On September 28, 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the release of a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). As per the Wiley Rein LLP’s report , the NPRM, if adopted, would largely impact the regulation of broadband in the United States. Specifically, it proposes to reclassify both broadband internet access service and mobile…
Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan’s former president, Islam Karimov, has been indicted on multiple corruption charges by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland. She now faces charges of money laundering, bribery, and active involvement in a criminal network. Karimova’s suspected illicit activities were initially reported in 2012, which led to a…
Liberty Global Inc. (“LGI”) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are currently locked in a vigorous legal battle, focusing primarily on the interpretation of the economic substance and step transaction doctrines. The crux of the issue lies in a transaction, LGI claimed a dividends received deduction for $2.4 billion relating to the proceeds from the…
Earlier this week, the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) revealed plans to revisit the legislation surrounding net neutrality. These plans were long-anticipated; it marks a new chapter in the enduring debate over the regulation of broadband providers’ networks and business practices. The net neutrality issue has been brought back into the limelight by…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently charged multinational telecommunications and internet service provider, GTT Communications, Inc., for multiple disclosure failures and control violations. JDSupra reports that the charges were settled and stem from GTT’s failure to disclose critical information regarding “unsupported adjustments of more than $35 million”. These incomplete disclosures reportedly had…
In a move designed to bolster commercial space launch operations, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently approved a Report and Order (Order) that amends access to the 2200-2290 MHz band spectrum and revises spectrum licensing rules. This was reported by legal firm, Wiley Rein LLP. The FCC’s new order will significantly enhance…
In yet another example of the sustained focus of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on cybersecurity-related violations, Verizon Business Network Services LLC recently became the subject of a False Claims Act settlement. This comes as a signal that entities operating as federal contractors must step up their efforts to uphold stringent cybersecurity compliance standards….
After the fallout of Facebook v. Duguid, many have waited anxiously to observe how district courts would interpret the Supreme Court’s clarified definition of an automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS). The case took the spotlight due to its severe implications under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This development comes as part of Manatt’s consistent…
On September 2, 2023, the federal government finalized its long-anticipated draft regulation, known as the Regulation on the Implementation of the Online News Law, the obligation to inform and requests for exemption (the “draft regulation”). This move marks a significant development in the public consultation phase and looks to set up the implementation of the…
In a recent development, a federal judge has rejected the appeal of a law firm implicated in a TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) violation related to the Camp Lejeune case. The law firm stands accused of unlawful client solicitation under the TCPA. The accusations involve a woman who primarily used her cellphone for residential purposes….
In a recent move by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency has released an Order on Reconsideration, aimed at addressing petitions that sought clarification on certain broadband labeling requirements. The order follows the FCC’s initial rollout of broadband labeling specifications, necessitating a more detailed explanation and reconsideration in response to the waves of inquiries…
In an announcement that arrived on September 2, 2023, the federal government unveiled its draft Regulations Respecting the Application of the Online News Act, the Duty to Notify and the Request for Exemptions (Draft Regulations). The public consultation phase for these draft regulations, which implement the Online News Act (Act), has officially begun. For those…
In a recent legal development, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, along with its telecommunications client, failed to get a trade secret case dismissed. The suit, initiated by a rival Florida telecom company, came in the aftermath of an alleged protective order violation during the discovery phase of a connected lawsuit. The presiding federal judge rejected…
In a recent turn of events, differing rulings have emerged from separate United States Courts of Appeals concerning their interpretation of Sections 253 and 332 of the Communications Act, according to JDSupra. Initially introduced to handle cases linked to wired telecommunication involving ‘California Payphone,’ this standard has been extended to include contrasting issues encompassing both…
In the domain of legal and telecommunications news, there’s been an important development. On August 24, 2023, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) issued a Public Notice (DA 23-753) calling for nominations for six positions on the Board of Directors for the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The Wireline Competition Bureau is an agency under the…
On August 24, 2023, the Canadian Broadcasting and Telecommunications Council (the “CRTC”) published its plan for implementing the Online News Act (the “Act”). The public consultations on the Act are set to commence in the fall of 2023. This announcement came from legal firm, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, known for their expertise in regulatory…
In a recent move that highlights the ongoing rigour in the telecommunications regulatory landscape, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has admonished telecom companies with a hefty penalty for failing to safeguard the privacy of their customers. The stern directive recalls the strict enforcement of the protection of Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI). Issuing a Notice…
Canada has recently taken strides to revise labour laws surrounding hours of work conditions for employees working in specific sectors, as indicated by the publication of Regulation SOR/2023-180 under the Canada Labour Code (CLC) (Amending Regulation) on August 16, 2023. The sectors affected by these amendments include banking, telecommunications and broadcasting, rail, and airlines. The…
On August 24, 2023, the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced its strategy to implement the Online News Act (the Act). The unveiling of this plan comes as a pivotal step forward in the governance of online news platforms in Canada. According to information from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, public consultations regarding the practicalities…
Indonesian law firms are pivoting their focus to sectors such as health care, nickel mining, and telecommunications amidst a significant decrease in venture capital deal work over the past year. This transition is a response to industry changes that occurred after Indonesia’s Widodo administration made a noticeable shift in 2016. Aiming for an average annual…
In a recent development on the legal interpretation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has determined that text messages do not fall under the category of “prerecorded voice messages”. This decision has clear implications on the prohibitions of the TCPA, specifically…
In recent news, the Ninth Circuit has ruled in the case Trim v Reward Zone USA LLC, No. 22-55517, 2023 WL 5025264 (9th Cir. August 8, 2023), that text messages do not fall under the category of prerecorded calls. The decision came in response to a putative class action filed by the plaintiff, who claimed…
On a recent development in TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) case law, a district court judge in the Central District of California denied a motion for class certification. This case featured in the proceeding was Wiley v. American Financial Network, Inc. The judge’s decision was reportedly influenced by evidence provided by the defendant, American Financial…
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently proposed a series of modifications to its requirements for reporting the ownership of companies that provide regulated international telecommunication services, in an effort to improve safeguards against potentially harmful foreign interests. The prospective changes come as the FCC’s focus on the security of the US telecommunications network has…
In an endeavor to scale broadband access in rural and high-cost areas, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Sixth Report and Order (Order) in its Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) docket on August 4, 2023. Detailed in a story covered by JDSupra, the provision is evidence of a commitment to bridging the digital gap in…