Telecommunications

  • April 08, 2024

    DirecTV Questions FCC Legal Authority For New Rules

    DirecTV said the Federal Communications Commission is relying on a faulty interpretation of the Communications Act to justify imposing rules that would block early termination fees for satellite service and require rebates for TV program blackouts during carriage disputes.

  • April 08, 2024

    Catching Up With Delaware's Chancery Court

    Last week, a much-watched Chancery Court Match.com decision got reversed, a Philip Morris motion got stubbed out, and a long-frozen Blue Bell Creameries suit started churning again. Delaware's Court of Chancery also saw new suits filed for legal fees, arguments over multibillion-dollar pay packages, and a judge flummoxed over Truth Social.

  • April 08, 2024

    AT&T Seeks Justices' Review Of 9th Circ. 401(k) Suit Revival

    AT&T has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision reviving retirement plan mismanagement claims against the telecom giant, arguing that a panel defied court precedent and deepened a circuit split with its ruling knocking out AT&T's summary judgment win.

  • April 08, 2024

    Key Congressional Leaders Float Sweeping Data Privacy Bill

    The heads of the U.S. Senate and House commerce committees have taken a major step toward enacting a comprehensive federal consumer data privacy framework, reaching a long-awaited deal on proposed legislation that would minimize the personal data companies can gather, allow consumers to bring lawsuits and eliminate a growing patchwork of state laws.

  • April 05, 2024

    COVID App Takes Another Shot At Apple With Justices

    App developers are again seeking U.S. Supreme Court intervention against the Ninth Circuit's refusal to revive antitrust allegations over Apple's rejection of COVID-19-tracking and bitcoin apps, decrying "fundamental error" lower courts made misreading pleading requirements, proffered market definition and more.

  • April 05, 2024

    Top 3 Groups Lobbying The FCC

    The Federal Communications Commission heard from policy advocates more than 200 times in March, as the agency fielded concerns on net neutrality rules, bulk billing for internet service, broadband deployment, school connectivity and more.

  • April 07, 2024

    7th Circ. Won't Save Hytera From 'Self-Inflicted' Wounds

    A Seventh Circuit panel this weekend said Hytera Communications could not be trusted after it filed a Chinese lawsuit behind an Illinois court's back and brought a $1 million daily fine upon itself, as a federal judge said she needed written proof that a Chinese court had really dismissed the suit.

  • April 05, 2024

    Where Will 10 Private IPhone Suits Call Home, Calif. or NJ?

    Two different groups of consumers are pushing competing visions for where they want to pursue claims that Apple tried to lock in iPhone users, with one case first filed in California seeking transfer to New Jersey while a second group sought consolidation of all private lawsuits in the Golden State.

  • April 05, 2024

    Meta Looks To Nix FTC's Antitrust Case Over Acquisitions

    Meta Platforms urged a D.C. federal court on Friday to toss the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust case against it, saying the agency has found no evidence showing its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp hurt competition or consumers.

  • April 05, 2024

    Alabama Station Wins Carriage Fight With Dish At FCC

    An Alabama TV station won a Federal Communications Commission ruling against Dish Network, forcing Dish to carry the station throughout the Columbus, Georgia, and Opelika, Alabama, markets after the satellite provider initially refused.

  • April 05, 2024

    CEO Of Chilean Telecom Co. WOM Leaves Days After Ch. 11

    One of Chile's largest cellphone operators WOM SA has replaced its CEO days after it filed for bankruptcy in Delaware, the company announced, with the ousted executive alleging shareholders at the company failed to deliver on new sources of funding promised last fall.

  • April 05, 2024

    FCC Says Carrier Must Kill Tax Relief Scam Robocalls

    The Federal Communications Commission says it's doing some spring-cleaning and will be clearing out entities supporting clients that make illegal robocalls, starting with a company that has been allowing a client to send out some 15 million calls about a fake tax relief program.

  • April 05, 2024

    NC County School Board Joins Chorus Saying Apps Harm Youth

    The Board of Education in Wake County, North Carolina, on Friday joined the ranks of school systems suing Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and other social media companies, accusing them of stoking addiction in young users and saddling taxpayers with the cost.

