EAS National Test Rescheduled to Back-up Date; Test Will Now be Held on October 3, 2018
September 18, 2018 On September 17, 2018, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released a Public Notice announcing that FEMA has postponed the Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) test to the back-up test date of October 3, 2018. Originally scheduled for September 20, 2018, the test will now be held at 2:20pm EDT on October 3, 2018. FEMA rescheduled the test due to ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Florence. All EAS Participants, including cable operators, must participate in this nationwide test.
FCC Sets Fiscal Year 2018 Regulatory Fees; Regulatory Fee Payments Due by 11:59 PM EDT on September 25, 2108
September 5, 2018 On August 29, 2018, the FCC released an Order establishing its Fiscal Year 2018 regulatory fees, and announced that regulatory fee payments must be made no later than 11:59 p.m., EDT, on September 25, 2018.
FINAL REMINDER: EAS Participants Must Complete ETRS Form One by August 27, 2018
August 21, 2018 On July 20, 2018, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released a Public Notice announcing that FEMA, in collaboration with the FCC, will conduct an Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) test on September 20, 2018 at 2:20 pm EDT. EAS Participants, which include cable operators, must complete Form One in the EAS Test Reporting System (“ETRS”) by August 27, 2018.
FCC Announces September 20, 2018 EAS National Test; EAS Participants Must Complete ETRS Form One by August 27, 2018
July 24, 2018 On July 20, 2018, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released a Public Notice announcing that FEMA, in collaboration with the FCC, will conduct an Emergency Alert System (“EAS”) test on September 20, 2018 at 2:20 pm EDT. EAS Participants, which include cable operators, must complete Form One in the EAS Test Reporting System (“ETRS”) by August 27, 2018.
Earth Station Filing Window Deadline EXTENDED; MVPDs Now Have Until October 17, 2018 to Register Operational, but Unregistered Stations
July 10, 2018 The FCC’s filing window for a limited class of operational, but unregistered earth stations has been extended for an additional 90 days. The extension, announced in a recent Public Notice by the FCC’s International Bureau (“Bureau”), gives MVPDs until October 17, 2018 to file applications to register fixed-satellite service (“FSS”) earth station licenses currently operating in the 3.7-4.2 GHz frequency band. The Bureau also clarified filing options for operators with multiple earth station antennas.
Earth Station Filing Window Deadline Approaching; All MVPDs Should Review Whether They Have Operational, but Unregistered Stations
June 19, 2018 The FCC’s filing window for operational, but unregistered earth stations closes July 18, 2018. This filing window stems from a Public Notice, released April 19, 2018, by the FCC’s Internal, Public Safety and Homeland Security and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus (collectively, the “Bureaus”) which announced a temporary freeze on the filing of new or modification applications for fixed-satellite service earth station licenses, receive-only earth station registrations and fixed microwave licenses in the 3.7-4.2 GHz frequency band. At the same time, the Bureaus opened a 90-day window during which entities that own or operate existing earth stations in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band may file an application to register or license the earth station if it is not currently registered or licensed.