THE REGULATORY MIX AND BLOG ARTICLES

Today's Regulatory Mix:  Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Introduce Consumer Data Privacy Legislation, The SAFE DATA Act, FTC to Hold Workshop on Privacy, FCC Releases Internet Access Services Report

Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Introduce Consumer Data Privacy Legislation

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, Deb. Fischer, R-Neb., chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., introduced the Setting an American Framework to Ensure Data Access, Transparency, and Accountability (SAFE DATA) Act.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Opens Second E-Rate Funding Window, GAO Report on E-Rate Program Fraud,  US Senate Hearing On Data Privacy Legislation

FCC Opens Second E-Rate Funding Window

The FCC announced the opening of a second funding year 2020 filing window to allow schools to request additional E-Rate funding specifically to address increased on-campus bandwidth needs due to COVID-19. 

What will the FCC be tackling next?

Chairman Pai’s theme for the September 30th Open Meeting is “A Big Fall Kickoff,” celebrating the return of professional (and fantasy) football.  In keeping with his theme, he noted that ”[i]n this spirit, the FCC’s September agenda looks like a well-balanced fantasy team.  Just as you would assemble a fantasy roster with a quarterback, running backs, receivers, a tight end, a kicker, and a defense, we’re rolling out a diverse lineup featuring at least one item from each of the Commission’s seven bureaus.” 

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC to Celebrate 10th Anniversary of the CVAA, FCC Takes Actions for Hurricane Sally, FCC Takes Actions In Response To Wildfires

FCC to Celebrate 10th Anniversary of the CVAA

The FCC announced it will recognize the 10th anniversary of the  21st Century

Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) and its importance in building a more accessible telecommunications world for people with disabilities with a public program on October 8, 2020.

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Releases Results of Supply Chain Data Request, USDA Broadband Funding In North Carolina, Senators Urge Policies To Support Remote Learning

FCC Releases Results of Supply Chain Data Request

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) and the Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) announced the results of the FCC’s Supply Chain Security Information Collection, which was conducted in order to identify whether Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs), or their affiliates and subsidiaries, own equipment or services from Huawei Technologies Company (Huawei) and ZTE Corporation (ZTE), or their respective

Today's Regulatory Mix: US House FCC Oversight Hearing, FCC Seeks Comment on HCLA Average Schedule Formula, FCC Extends E-Rate and RHC Covid-19 Rule Waivers,

US House FCC Oversight Hearing

Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced that the Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a fully remote hearing on oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with all five commissioners

Today's Regulatory Mix: The FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for the September Open Meeting, Indiana Authorizes $51 Million In Broadband Funding, US House Committee Passes Telecom Legislation

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for September Open Meeting

The FCC has announced the tentative agenda for its next Open Meeting scheduled for September 30, 2020.  It includes the following items:

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Proposes Fine for Form 477 Filings, FCC Authorizes CAFII Support for Mississippi Broadband Deployment,  FCC Announces Status of RDOF Applications 

FCC Proposes Fine for Form 477 Filings

The FCC proposed a $163,912 fine, the maximum amount allowed by law, against Internet service provider Barrier Communications Corporation d/b/a BarrierFree for apparently: (1) reporting inaccurate information that significantly inflated its broadband subscription numbers; (2) failing to file required deployment data; (3) making false statements to FCC investigators; and (4) failing to respond to other inquiries. 

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC NANC Meeting on Call Authentication Best Practices, FCC Seeks Comment on Lifeline Waiver Petition

FCC NANC Meeting on Call Authentication Best Practices

The FCC announced that the next meeting of the North American Numbering Council (NANC), will be held on September 24, 2020.  The meeting will be held via conference call and available to the public. via live feed from the FCC’s web page at http://www.fcc.gov/live. 

Today's Regulatory Mix: USDA Announces Broadband Funding for Rural Virginia, NTIA Spectrum Policy Symposium

USDA Announces Broadband Funding for Rural Virginia

The USDA announced it is investing $9 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Virginia.  In rural Virginia, Scott County Telephone Cooperative will use a $9 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network to connect 7,496 people, 416 farms, 97 businesses, a fire station, a town hall and two educational facilities to high-speed broadband internet in Scott County.