The FCC deactivated its disaster information reporting system (DIRS) and mandatory disaster response initiative for Tropical Storm Debby in Virginia and the Carolinas, the agency announced Friday and Saturday, respectively. Communications providers there no longer have to report on their cellular networks in DIRS. The FCC said it will continue monitoring their status.

Tropical Storm Debby knocked out cable and wireline service for 7,408 subscribers, an increase from 4,875 on Thursday, the FCC said in Friday’s disaster information reporting system report (see 2408060053). The FCC activated the mandatory disaster response initiative for 34 Virginia counties on Friday. The storm left .3% of North Carolina and .1% of South Carolina cellsites down, a slight improvement from Thursday. No public safety answering points or TV or radio stations were reported down.

The FCC "improperly heightened the standard of review that it had previously promised to apply to winning bidders in its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction and relied on vague and unwritten criteria to deny LTD Broadband hundreds of millions of dollars that it planned to use to deploy broadband to rural America," the company told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (docket 24-1017). In a reply brief Friday, LTD said the FCC applied a standard that was "more stringent than any it had ever applied" (see 2408060031). The commission "faulted LTD Broadband for not meeting granular criteria that nowhere appear on the face of its rules," LTD noted, adding the company "vigorously contests the FCC's conclusion" that it's "unqualified for RDOF support." LTD asked that the court to reinstate its long-form application, noting the FCC's "failure to even consider partial authorization for a smaller footprint is particularly remarkable."

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society's motion before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is "crystal clear" that the group is seeking relief for only the two dockets with pending petitions before the FCC on net neutrality rules, the group said in a reply brief Wednesday night (see 2408070001). "The sole basis for seeking abeyance is the pendency of a recently-filed petition for reconsideration addressing the same issue as that raised here by movants," Benton said (docket 24-7000). It asked that the court act "as expeditiously as possible" because industry groups didn't oppose the targeted request.

Tropical Storm Debby’s disaster information reporting system was deactivated for Florida and activated for 48 counties in North Carolina, the FCC said in Thursday’s report (see 2408070032). The storm left .5% of North Carolina and .1% of South Carolina cellsites down, unchanged from Wednesday; 4,875 cable and wireline subscribers are without service, down from 17,344 Wednesday. No TV or radio stations were reported down.

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society asked the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hold in abeyance scheduled briefings on the pending challenge of the FCC's net neutrality rules following the court's decision to stay the rules and schedule oral argument for the fall (see 2408010065). In a motion Tuesday the FCC did not oppose (docket 24-7000), Benton cited a pending petition before the commission that "makes it possible that other further action of this could likely render moot or alter the issue" presented before the court. "Courts of Appeal commonly hold proceedings in abeyance when overlapping petitions for administrative reconsideration have been filed," Benton said: "That is the most prudent course here." A coalition of industry groups conditionally opposed the motion, saying the court “plainly should not hold industry petitioners’ cases in abeyance, nor should it pause the briefing of industry petitioners’ cases while it considers the abeyance motion.” CTIA, USTelecom, NCTA, ACA Connects, the Wireless ISP Association and several state telecom associations said they didn’t oppose the motion only if Benton sought “for only their own petitions to be held in abeyance.”

The FCC’s Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC) will hold its second meeting under its current charter Aug. 13, according to a public notice Tuesday. The agenda for the meeting will include “introducing CEDC working group chairs, discussing working group plans going forward, and receiving information from the FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities and Wireline Competition Bureau,” the PN said.

Microsoft withdrew its 2021 petition for reconsideration of an FCC order relaxing interference rules for distributed transmission systems, a request for dismissal posted Tuesday in docket 20-74 said. The DTS order was intended to help broadcasters using ATSC 3.0 craft single frequency networks. However, Microsoft had argued it would lead to disruption for unlicensed devices using the TV white spaces (see 2105240067). “Microsoft is no longer pursuing or advocating for the matters raised in the Petition,” the request for dismissal said. “Accordingly, the Petition for Reconsideration is no longer needed or of concern to Microsoft and may be dismissed.” The previous FCC approved the DTS order 3-2, with current FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel -- then a commissioner-- and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks dissenting.

The FCC Office of International Affairs on Tuesday sought comment on draft recommendations for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference. The FCC's WRC Advisory Committee approved the draft recommendations Monday (see 2408050034). Comments are due Aug. 20 in docket 24-30. Among the preliminary views approved Tuesday were recommendations for studies on sharing and compatibility and the use of international mobile telecommunications in the 4, 7/8 and 15 GHz bands and changes to radio regulations in support of aeronautical mobile high frequency operations, as well as various satellite items.

The FCC said Monday it plans to recharter its Consumer Advisory Committee for two years and is seeking nominations for membership. A renewed charter will become effective on or before Oct. 13, the notice said. Nominations are due Sept. 6. The current CAC is focused on AI and met last in June (see 2406260041).