United States: Telecoms, Mobile & Cable Communications

The Federal Communications Commission has issued significant modifications to its "Covered List" entry for power inverters, expanding the definition to include devices with wired connectivity and clarifying exemptions for domestically-produced equipment. These changes have major implications for the importation, marketing, and sale of power inverters in the United States...

On August 20, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) significantly revised its recently adopted Covered List restrictions for foreign-produced power inverters.

Wiley Rein LLP celebrates exceptional recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2027 edition, with 82 attorneys honored across multiple practice areas and Michael E. Toner named DC's "Lawyer of the Year" for Government Relations Practice. The firm's recognized talent spans critical sectors including government contracts, insurance, international trade, telecommunications, and white collar defense.

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC or Commission) July 17 and July 21 public notices relate to the Commission’s December 22, 2025, action where the FCC added two categories of equipment to its Covered List of equipment that is deemed to pose a national security risk.

When workforce reductions happen in multiple waves across related corporate entities, how does federal law treat them in the aggregate? The recent Ubisoft layoffs at Red Storm Entertainment in North Carolina illustrate critical compliance questions under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act that every employer must understand before implementing workforce changes.

A major decision issued on 14 July 2026 by the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit marks a potential shift in the legal landscape governing text message marketing under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (the TCPA). In Steidinger v. Blackstone Med. Servs., No. 25-2398, the Seventh Circuit held that Section 227(c)(5) of the TCPA does not permit plaintiffs to sue for the receipt of unwanted text messages, because text messages are not “telephone calls” within the meaning of that provision. For businesses operating in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—the three states within the Seventh Circuit—this decision has immediate and significant implications.

Last week, the FCC adopted its Space Modernization Order, a sweeping effort to streamline satellite licensing and accelerate commercial space activity.

Q2 2026 marked a pivotal shift in the space and satellite sector as commercial systems became increasingly embedded in regulatory frameworks, government procurement, and operational governance.

The Federal Communications Commission has released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks to dramatically expand the scope and requirements of the Robocall Mitigation Database. The proposals would sweep in numerous additional entities—from PBXs to cloud service providers—while imposing enhanced screening measures, expanded disclosure obligations, and stricter enforcement mechanisms designed to prevent bad actors from exploiting the database.