The Federal Communications Commission announced that they were planning for an “orderly shutdown due to lapse of congressional appropriations” on Friday, Dec. 9, but President Obama signed a temporary spending bill that will keep the government alive through April 28, 2017, and the Senate passed the bill with less than an hour to spare on Saturday, Dec. 10.
In its announcement, the FCC explained what would happen in the event of a government shutdown.
“Generally, during a shutdown all FCC activities other than those immediately necessary for the protection of life or property will cease,” the announcement said.
Some of the operations that would cease were listed, including consumer complaint and inquiry phone services, licensing services, management of radio spectrum, and more.
Ceasing operations would have meant a halt in the FCC’s spectrum auction, causing more delays than already experienced, but operations are now back on schedule. The clearing target of 84 megahertz for Stage 4 of the auction was set on Dec. 4.
To read the full public notice of the clearing target for Stage 4 from the FCC, click here.
To read the full announcement from the FCC, click here.
