Welcome to the Tech & Telecom Weekly, an e-newsletter keeping you apprised of the latest developments in the telecommunications and high-tech industries.
FCC Policy
The next FCC Open Meeting will be August 5, 2021, at 10:30am ET. The Final Agenda contains the same six items previously noticed, including a Public Notice creating two Innovation Zones for experimental licensing and a Report and Order establishing a review process for STIR/SHAKEN noncompliance. The meeting will be live-streamed here.
The newly chartered North American Numbering Council (NANC) will hold its first meeting on October 13, 2021, at 2:00pm ET, via video conference. NANC will vote on recommendations from the Call Authentication Trust Anchor regarding STIR/SHAKEN compliance by small voice service providers. The meeting will be live-streamed here. The linked Public Notice provides a list of all NANC members.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
Compliance Alerts
The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) Rural Healthcare Program Team will hold a webinar on August 12, 2021, at 3:00pm ET focusing on best practices for submission of FY2022 requests for services. Registration can be found here. For more information about USAC and compliance, please contact Katherine Barker Marshall.
Developments in the EU
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of Telekom Romania Communications (TKR) by Orange, S.A. (formerly France Telecom, S.A.). Approval is subject to a condition that was suggested by the merging parties: TKR must divest its 30% stake in Telekom Romania Mobile Communications, a direct competitor of Orange. The Commission approved the transaction within the 35-day deadline without commencing an investigation. For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
Legislative Affairs
The Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee will hold a hearing tomorrow, August 3, 2021, at 2:30pm ET, titled “Toxic Marketing Claims and Their Dangers.” Topics will include deceptive marketing practices aimed at vulnerable populations, such as ads for e-cigarettes and vaporizers targeted at teens. Scheduled witnesses include Ariel Fox Johnson, Senior Counsel for Global Policy at Common Sense Media, and Former Acting FTC Chair Maureen Ohlhausen. The hearing will be live-streamed here. For more information, please contact Stephanie Joyce.
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