe Guendelsberger as wireline legal advisor and Michael Scurato as media legal advisor, as well as the departures of J. David Grossman, the Commissioner’s Chief of Staff and Claude Aiken, the Commissioner’s wireline legal advisor.

First responders perform a specialized job. And with the launch of the FirstNet network core, first responders now have access to a truly specialized communications system that can keep up with their needs. While we’ve already given first responders access to the early benefits of FirstNet, the launch of the FirstNet evolved packet core is a major breakthrough for public safety. Built on physically separate hardware, it finally gives first responders their own separate, nationwide broadband network.