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…
In the ever-evolving world of telecommunications law, the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) has recently made a decision that could potentially reshape the landscape of service providers. On July 27, 2023, the WCB issued an Order (DA 23-641) seeking comments on a petition by the Osage Nation to gain designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC)….
In a recent announcement made on August 1, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Enforcement Bureau informed a gateway intermediate provider and originator about alleged illegal transmission and origination of robocalls. If actions are not taken to rectify this situation, the FCC may grant downstream service providers the legal authority to permanently block its traffic, resulting…
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently took a significant step in its ongoing efforts to enforce proper consumer data security in the telecommunications industry. The agency announced a proposed fine of $20 million targeting two affiliated mobile carrier companies for their alleged violations of FCC rules. The FCC says the companies in question failed to…
Legal professionals should be aware that on October 4, 2023, at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). A test of the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) will kick off two minutes…
Canada is set to enforce a new regulation, SOR/2023-78, which will necessitate employers to provide free menstrual products for usage in toilet rooms of federally regulated workplaces. This new rule will come into effect on December 15, 2023, as per a report by Littler. The mandate is a step towards acknowledging the fact that access…