FCC agenda for May is another non-event

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FCC Commissioners / May 2012That’s from a broadcast perspective – others may well be interested in what’s on the agenda, but radio and television professionals will find nothing of interest. If there is anything to be curious about at all, it’s seeing how many commissioners actually show up.


We suspect all four of them will be at the event, scheduled for Thursday 5/9/13 at 10:30 AM. We know that Chairman Julius Genachowski is expected to make his exit by mid-May, and this date falls just before the middle of the month.

Commissioner Robert McDowell is also exiting, and although he has not signaled a specific date that we are aware of, he said it would be soon when he announced his imminent departure and that was awhile back.

Bottom line is we expect a couple of farewell speeches at this meeting.

From the FCC, here’s what’s on the agenda:

** INTERNATIONAL, WIRELESS TELE-COMMUNICATIONS & OFFICE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
TITLE:  Expanding Access to Broadband and Encouraging Innovation through Establishment of an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband Secondary Service for Passengers Aboard Aircraft in the 14.0-14.5 GHz Band (RM-11640 and 11429)
SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking to improve consumer access to broadband aboard aircraft and encourage innovation through establishment of an Air-Ground Mobile Broadband secondary service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz band, while ensuring that existing users are protected from interference.

** OFFICE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
TITLE:  Amendment of Part 2 of the Commission’s Rules for Federal Earth Stations Communicating with Non-Federal Fixed Satellite Service Space Stations; Federal Space Station Use of the 399.9-400.05 MHz band; and Allocation of Spectrum for Non-Federal Space Launch Operations (RM-11341)
SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry to ease access to spectrum for commercial space launch operators and better facilitate federal government use of commercial satellite services, and seek comment on streamlining processes, eliminating unnecessary burdens, and identifying future communication and spectrum needs of the commercial space sector.

** PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY
TITLE:  Facilitating the Deployment of Text-to-911 and Other Next Generation 911 Applications; Framework for Next Generation 911 Deployment (PS Docket Nos. 11-153; 10-255)
SUMMARY:  The Commission will consider a Report and Order requiring CMRS providers and providers of interconnected text messaging services to provide consumers with an automatic bounce-back message if the consumer attempts to text 911 where that capability is unavailable.