Today:  FCC August Open Meeting, FCC Tribal Workshop, Ohio Approves Area Code Overlay 

FCC August Open Meeting

The FCC announced the tentative agenda for its August 2, 2018, Open Meeting.  The tentative  agenda items are as follows:

• Wireline Infrastructure:  A Report and Order that will allow one-touch make-ready for most pole attachments and further reform its pole attachment process, and a Declaratory Ruling that will conclude that section 253(a) prohibits state and local moratoria on telecommunications facilities deployment.
• Connected Care Pilot Program: A Notice of Inquiry on creating a Universal Service Fund pilot program to promote the use of telehealth services among low-income Americans.
• Spectrum Frontiers Auction Procedures:  A Public Notice establishing application and bidding procedures for auctioning Upper Microwave Flexible Use Licenses in the 28 GHz (Auction 101) and 24 GHz (Auction 102) bands.
• Making 39 GHz Band Auction Ready:  A Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing an auction mechanism that would transition existing spectrum holdings in the 39 GHz band (38.6-40 GHz) to a new flexible-use band plan and would offer new licenses for contiguous spectrum in the band.
• LPTV, TV Translator, and FM Broadcast Station Reimbursement:  A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order that begins the process of implementing Congress’s directive in the Reimbursement Expansion Act that the Commission reimburse certain low power television, television translator, and FM broadcast stations for costs incurred as a result of the Commission’s broadcast television spectrum incentive auction.
• Promoting New Entry and Ownership Diversity in the Broadcasting Services:  A Report and Order establishing the requirements which will govern an incubator program that seeks to promote the entry of new and diverse voices into the broadcast industry.

FCC Tribal Workshop

The FCC announced it will hold a workshop for Tribal governments on July 31, 2018 at the Lac du Flambeau Reservation in Wisconsin.  The workshop will include an introduction about the mission and work of the FCC and a presentation on the process for challenging areas initially deemed ineligible for universal service funding in the Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) reverse auction.  There will also be presentations on other FCC proceedings and programs of Tribal interest, including overviews of the Universal Service Fund, the Tribal Radio Priority, and the Tribal Engagement Obligation. In addition, there will be an opportunity for government-to-government consultations with Tribal leaders or their designees in a collaborative and constructive environment. 

Ohio Approves Area Code Overlay

The Ohio PUC adopted an all services overlay as the relief plan for the 937 Numbering Plan Area (NPA).  Under the plan, the 326 NPA will be superimposed over the same geographic area covered by the existing 937 NPA. Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 7/10/18.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.