Communications, Internet, and Media

Companies building, operating, or relying on communications technologies must navigate a complex, rapidly evolving regulatory environment shaped by policymaking on spectrum, network deployment, national security, and technological convergence. We combine deep sector knowledge with a comprehensive understanding of the connectivity ecosystem and applicable legal frameworks to help clients anticipate change, manage risk, and unlock opportunity.

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Wireless networks, satellite systems, next-generation physical and digital infrastructure, and other emerging technologies are driving a new era of connectivity that is increasingly intertwined with AI and cloud computing. Companies need counsel who can integrate regulatory, transactional, and policy strategy into a cohesive approach. We help clients turn regulatory complexity into strategic advantage, supporting market entry, infrastructure deployment, transactions, and advocacy that advance their business objectives.

Our global platform brings regulatory, transactional, litigation, and technical expertise together in a single, coordinated practice. We support clients from research and development to initial licensing and infrastructure deployment to transformative transactions and complex bet-the-company regulatory and legal challenges, delivering practical solutions grounded in deep industry experience.

We advise network operators, service and content providers, media companies, equipment manufacturers, investment firms, and government bodies across the full range of communications matters. Our team possess deep expertise at the international, federal, state or provincial, and local levels. We have deep knowledge and experience with matters involving spectrum licensing, auctions, allocation, and policy; regulatory compliance; Team Telecom reviews; Internet-connected vehicles; unmanned aerial systems; fiber rollouts; submarine cable licensing; infrastructure sharing; spectrum coordination agreements; space and satellite; VoIP; Internet of Things; consumer protection; the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); cybersecurity; online services; technology policy; regulatory enforcement; and AI, among others.

Our commercial lawyers lead on multijurisdictional licensing projects and negotiate lease and network use agreements, interconnection agreements, and other complex commercial transactions. Our litigators have deep experience in the wide range of investigations and disputes affecting companies in the sector. With a deeper understanding of regulatory and legislative direction, we anticipate what’s next so our clients can move faster, adapt to disruption, and stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving sector.

Grounded in long-standing relationships and credibility with regulators and policymakers, we represent clients at the forefront of national and international communications policy debates. We engage constructively with governments and agencies to shape regulatory frameworks and align evolving policy with our clients’ strategic and commercial objectives. Our experience across jurisdictions enables us to not only respond to change, but to help define the rules that will govern the sector’s future.

Wireless

Communications Compliance and Enforcement

5G

FCC policy

Fiber

Infrastructure and Equipment

TCPA

AI

Transactions

We lead in the market on advising on how to gain access to wireless spectrum from regulators, avoid harmful interference, negotiate lease agreements, authorize equipment and services, design and win auctions, and guard against the regulatory and business risks of advanced wireless communications. We know how spectrum works and will guide you through every step of the process of securing the wireless connectivity that should form a critical component of your company’s business strategy.

Wireless carriers, equipment manufacturers, infrastructure providers, app developers, and technology vendors must continually flex new muscles in this dynamic marketplace as other players expand into new areas like media, competition increases in the broadcast spectrum incentive auction process, and regulations evolve. Hogan Lovells offers regulatory, policy, and compliance counsel across the entire wireless ecosystem. Engaged in every major wireless proceeding at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), our team includes former senior leaders from the FCC, including a wireless legal advisor to a former FCC Chairman and the former Chief of the FCC’s Wireless Bureau.

With increased enforcement activity and a growing number of multiregulator enforcement cases, ensuring your compliance strategies are up to speed is critical. We help you proactively see around all corners to address enforcement from a variety of federal and state communications regulators. Our team includes former industry leaders from the private sector as well as the FCC, meaning we know these issues intimately and can help mitigate risk, streamline compliance, and safeguard your business.

5G technology produces better, faster, and more cost-effective access to the internet, connecting users and devices across every major sector of the economy. With new rules aimed at reducing regulatory impediments to deploy small cells and plans at local levels to remove roadblocks to 5G deployment, our communications regulatory and commercial contracts teams can help both sellers and buyers of site locations and commercial wireless broadband services. We can also offer legal advice to telecoms industry organizations in navigating any network upgrades needed to roll out coverage. We can advise on any M&A or corporate transactions stemming from partnerships and JVs, and any associated IP, competition, and regulatory issues that often accompany such deals.

