July 18, 2025
Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
On July 17, 2025, the FCC announced that at its August 7, 2025, Open Meeting, it will consider numerous items.
For the accessibility community, two are highlighted here.
First, the FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to re-examine the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) from the ground up, and explore whether fundamental changes could make these lifesaving systems more effective, efficient, and better able to serve the public’s needs.
If the NPRM is adopted, the FCC would seek comment on alert transmission requirements that can promote flexibility and consumer choice by allowing for greater tailoring as to how alerts are received and presented on various devices (e.g., language, locations, screen placement, font size, text-to-speech, and other accessibility options).
The FCC also announced that it will consider a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) regarding broadband deployment and availability pursuant to its annual requirement under Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Specifically, the NOI would begin the nineteenth annual assessment of “whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion,” as required by law. In the NOI, the FCC proposes to move “back to the plain language of the statute” and to take a holistic approach in evaluating broadband availability and progress in closing the digital divide.
The August 2025 Open Meeting is scheduled for 10:30 am [Eastern Time] on August 7, 2025, and will be held in the Commission Meeting Room, 45 L Street N.E., Washington, D.C 20554. The FCC meeting is also streamed at www.fcc.gov/live/. Open captioning and sign language interpreting will be provided for this meeting. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. E-mail your request to fcc504@fcc.gov or call (202) 418-0530.
Link to News Release announcing August 2025 Open Meeting agenda:
fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-tentative-agenda-august-open-meeting-11
Link to Draft Notice of Emergency Alerting NPRM:
fcc.gov/document/examining-nations-alerting-systems
Link to Draft Broadband Deployment NOI:
fcc.gov/document/evaluating-deployment-advanced-telecommunications
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