Bennett Ross Discusses FCC’s Renewed Efforts to Combat Piracy, as Part of FCBA Panel

June 1, 2017

Bennett L. Ross, a partner in Wiley Rein’s Telecom, Media & Technology Practice, was a featured speaker on a May 23 Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) panel that focused on spectrum enforcement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Mr. Ross was quoted in a May 24 Communications Daily article that summarized key points from the event.

The FCBA program, “From Pirates and Jammers to Wi-Fi and Signal Blocking: Issues in Modern Interference Enforcement,” included a discussion regarding renewed efforts by the FCC to combat unauthorized broadcasting as the agency works its way through the 2015 field modernization order. Mr. Ross said that under Chairman Ajit Pai’s leadership, the FCC may focus on addressing issues that cause real harm and shift away from making rules through enforcement actions.

During the prior Administration, for example, the FCC had taken high-dollar enforcement actions over Wi-Fi blocking, which had been criticized by Chairman Pai and Commissioner Michael O’Rielly. Mr. Ross, who represents some companies targeted in those actions, referred to the actions as “enforcement by press release.”

According to Mr. Ross, the FCC should clarify its position on the “deauthentification” technology that is at the heart of those cases.