THE REGULATORY MIX AND BLOG ARTICLES

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Issues Spoofing Fine, FCC Streamlines Rules for Wireless Infrastructure, FCC Expands Unlicensed Wireless Operations in TV White Spaces, FCC Establishes 5G Fund

FCC Issues Spoofing Fine

The FCC has released the adopted Forfeiture Order regarding a $37.5 million fine against Affordable Enterprises of Arizona for making more than 2.3 million unlawful spoofed telemarketing calls to Arizonans during a 14-month span starting in 2016. 

Today's Regulatory Mix:   FCC Affirms Open Internet/Net Neutrality Order, FCC Eliminates Unbundling Requirements, Iowa Announces Broadband Grants

FCC Affirms Open Internet/Net Neutrality Order

At its Open Meeting this morning, the FCC voted to adopt an Order on Remand responding to the to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit’s remand of three discrete issues for further consideration by the FCC regarding its 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom Order. 

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC's Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast, USDA Announces Additional Broadband Funding

FCC’s Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel announced the release of the latest episode of her podcast, Broadband Conversations. The podcast was launched over two years ago with the goal of amplifying the voices of women from across the technology, innovation and media sectors.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  USDA Announces Additional Broadband Funding, FCC Releases New and Updated Data for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction

USDA Announces Additional Broadband Funding

The USDA announced new Reconnect broadband funding in five states.

In Iowa:

• Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company of Moulton, Iowa will use a $4.9 million ReConnect grant and a $4.9 million ReConnect loan to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network,

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Releases Final Agenda for October Meeting, FCC Numbering Utilization Report

FCC Releases Final Agenda for October Meeting

The FCC has released the final agenda for its October Open Meeting.  The meeting will be held October 27, 2020.  Some of the items of note are:

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. 

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