Following a busy October agenda at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) and despite the continuing government shutdown that has halted some of the FCC’s operations, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr released a tentative agenda for the Commission’s November Open Meeting on October 30, 2025. The draft items for the meeting, which is scheduled to take place on Thursday, November 20 at 10:30 a.m. ET, represent a continuation of the Chairman’s Build America agenda with a focus on freeing up more mid-band spectrum for terrestrial use, modernizing telecommunications relay services, deleting obsolete rules and addressing cybersecurity threats. Details on the four items expected to be considered at the Open Meeting are summarized below:
- Freeing Up Large Swath of Upper C-Band Frequencies (3.98–4.2 GHz) – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, GN Docket No. 25-59. In furtherance of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which directs the Commission to reallocate at least 100 megahertz of spectrum in the Upper C-Band (3.98–4.2 GHz) for licensed terrestrial use, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) would seek to expand the ecosystem for next generation wireless services by proposing to make available as much as 180 megahertz of the Upper C-Band for terrestrial wireless flexible use via competitive bidding. Substantively, the NPRM would seek comment generally on options for reconfiguring the Upper C-Band and ask questions related to its proposal to use the Lower C-Band (3.7–3.98 GHz) service rules as a baseline for new Upper C-Band authorizations. The NPRM would also propose to repack fixed satellite service (FSS) operations with a guard band of no more than 20 megahertz of spectrum in the band, seek comment on how the Upper C-Band can be repurposed by incumbent FSS space station operators, and seek comment on how to transition and relocate their existing customers out of the band. Further, the NPRM would seek comment on a range of issues associated with repurposing the Upper C-Band, including reallocation of the 4.0–4.2 GHz band, the competitive bidding process for the eventual auction, the licensing and operating rules for new wireless service, incentive payments to incumbents and promoting co-existence with adjacent band radio altimeters.
- Telecommunication Relay Services (TRS) Modernization – Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, CG Docket Nos. 03-123, 08-15. The TRS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (TRS NPRM) would address concerns associated with TRS analog services and seek comment on how to modernize such services to ensure the continued and efficient delivery of service in light of advancements in internet-based TRS. The Commission currently recognizes six forms of TRS: three analog services (TTY-based Relay Services (TTY Relay), Speech to Speech Relay Services (STS) and Captioned Telephone Service (CTS)); and three internet-based services (Video Relay Service (VRS), Internet Protocol (IP) Relay and Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS)). Recognizing that the three analog services have seen a decline in usage as communications technologies have evolved, the TRS NPRM would seek comment on terminating the existing requirement that TTY Relay be included in state-based TRS programs and on how best to transition existing TTY Relay users to modern alternatives. The TRS NPRM would propose to recognize IP STS as a compensable form of STS, and seek comment on providing assistance to users transferring to IP-based TRS alternatives. The TRS NPRM would also seek comment on how state programs may be changed, and whether there should be a temporary national certification process for providers of TTY Relay and STS. Finally, the TRS NPRM would propose deleting or modifying obsolete, burdensome or unnecessary TRS rules and would seek to close CG Docket No. 08-15 governing STS and IP STS TRS.
- Delete, Delete, Delete - Direct Final Rule – GN Docket No. 25-133. The Commission will consider as part of the In re: Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding a Direct Final Rule that would delete 21 rules and requirements related to public safety and homeland security under Parts 0, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 90 of the Commission’s rules that have sunset by operation of law, govern expired events and obsolete technology, are duplicative and/or are no longer used in practice. The Commission would propose that prior notice and comment before repealing these rules is “unnecessary” under the Administrative Procedure Act, and would elect to provide a 20-day period for comment on this assessment, with the identified rules automatically being repealed absent any significant adverse comments in response to this Direct Final Rule.
- Protecting the Nation’s Communications Systems from Cybersecurity Threats – Order on Reconsideration, PS Docket No. 22-329. Last January, the FCC under then-Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel adopted a Declaratory Ruling establishing that telecommunications carriers must secure their networks from unlawful access to or interception of communications under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). In connection with the Declaratory Ruling, the Commission also adopted an NPRM proposing new cybersecurity requirements that would apply to a broad set of telecommunications service providers. In line with then-Commissioner Carr’s dissent that the Declaratory Ruling was based on a misinterpretation of CALEA and failed to incorporate adequate public input, this Order on Reconsideration (the Order) would reverse course by rescinding the Declaratory Ruling, finding that its interpretation of CALEA was “legally erroneous.” The Order would simultaneously withdraw the NPRM considering cybersecurity measures in favor of a targeted and agile approach to cybersecurity, leveraging public-private partnerships, rather than an all-encompassing solution for all Commission licenses as proposed by the Commission’s prior NPRM on the subject.
