The FCC, amid a continuing partial government shutdown since October 1, 2025, confirmed its November 20 Open Meeting will proceed with votes on freeing Upper C-band spectrum (3.98–4.2 GHz) for new uses, rescinding a January 2025 cybersecurity mandate on carriers, and deleting 21 outdated rules—moves that could ease operational burdens.
The commission is still delating filings for TV ancillary fees and EEO reports.
Chairman Brendan Carr released drafts targeting "Delete, Delete, Delete" deregulation, Upper C-band reconfiguration per congressional directive, and cybersecurity rollback to favor collaboration over mandates—potentially benefiting radio/TV stations by scrapping obsolete tech rules and opening mid-band airwaves for advanced services like 5G overlays on broadcasts.
The shutdown has frozen most FCC operations, suspending comment deadlines (e.g., FM channel swaps now TBD) and waiving some obligations; broadcasters in 13 states face December 1 EEO uploads only if funding resumes, while DTV ancillary reports remain paused.