  • April 05, 2024

    Microsoft, Others Can Weigh In On Epic, Apple App Store Row

    A California federal judge allowed Microsoft, X Corp., Meta Platforms, Spotify and other major app developers to file amicus briefs in Epic Games' effort to convince the court that Apple is not complying with an order barring it from using anti-steering rules in its App Store.

  • April 05, 2024

    Solar Company Hit With TCPA Suit After $13.8M FTC Fine

    Months after the Federal Trade Commission slapped lead generation firm Solar Xchange with a $13.8 million fine for sending out millions of pestering calls to people on the National Do-Not-Call Registry, one recipient of those calls has filed suit in Massachusetts federal court to seek his own recompense.

  • April 05, 2024

    Sprint's $4.5M Nextel Trademark Win Upheld At 11th Circ.

    Sprint Communications Inc. maintained a trademark on its line of walkie-talkie devices and deserved a $4.5 million jury award against an imitator for its unlawful use of the device name and distinctive "chirp" noise, according to an Eleventh Circuit panel ruling.

  • April 05, 2024

    Judicial Nominees On Schumer's Post-Recess To-Do List

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., laid out on Friday a busy agenda for when Congress returns next week, which includes confirming the president's judicial nominees.

  • April 05, 2024

    National Association Of Broadcasters Hires New Deputy GC

    The National Association of Broadcasters has hired a former Baker McKenzie partner and Federal Trade Commission attorney to serve as its new deputy general counsel, the group announced Thursday.

  • April 04, 2024

    Charter Says Nonprofit's Fight Over Sealed Docs Is Too Late

    Charter Communications Inc. is disputing the Electronic Frontier Foundation's attempt to persuade a Texas federal court to unseal filings in a patent suit against the cable company over data transmission that settled late last year.

  • April 04, 2024

    FCC Refuses To Restore Pa. Felon's FM Radio License

    The Federal Communications Commission has denied a Pennsylvania man's request to restore his radio license after he pled guilty to using a hidden camera to take and send nude photos of a woman.

  • April 04, 2024

    'Halfhearted' Hytera Filings Not Enough To Lift Hefty Sanctions

    Hytera Communications' daily $1 million fine and other sanctions for violating an Illinois federal judge's anti-suit injunction stayed in place Thursday as she ordered the company to submit a fourth, more "meaningful" request in China to halt a lawsuit it lodged against Motorola Solutions.

  • April 04, 2024

    ISP Tells FCC Bulk Billing Deals Are Pro-Consumer

    An internet service provider is trying to convince the Federal Communications Commission that banning bulk billing in apartment buildings is not the way to go and that the arrangements are actually a "key tool for closing the digital divide."

  • April 04, 2024

    Texts Were Intentionally Deleted In Hotel Suit, Investors Say

    Two investors have urged a Florida state court to impose severe penalties on the managers of a hotel enterprise after WhatsApp text messages in a $15 million lawsuit were allegedly deleted intentionally, saying the communications were critical to proving that their equity interests were wrongly taken from them.

  • April 04, 2024

    FCC's Net Neutrality Plan Leaves Network 'Slicing' Uncategorized

    The Federal Communications Commission will not automatically apply net neutrality rules to 5G mobile network "slices" when a plan to reimpose the rules on broadband service comes up for an agency vote later this month, but also said slices cannot be used to evade the regulations.

  • April 04, 2024

    Broadband Providers Won't Pay Into Telecom Subsidy Fund

    Broadband providers will not have to pay into the Federal Communications Commission's subsidy system even after being categorized as a telecom service under the FCC's net neutrality plan that was released Thursday.

Expert Analysis

  • What Large Language Models Mean For Document Review

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    Courts often subject parties using technology assisted review to greater scrutiny than parties conducting linear, manual document review, so parties using large language models for document review should expect even more attention, along with a corresponding need for quality control and validation, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Tips For Camp Lejeune Attorneys To Mitigate TCPA Suit Risks

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    To retain and assist Camp Lejeune clients, it is vital to understand best practices to avoid violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which has been at the center of recent lawsuits against attorneys seeking to reach veterans and their families affected by the toxic water exposure at the Marine Corps base, says Libby Vish at SimplyConvert.