Hogan Lovells is known for extensive participation in FCC and other rule-making proceedings, highly visible regulatory and public advocacy, careful framing of novel regulatory proposals, creative ideas for addressing new, emerging, or paradigm-shifting services and technologies, and effective cultivation of diverse and influential allies and coalitions to support client objectives. We understand the connectivity landscape, including important federal government actors such as the FCC, Commerce Department’s NTIA, the White House and legislators on Capitol Hill. Where the FCC’s jurisdiction interacts with other government departments or agencies, we are deeply experienced in engaging with various government agency personnel (e.g., Team Telecom). We are familiar with all of the new U.S. programs and rules at the federal level intended to promote broadband deployment, accessibility, and adoption.

The demand for fiber and broadband connectivity provides a deep pool of opportunity, and our team has experience advising infrastructure investors and their lenders, as well as large-scale users and traditional telecoms players on their strategic transactions in this rapidly evolving sector. We are one of the few firms that offer the full scope of services associated with the rollout of fiber networks, including navigating complex regulatory frameworks, ensuring compliance with U.S. state, federal, and international laws, securing necessary permits and licenses, handling disputes and litigation that may arise during the installation and operation of fiber networks, structuring transactions, greenfield fiber deployments (including rights-of-way, pole and duct rights), advising on environmental and antitrust issues, and tax structuring and restructuring.

Your infrastructure and equipment power your growth and profitability. But wading through authorizations and approvals can be frustrating. We assist the world’s largest communications network operators and equipment manufacturers navigate equipment authorization, product development, and infrastructure deployment matters, through FCC approvals, legal compliance advising, technical reviews and rule interpretations, marketing restrictions, and commercial negotiation issues. Hogan Lovells has the legal, policy, technical, and engineering experience to handle the regulatory and compliance issues you may run across.

The lawyers at Hogan Lovells have the combination of class action litigation, communications regulatory, FCC, privacy, and insurance experience needed to advise your company on compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). We provide strategies to help you mitigate risk, and we represent you in court and before the FCC, FTC, Congress, and state enforcement agencies. With Hogan Lovells, you can sidestep potential pitfalls and focus on your business needs.

Our pre-eminence in identifying new areas of opportunity, such as Generative AI and machine learning, is a market differentiator. We have over 150 lawyers focused on AI across the globe that advise on matters ranging from AI governance to potential copyright liabilities to the impact of AI on the telecoms and digital space.

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We are entrusted by clients with their most critical, significant, and high-value transactions across the telecoms sector. Combining our focus on critical regulatory issues and spectrum licensing, with our full-scope corporate/commercial capabilities means we can assist throughout the full transactional process. Hogan Lovells has handled complex communications and national security-related regulatory approvals encompassing a wide range of issues, including foreign investment reviews, government contracts, security clearance issues, export controls, and economic sanctions.

Our capabilites at a glance

lawyers practicing in telecoms, broadcast, and satellite law.

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells provide strong subject matter expertise, fast turnarounds and a global reach. They are highly capable in handling complex and sophisticated matters."

Chambers & Partners USA Guide 2025

Hogan Lovells provides broad international business expertise, excellent insight into the client’s needs and challenges and extensive contracts within the satellite industry."

Chambers & Partners USA Guide 2025

Deep knowledge of US (FCC) regulatory system, rules, regulations and processes. High level attention from senior partners and full complement of able associates and of counsel. Also has the depth as a firm to support international transactions with regulatory component with firm partners or affiliated firms in countries where Hogan doesn’t have offices. Able to handle complex long-term regulatory strategies as well as routine matters with a high level of attention."

Legal 500 USA Guide 2024

Key contacts

Michele C. Farquhar

Partner

Michele C. Farquhar

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Ari Q. Fitzgerald

Partner

Ari Q. Fitzgerald

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Mark W. Brennan

Partner

Mark W. Brennan

Partner

Washington, D.C.

