On 27 March 2018, the FCC released a draft of its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comments on proposals to streamline the licensing process for “small satellites,” more commonly known as “smallsats.” By initiating this proceeding, which has been long-anticipated by the smallsat community, the FCC will be recognizing the growing role of smallsat systems in commercial space activities … Continue Reading
Tony Lin
FCC set to initiate “small satellite” Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Spring is the Season for Satellites! Hogan Lovells Hosts CSSMA Meeting and the First “SatelliteEves” Women in Space Event
Every spring, thousands of satellite industry stakeholders descend upon Washington, DC for the industry’s premier satellite conference. This year, the Satellite 2018 conference drew over 14,500+ satellite and space industry stakeholders, including many companies driving innovation and growth in the smallsat sector.
In support of the smallsat industry, Hogan Lovells and attorneys Tony Lin and Sarah Leggin hosted a … Continue Reading
Smallsat companies form trade association to address issues facing the smallsat community
At the annual Smallsat conference in Logan, Utah, the Commercial Smallsat Spectrum Management Association (CSSMA) held its first meeting since legally forming earlier this month. A number of well-known smallsat operators and other companies have joined the organization, which seeks to advance a number of goals common to the smallsat community. These goals include creating conditions for a transparent and … Continue Reading
White House Announces Big Initiative to Support Small Satellites
Last month, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”) announced the “Harnessing the Small Satellite Revolution” initiative. OSTP committed to working with NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce, and other Federal agencies to promote and support both government and private use of small satellites for remote sensing, communications, science, and the exploration of space. … Continue Reading
TMT2020: CSSMA Holds First Working Meeting
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are excited to present this entry in our TMT2020 series, which reflects the key technology, media, and telecoms legal issues that are expected to impact today’s organizations and tomorrow’s marketplace. It also provides an opportunity to highlight contributions by TMT colleagues across our global offices and practice areas.
Stephen Duall, FCC, (not pictured) leads a discussion regarding … Continue Reading
A Comparison of the DOJ and FCC Merger Review Processes: A Practitioner’s Perspective
Several recent high-profile mergers in the communications industry have faced scrutiny from multiple U.S. federal agencies. These transactions, both successful and unsuccessful, have drawn attention to the process by which the U.S. government approves or blocks mergers and acquisitions in the communications and broadband Internet industries. Parallel investigations by both the Federal Communications Commission and U.S. Department of Justice highlight … Continue Reading
TMT2020: Commercial Smallsat Spectrum Management Association (CSSMA) Launches at Smallsat 2016 in Logan, Utah
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are excited to present this entry in our TMT2020 series, which reflects the key technology, media, and telecoms legal issues that are expected to impact today’s organizations and tomorrow’s marketplace. It also provides an opportunity to highlight contributions by TMT colleagues across our global offices and practice areas.
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Smallsat … Continue Reading
TMT 2020: SmallSats are Big in Logan, Utah
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are excited to present this entry in our new TMT2020 series, which reflects the key technology, media, and telecoms legal issues that are expected to impact today’s organizations and tomorrow’s marketplace. It also provides an opportunity to highlight contributions by TMT associates across our global offices and practice areas.
Fresh air, lush mountains and blue banners greeted … Continue Reading
U.S. FCC Releases Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Extend Video Programming Rights to Over-the-Top Video Providers
Note: The post below has been updated to reflect extended comment and reply comment filing deadlines.
On December 19, 2014, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) proposing to give over-the-top (“OTT”) video programming providers certain legacy negotiating and carriage rights with respect to both cable programming (i.e. program access rights) and … Continue Reading
Three Trends that May Change the Way You Think About the “Internet of Things” – Lessons from the Winnik Forum
New charging technology and more sophisticated power use are among the major new trends remaking the face of the Internet of Things, according to Aryeh Fishman, Associate General Counsel of Edison Electric Institute. Fishman’s remarks came as leading experts in telecommunications law and policy and industry executives gathered at the Hogan Lovells 2014 Winnik International Telecomms and Internet Forum in … Continue Reading
U.S. FCC Chairman Proposes to Extend Video Programming Rights to Over-the-Top Video Providers
On October 28, 2014, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) Chairman Tom Wheeler announced that he is proposing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) to give over-the-top (“OTT”) video providers certain legacy negotiating and carriage rights with respect to cable programming (i.e. program access rights) and broadcast television programming (i.e. retransmission consent rights). Chairman Wheeler explained … Continue Reading
U.S. Federal Communications Commission Grants Waiver of TCPA Fax Opt-Out Notice Requirements to 24 Petitioners
On 30 October the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted relief to 24 petitioners regarding certain Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) rules applicable to fax advertisements. Specifically, the Order gives the petitioners a limited, retroactive waiver of the FCC’s opt-out notice requirements for fax advertisements that were sent with the “prior express invitation or permission” of the recipient but that did … Continue Reading