THE REGULATORY MIX AND BLOG ARTICLES

Today's Regulatory Mix:  USDA Announces Additional Broadband Funding In Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming,  FCC Eliminates Caps On FY 2020 RHC Upfront Payments and Multi-year Commitments, FCC Announces Virtual Tech Supplier Diversity Showcase

USDA Announces Additional Broadband Funding in Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming

The USDA announced new Reconnect broadband funding in four states.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Provides Guidance On E-Rate Program Category Two Budget, FCC Announces CAF II Auction Support Authorizations, Wisconsin Broadband Funding Announced

FCC Provides Guidance On E-Rate Program Category Two Budgets.

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has provided guidance related to the new district-wide budgets for category two services, effective beginning in funding year 2021. 

Today's Regulatory Mix: USDA Announces Broadband Funding for Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Montana and South Dakota, FCC Signs Memorandum of Understanding for 5G Networks

USDA Announces Broadband Funding for Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and South Dakota

The USDA announced over $66 million in new ReConnect broadband funding in five states.

In Idaho, USDA announced two investments.  Midvale Telephone Company will use a $5.4 million ReConnect grant and $5.4 million ReConnect loan

What will the FCC be tackling next?

Chairman Pai’s theme for the October 27, 2020 Open Meeting is “Halloween Treats,” celebrating what he calls the “great October tradition.”  In keeping with his theme, he noted that “[w]hile nobody is quite sure what trick-or-treating will look like in a time of social distancing, I can say for sure that the agenda for the Commission’s October meeting will be filled with treats for consumers and innovators.”  Of particular interest to telecommunications providers are items taking the next step in the FCC’s effort to eliminate unbundled network element (UNE) requirements where competition warrants and addressing the Court’s remand of three portions of the FCC’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order.

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Announces Qualified Bidders for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction,  USDA Announces Broadband Grants In Iowa, Alaska, and Illinois

FCC Announces Qualified Bidders for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction

The FCC announced that 386 applicants are qualified to bid in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction.  The number of qualified bidders represents a more than 75% increase in the number of bidders in 2018’s Connect America Fund Phase II auction and also includes bidding consortia that contain multiple service providers.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  Kansas Announces New Broadband Office and New Grants, FCC’s Rosenworcel Releases Second Half of Podcast, FCC E-Rate Funding Announced

Kansas Announces New Broadband Office and New Grants

Today's Regulatory Mix:  US House Report On Competition In the Digital Economy ,Nebraska Broadband Grants, Mississippi Proposes Fines For No Call Violations

US House Report On Competition In the Digital Economy

The House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee released a report summarizing the findings of its investigation into the state of competition in the digital economy, especially the challenges presented by the dominance of Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook and their business practices.

Today's Regulatory Mix: USDA Rural Broadband Grants in Tennessee, DOD Announces $600 Million for 5G Experimentation and Testing at Five Installations, Virginia Allocates $30 Million in CARES Act Funding to Fast-Track Broadband Projects

DOD Announces $600 Million for 5G Experimentation and Testing at Five Installations

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced $600 million in awards for 5G experimentation and testing at five U.S. military test sites, representing the largest full-scale 5G tests for dual-use applications in the world.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  USDA Rural Broadband Grants In Arkansas, Indiana, and Wisconsin, FCC Biennial Report On CVAA, NTIA Digital Inclusion Webpage

USDA Rural Broadband Grants In Arkansas, Indiana, and Wisconsin

The USDA announced three new broadband grants.  In Arkansas, the USDA will invest $11.8 million to allow three providers to offer broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Arkansas.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Adopts New Rules To Increase Use Of 4.9 GHz Spectrum Band, USDA Rural Broadband Grant In Indiana, FCC Announces Agenda for October Open Meeting

FCC Adopts New Rules To Increase Use Of 4.9 GHz Spectrum Band

The FCC adopted rules permitting expanded use of 50 megahertz of mid-band spectrum in the 4.9 GHz (4940-4990 MHz) band that is currently underused.  Under the new rules, states are allowed to lease this spectrum to third parties to boost wireless broadband, improve critical infrastructure monitoring, and facilitate public safety use cases.