Master Quality Authenticated is working with Jazz re:freshed on streamed versions of live sets from the British Music Embassy Sessions. The first March 18 livestream was originally intended to remotely connect with the SXSW. Austin canceled the annual event due to the coronavirus (see 2003060047).
Country of origin cases
The FCC and FTC told USTelecom gateway providers facilitating robocalls preying on COVID-19 fears would have all calls blocked to U.S. phone network traffic if they don't stop transmitting the robocalls within 48 hours, in a letter Friday to CEO Jonathan Spalter. The USTelecom Industry Traceback Group identified VoIPMax from the Philippines and Oberlo Peer BPO from Pakistan as originators, the letter said. The FTC sent cease and desist letters to SipJoin, Connexum and VoIP Terminator/BL Marketing. In a statement Friday, Spalter said, “Robocall scammers are out in force during this public health emergency, using COVID-19 to prey on vulnerable consumers. As soon as these scams started popping up, we began aggressively tracing them -- literally around the world." Gateway providers have a choice, said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. "Move forward as responsible network providers or see themselves cut off from the phone system. ... To any other service provider that’s carrying or is thinking of carrying such traffic, be warned: If you do so, you too will find yourselves excluded from our phone system.” The FTC "will not stand for illegal robocallers that harm the public, particularly in the middle of a health crisis,” said Chairman Joe Simons. The number of robocalls "is INSANE," tweeted Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "It shouldn’t have taken this crisis for the FCC and FTC to join forces to do something about it. But it’s a good thing it’s happening. Because scam calls are multiplying during this pandemic and stopping them at the source is vital."
COVID-19 forced ATSC to postpone its Next Gen Broadcast Conference to Aug. 27-28, said President Madeleine Noland Wednesday. It will hold a members-only remote annual meeting on the original May 20 date, she said: “Only time will tell what the long-term impact this pandemic will have on the broadcasting industry.”
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday he will seek a vote at the April 23 commissioners' meeting on opening the 6 GHz band to sharing with Wi-Fi unlicensed (see [Ref2004010053]). Some consider it a capstone to his legacy. A few key details remain unclear. More will be revealed Thursday when the draft is released.
Chairman Ajit Pai is expected to announce Wednesday he will seek a vote at the April 23 commissioners’ meeting on an order that would open 6 GHz to sharing with Wi-Fi, industry and FCC officials said in interviews. The issue has seen heavy lobbying in recent weeks. Much recent debate involved when the FCC will require automatic frequency coordination (AFC) or allow low-level use without. The agency is expected to post the draft item Thursday.
The Patent and Trademark Office waived the rule for original handwritten signatures “personally signed in permanent dark ink” where required in dealings with the agency, said Monday’s Federal Register. PTO activated waiver authority by declaring the COVID-19 pandemic an “extraordinary situation,” the agency said. The waiver will stay in effect “until further notice,” it said.
Media items slated for Tuesday’s commissioners’ meeting -- on distributed transmission systems (DTS) for ATSC 3.0, the definition of significantly viewed, and revised program carriage rules -- are expected to be approved unanimously, FCC and industry officials told us. The agency’s COVID-19 meeting procedures include voting the meeting items on circulation (see 2003240057) by the meeting’s 10:30 a.m. start time. An official said eighth-floor offices were entering votes Monday on items that had completed the editing process. A spokesperson said deletion notices will be issued for any items adopted before the meeting -- “as we have said we expect them to be.” No media items are considered controversial.
ACA Connects pulled the plug on its postponed 2020 members' summit (see 2003050013), citing COVID-19 concerns. It said Wednesday that it might look later this year at "a streamlined Capitol Hill visit and a mini-summit of some kind ... if the crisis is well behind us and it is clearly appropriate to hold group functions once again." The summit originally had been scheduled for last week. FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly tweeted that the cancellation was disappointing "but understandable." He and Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel were scheduled speakers.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology extended a waiver of the push notification requirement for fixed and mode II personal/portable white space devices through Sept. 30. The waiver was to expire March 31. The original waiver was approved in an August 2015 order on Part 15 rules and white spaces devices got their initial reprieve in 2016 (see 1612230051). “Manufacturers may continue to market previously approved white space devices" and users "may continue to operate them,” said Tuesday's order in docket 14-165.
The FCC delayed two spectrum auctions, due to COVID-19, in an announcement Wednesday.