News Update - February 2024
NIST Releases Cybersecurity Framework Version 2.0
February 26, 2024 – The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released version 2.0 of its Cybersecurity Framework. According to NIST, the updated version “is designed for all audiences, industry sectors and organization types, from the smallest schools and nonprofits to the largest agencies and corporations – regardless of their degree of cybersecurity sophistication.” The first version of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework was focused on the protection of critical infrastructure, and was released in 2014. It was updated to version 1.1 in 2018. The Cybersecurity Framework version 2.0, along with numerous supplementary resources are available online from NIST.
FCC Chair Releases Tentative Agenda For March 14th Open Meeting, Includes Cybersecurity Labeling Program & Section 706 Report
February 22, 2024 – Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced the following tentative agenda for the FCC’s next open meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 14, 2024:
Cybersecurity Labeling Program for Smart Products – The Commission will consider a Report and Order to create a voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for wireless consumer Internet of Things (IoT) products, which would help consumers make informed purchasing decisions, differentiate trustworthy products in the marketplace, and create incentives for manufacturers to meet higher cybersecurity standards. (PS Docket No. 23-239)
Re-Defining ‘High-Speed’ Internet to Match Market Realities – The Commission will consider the draft 2024 Section 706 Report, which, if adopted, would fulfill the Commission’s statutory responsibility under section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and raise the fixed speed benchmark for advanced telecommunications capability to 100/20 Mbps. (GN Docket No. 22-270)
Single Network Future: Supplemental Coverage from Space – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would advance the Commission’s vision for a single network future in which satellite and terrestrial networks work seamlessly together to provide coverage for consumer handsets that neither network can achieve on its own. (GN Docket No. 23-65; IB Docket No. 22-271)
‘All-In’ Cable and Satellite TV Pricing – The Commission will consider a Report and Order to require cable and satellite TV providers to specify the “all-in” price for video programming services in promotional materials and on subscribers’ bills in order to allow consumers to make informed choices. (MB Docket No. 23-203)
‘Missing and Endangered Persons' Emergency Alert Code – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to facilitate the more efficient and widespread dissemination of alerts and coordinated responses to incidents involving missing and endangered persons, an issue that is particularly prevalent in Tribal communities. (PS Docket Nos. 15-91, 15-94)
FCC Enforcement Bureau Removes 12 Companies From Robocall Mitigation Database – Intermediate Providers And Voice Service Providers Must Cease Accepting Their Traffic
February 22, 2024 – The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has removed the certifications of the following 12 companies from the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database:
Viettel Business Solutions Company;
Etihad Etisalat (Mobily);
Claude ICT Poland Sp. z o. o. dba TeleCube.PL;
Nervill LTD;
Textodog Inc. dba Textodog and Textodog Software Inc.;
Phone GS;
Computer Integrated Solutions dba CIS IT & Engineering;
Datacom Specialists;
DomainerSuite, Inc.;
Evernex SMC PVT LTD;
Humbolt Voip; and
MyTaxi Ride Inc.
The Enforcement Bureau removed the 12 companies from the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database because all “failed to correct their facially deficient Database certifications” or failed to otherwise demonstrate their certifications should not be removed. The following four companies are domestic voice service providers: Computer Integrated Solutions dba CIS IT & Engineering, Datacom Specialists, DomainerSuite, Inc., and Humbolt Voip. Because these four have had their certifications removed from the Robocall Mitigation Database, all intermediate providers and voice service providers must cease accepting all calls directly from those four providers.
The remaining eight companies are foreign voice service providers: Viettel Business Solutions Company (Vietnam), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) (Saudi Arabia), Claude ICT Poland Sp. z o. o. dba TeleCube.PL (Poland), Nervill LTD (Israel), Textodog Inc. dba Textodog and Textodog Software Inc. (Canada), Phone GS (France), Evernex SMC PVT LTD (Pakistan), and My Taxi Ride Inc. (unknown nation of origin). Removal from the Robocall Mitigation Database requires all intermediate providers and voice service providers to cease accepting all calls directly from these eight providers that use U.S. North American Numbering Plan (NANP) resources in the caller ID field to send voice traffic to residential or business subscribers in the United States.
FCC Removes TELECLUB From The Robocall Mitigation Database; Intermediate Providers And Voice Service Providers Must Cease Accepting NANP Calls From TELECLUB
February 22, 2024 – The FCC’s Enforcement Bureau has removed the certification of foreign voice service provider TELECLUB from the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database. TELECLUB’s certification was removed because the company “failed to cure its facially deficient Database certification (Certification) or otherwise demonstrate why the Bureau should not remove its Certification from the Database following the Bureau’s October 16, 2023 Order directing it to take either one of those actions.” All intermediate providers and voice service providers must cease accepting all calls directly from TELECLUB that use U.S. North American Numbering Plan resources in the caller ID field to send voice traffic to residential or business subscribers in the United States. Additionally, TELECLUB is not allowed to refile a Robocall Mitigation Database certification not re-file a Certification without the prior approval of both the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau and Enforcement Bureau.
FCC Announces Final Agenda For February 15th Open Meeting
February 8, 2024 – The Federal Communications Commission has released the following final agenda for its open meeting on Thursday, February 15, 2024:
Increasing the Accessibility of the Emergency Alert System (PS Docket No. 15-94) – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking intended to simplify the process for alert originators to send multilingual emergency alerts over television and radio.
Empowering Consumers to Stop Robocalls and Robotexts (CG Docket No. 02-278) – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to strengthen consumers’ ability to revoke consent so that it is simple and easy, codify previously adopted protections that make it simpler for consumers to revoke consent, and require that callers and texters implement requests in a timely manner. The item also proposes and seeks comment on how to apply the TCPA to robocalls and robotexts from wireless providers to their own subscribers and proposes to give consumers the ability to revoke consent and thereby stop these communications.
Expanding Opportunities for Wireless Microphone Use (ET Docket No. 21-115) – The Commission will consider a Report and Order to revise the Part 15 and 74 technical rules to permit a recently developed, and more efficient, type of wireless microphone systems.
Space Innovation; Facilitating Capabilities for In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing, (IB Docket No. 22-271) and (IB Docket No. 22-272) – The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose a framework for licensing space stations engaged in in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing – or “ISAM” – operations that can support sustained economic activity in space. The goal of the proposed framework is to facilitate the development of these novel space activities and advance opportunities for innovation in the new space age.
Restricted Adjudicatory Matter – The Commission will consider a restricted adjudicatory matter from the Media Bureau.
Enforcement Bureau Action – The Commission will consider an enforcement action.
The FCC’s Thursday, February 15, 2024, Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room at the FCC’s Headquarters, located at 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. The meeting will be streamed live online at www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC’s YouTube channel.
