FCC Open Commission Meeting 2026

Sep 30

10:30-12:30 EDT with live wesbcast – Chairman Carr announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the September Open Commission Meeting:

Modernizing the Commission’s National Environmental Policy Act Rules – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to overhaul the Commission’s outdated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) rules. These reforms will clarify the scope of Commission actions subject to environmental review and streamline and expedite the review process to ensure NEPA serves as a tool for informed decision-making rather than a barrier to investment, innovation, and connectivity. (WT Docket No. 25-217)
Unlocking Satellite Spectrum Abundance The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Order of Proposed Modification and two Further Notices of Proposed Rulemaking that would increase the amount of spectrum available in order to support innovation in the American space economy. The Order would unlock more than 1,000 megahertz of spectrum in the 12.7 GHz and 42 GHz bands to provide greater capacity for satellite broadband to the home or for in-flight connectivity and the like. One FNPRM would seek comment on unlocking an additional 1,175 megahertz of spectrum in the Ku- and Ka-bands and 138.25 gigahertz in the D-band for more intensive use by satellite communications. The other FNPRM would seek comment on three new bands across thousands of megahertz that might be able to be used to control spacecraft or to provide data communications in support of emergent space activities, such as in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing. (SB Docket Nos. 25-180, 26-54; GN Docket Nos. 14-77, 22-352; WT Docket No. 23-158)
Unleashing the Power of Unlicensed UWB Devices The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would modernize the rules for unlicensed Ultra-Wideband (UWB) devices. UWB devices operate under part 15 of the Commission’s rules and support a wide variety of applications, including automobile sensors, door locks, ground- and wall-penetrating radars, and location tracking for NFL players during games. The NPRM would modernize the UWB rules by updating definitions, measurement procedures, technical parameters, and outdated restrictions, while removing unnecessary coordination requirements. The NPRM would also create a new UWB device category for emerging applications like AI-enabled sensing, and overall seek to future-proof UWB regulations for the next wave of innovation while maintaining protections for incumbent services. (ET Docket No. 26-245)
Modernizing the 911 Framework – The Commission will consider a Notice of Inquiry exploring modernization of the 911 framework to ensure the public can continue to effectively and reliably access emergency services in this era of rapid technological change. (PS Docket No. 26-197)
Enhancing the Ability of Consumers to Control Which Calls That They Wish to Receive – The Commission will consider a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking modernizing its Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules to ensure that consumers have easily accessible ways to opt-out of robocalls while streamlining callers’ ability to process consent revocation requests. (CG Docket No. 02-278)

Public Attendance – The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. While the Open Meeting is open to the public, the FCC headquarters building is not open access, and all guests must check in with and be screened by FCC security at the main entrance on L Street. Attendees at the Open Meeting will not be required to have an appointment but must otherwise comply with protocols outlined at: https://www.fcc.gov/visit. Open Meetings are streamed live at https://www.fcc.gov/live.

Press Access – Members of the news media are welcome to attend the meeting and will be provided reserved seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Following the meeting, the Chairman may hold a news conference in which he will take questions from credentialed members of the press. Afterwards, senior policy and legal staff will be made available to the press for questions related to the items on the meeting agenda. Commissioners may also choose to hold press conferences. Press may also direct questions to the Office of Media Relations (OMR): MediaRelations@fcc.gov. Questions about credentialing should be directed to OMR.