Continued Governmental shutdown may suspend FCC operations

If the partial government shutdown continues, then the Federal Communications Commission will need to suspend its operations by mid-Thursday. Even if the office will be suspended, the FCC will continue the “work required for the protection of life and property” along with spectrum auctions.

The FCC announced a list of activities that would be suspended. “Consumer complaint and inquiry phone lines cannot be answered; consumer protection and local competition enforcement must cease,” the Commission said. Additionally, other networking related licensing services like broadcast, wireline, wireless, etc. will also be ceased.

The statement also said, “…management of radio spectrum and the creation of new opportunities for competitive technologies and services for the American public must be suspended; and equipment authorizations, including those bringing new electronic devices to American consumers, cannot be provided.”

Political Strife

As the US President Donald Trump refuses to quit his demands for a wall on the US-Mexico border, the partial government shutdown has continued for 11 days now. With this situation, the FCC has assured to further update what would happen if it needs to suspend operations further. The FCC will provide information on how the suspension will affect electronic filing and database systems, filing deadlines, regulatory and application fee payments, etc.