  • 7th Circ. Ruling May Steer ADA Toward Commuter Issues

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    Employers faced with commuting-accommodation requests from employees who do not require on-site modifications under the Americans with Disabilities Act should consider the Seventh Circuit's recent reopening of a lawsuit alleging unlawful refusal of a night-vision-challenged worker's request to extend a shift change, says Robin Shea at Constangy.

  • Series

    Participating In Living History Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My role as a baron in a living history group, and my work as volunteer corporate counsel for a book series fan association, has provided me several opportunities to practice in unexpected areas of law — opening doors to experiences that have nurtured invaluable personal and professional skills, says Matthew Parker at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

  • 7 Ways Telco Operators Can Approach Lead Cable Claims

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    A recent spotlight on the telecommunication industry shows that companies in the field have known for decades that lead-wrapped cables proliferate in their vast networks, which is likely to provoke prolonged and costly legal battles — but seven best practices can efficiently resolve claims and minimize damage, say consultants at AlixPartners.

  • Opinion

    Private Equity Owners Can Remedy Law Firms' Agency Issues

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    Nonlawyer, private-equity ownership of law firms can benefit shareholders and others vulnerable to governance issues such as disparate interests, and can in turn help resolve agency problems, says Michael Di Gennaro at The Law Practice Exchange.

  • New FCC Broadband Label Rules Should Be Read Carefully

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    A recent order from the Federal Communications Commission clarifies standardized broadband label requirements that are pending final approval — and while compliance should be manageable, the rules impose new risk, particularly with regard to speed and latency disclosures, say Craig Gilley and Laura Stefani at Venable.

  • How To Protect Atty-Client Privilege While Using Generative AI

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    When using generative artificial intelligence tools, attorneys should consider several safeguards to avoid breaches or complications in attorney-client privilege, say Antonious Sadek and Christopher Campbell at DLA Piper.

  • How New Lawyers Can Leverage Feedback For Growth

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    Embracing constructive criticism as a tool for success can help new lawyers accelerate their professional growth and law firms build a culture of continuous improvement, says Katie Aldrich at Fringe Professional Development.

  • Bracing For Rising Cyber-Related False Claims Act Scrutiny

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    Two recent cyber-related False Claims Act cases illustrate the vulnerability of government contractors, including universities, obliged to self-attest compliance with multiple controls, signal the importance of accurate internal controls and underline the benefits of self-disclosure, say Townsend Bourne and Nikole Snyder at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Series

    ESG Around The World: Australia

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    Clive Cachia and Cathy Ma at K&L Gates detail ESG-reporting policies in Australia and explain how the country is starting to introduce mandatory requirements as ESG performance is increasingly seen as a key investment and corporate differentiator in the fight for global capital.

  • Key Takeaways For Email Marketing From Experian Settlement

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    The Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement action against Experian is a good reminder for companies to assess email marketing practices for compliance with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act, including misleading header information, deceptive subject lines and opt-out requirements, says Terese Arenth at Moritt Hock.

  • Deepfakes Remain A Threat Ahead Of 2024 Elections

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    Although this electoral season has already seen phony videos and images created to deceive the voting public — and deepfakes are surely destined to become all the more pervasive — there is still a lack of legislative progress on this issue, says Douglas Mirell at Greenberg Glusker.

  • Twitter Legal Fees Suit Offers Crash Course In Billing Ethics

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    X Corp.'s suit alleging that Wachtell grossly inflated its fees in the final days of Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition provides a case study in how firms should protect their reputations by hewing to ethical billing practices and the high standards for professional conduct that govern attorney-client relationships, says Lourdes Fuentes at Karta Legal.

  • How 2nd Circ. Ruling Fortifies Plaintiff Standing Arguments

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    The Second Circuit's recent Bohnak v. Marsh & McLennan decision marries the concepts in TransUnion and McMorris — touchstones of Article III standing — and will bolster the standing arguments of plaintiffs who seek damages based on intangible injuries or the risk of future harms, say Raphael Janove at Pollock Cohen, Samantha Holbrook at Shub & Johns and Andrew Ferich at Ahdoot & Wolfson.

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