Meet the Communications, Internet, and Media team

Representative experience

Advised SES S.A. on its strategic acquisition of Intelsat S.A.—a landmark deal valued at US$3.1bn uniting two of the largest commercial operators of geostationary communications satellites to create a leader in multi-orbit connectivity.

Represented Vodafone on a range of business critical matters, including on sale of its 45% equity of Verizon, and advising on the FCC, CFIUS, and Team Telecom approvals required for Vodafone to acquire Cable & Wireless Worldwide, owner of the Apollo submarine cable.

Advising Gogo Business Aviation on U.S. and international communications regulatory and licensing issues, including compliance matters and participation in rulemaking and policy proceedings across multiple agencies.

Advising T-Mobile USA on a range of communications regulatory issues, including its bid to receive certain regulatory approvals necessary to complete its US$146bn merger with Sprint.

Providing strategic counsel to dozens of clients spanning the technology, life sciences and health care, transportation, financial services, education, energy automotive, and consumer sectors, on Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) regulatory compliance, policy advocacy, litigation, and commercial matters, including securing a pivotal declaratory ruling from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on behalf of Edison Electric Institute (EEI).

Representing a wide range of drone manufacturers and drone connectivity providers in successful FCC experimental license and rule waiver requests, and in various FCC proceedings to identify protected spectrum for drone command-and-control operations.

Guided Pavlov Media through a major investment for the construction of fiber infrastructure, handling a complex transaction structure and advising on all federal and state telecommunications licensing and certification issues across the company’s product lines.

Provided comprehensive litigation advice in connection with spectrum allocation and licensing to SNR Wireless, successfully advocating on behalf of the company before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FCC.

Awards and recognitions

Band 1 for Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite

Chambers & Partners USA

2025

Tier 1 for Telecoms and Broadcast: Regulatory

Legal 500 US

2025

Tier 1 for Telecoms and Broadcast: Transactional

Legal 500 US

2025

Practice Group of the Year, Telecommunications

Law360

2022

Resources

Digital Client Solutions

AI Hub

Our interactive AI Hub serves as a central resource covering the latest trends and developments. Explore the Hub to find recent thought leadership, navigate new laws and regulations, and to get in touch with our AI market-leaders.

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Events

2024 Winnik International T&T Forum

Our 2024 flagship Communications, Internet, and Media practice event explored “Geopolitical Risk and Investment in the Tech and Telecom Sectors.” Explore summary articles and thought leadership from last year’s event.

Learn more

Events

AI Webinar Series: The evolving AI legal landscape for the Technology and Telecoms sectors

As innovation continues, it is critical for Technology and Telecoms companies to understand the evolving legal implications of AI and their deep impact on the sector, including for intellectual property, governance, data protection, transactions, and enforcement.

Learn more

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Communications, Internet, and Media

Explore our capabilities

Spectrum

Wireless

Communications Compliance and Enforcement

5G

FCC policy

Fiber

Infrastructure and Equipment

TCPA

AI

Transactions

Spectrum

Wireless

Communications Compliance and Enforcement

5G

FCC policy

Fiber

Infrastructure and Equipment

TCPA

AI

Transactions

Our capabilites at a glance

lawyers practicing in telecoms, broadcast, and satellite law.

Hear from our clients and industry leaders

Hogan Lovells provide strong subject matter expertise, fast turnarounds and a global reach. They are highly capable in handling complex and sophisticated matters."

Hogan Lovells provides broad international business expertise, excellent insight into the client’s needs and challenges and extensive contracts within the satellite industry."

Key contacts

Representative experience

Awards and recognitions

Band 1 for Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite

Tier 1 for Telecoms and Broadcast: Regulatory

Tier 1 for Telecoms and Broadcast: Transactional

Practice Group of the Year, Telecommunications

Resources

Other ways we can help you

Technology

Aerospace and Defense

Automotive and Mobility

Life Sciences and Health Care

Consumer

Private Capital

Space and Satellite

Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity

Strategic Operations, Agreements and Regulation

Government Contracts

International Trade and Investment

Government Relations and Public Affairs

Infrastructure, Energy, Resources, and Projects

Private Equity

Technology Litigation

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