FCC Takes Action on Four Major Items

The FCC held its Open Commission Monthly Meeting Wednesday, in Washington, DC, where it considered and acted on four major items focused on program integrity, spectrum expansion, broadcasting efficiency, and telecommunications reforms.

The Commission advanced reforms to the Lifeline program by issuing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking public comment on measures to ensure benefits reach only eligible low-income Americans (such as U.S. citizens and legal residents), boost program integrity and provider compliance, prevent duplicate support, introduce usage tracking with de-enrollment for non-use, set minimum service standards (including data speeds and capacity), and streamline rules for greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability. This NPRM addresses the program that provides discounted voice and broadband services.

In a significant spectrum decision, the FCC adopted a Report and Order enabling broadband deployment across the full 10 MHz of the 900 MHz band (896–901/935–940 MHz). This expands access for utilities, critical infrastructure, enterprises, and private wireless networks to support innovation and economic growth, while preserving narrowband options and applying appropriate licensing and technical rules.

The Commission issued a Public Notice proposing limits on applications for the upcoming 2026 filing window for new noncommercial educational (NCE) reserved band FM translator stations, including eligibility restrictions and a cap (such as up to 10 applications per entity). The aim is to enhance efficiency, curb speculative filings, and reserve spectrum for legitimate secondary services.

Finally, the FCC released an NPRM exploring updates to the intercarrier compensation regime, which governs how carriers compensate each other for traffic, to accelerate the transition to all-IP networks, modernize deployment, and address related issues like interexchange services and support mechanisms.