Today:  FCC 2018-2019 Allocations for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program, FCC Announces Agenda For July Open Meeting, FCC CAF II Mock Auction 

FCC 2018-2019 Allocations for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program

The FCC announced the funding allocations for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also called “iCanConnect,” for 2018-2019.  (The FCC may provide up to $10 annually from the interstate TRS Fund to support local programs that distribute equipment to eligible low-income individuals who are deaf-blind, so that these individuals can access telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced communications services.)  For 2018-2019, the FCC will set aside: (1) $250,000 for national outreach efforts to be conducted by the Perkins School for the Blind; and (2) $100,000 towards the development of a centralized database that certified programs will be required to use to submit information about their NDBEDP-related activities for reporting purposes, and may use for the generation of reimbursement claims.  The remaining $9.65 million of funding for 2018-2019 will be used to reimburse certified programs for the cost of equipment and authorized related services, up to each certified program’s funding allocation.  The Public Notice includes the specific funding allocations by state.

FCC Announces Agenda For July Open Meeting

The FCC announced the final agenda for its July 12, 2018, Open Meeting.  The items include:

• Nationwide Number Portability:  A Report and Order that forbears from legacy requirements and amends rules to facilitate the move toward complete nationwide number portability to promote competition between all service providers and increase network routing efficiencies.
• Amendment of Procedural Rules Governing Formal Complaint Proceedings Delegated to the Enforcement Bureau:  A Report and Order that consolidates and streamlines the rules governing formal complaint proceedings delegated to the Enforcement Bureau.
• Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band:  The FCC will consider an Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would continue the FCC’s efforts to make mid-band spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band available for expanded flexible use, primarily by seeking comment on mechanisms for clearing for mobile use and whether to allow point-to-multipoint use on a shared basis in portions of the band.  It would also collect information about FSS earth stations and space stations.
• Amendment of Various FCC’s Rules with Regard to the Cellular Service:  A Report and Order eliminating unnecessary rules that apply to cellular service and other licensees.
• Amendment of Part 11 of the FCC’s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System:  A Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to improve emergency alerting, including facilitating more effective EAS tests and preventing false alerts.

FCC CAF II Mock Auction

The FCC released information for the Connect American Fund Phase II Auction (Auction 903) mock auction that will be held on July 18-19, 2018, for all applicants that are listed as qualified bidders.  The mock auction is designed so that, within several rounds of bidding, bidders will experience key auction events.  It is strongly recommended that all qualified bidders participate in the mock auction.  For the mock auction, each qualified bidder will be assigned a set of states and performance tier and latency combinations for which it may bid.  These assignments will not represent the actual states and performance tier and latency combinations for which it is qualified to bid in Auction 903.  However, each qualified bidder will be assigned the same number of states and performance tier and latency combinations for which it is eligible to bid.  Qualified bidders will be able to use their Auction 903 registration materials to access the bidding system environment for the mock auction starting at 10:00 a.m. ET on July 17, 2018.3  This will allow each qualified bidder to see the states(s) and performance tier and latency combination(s) they are assigned for the mock auction.

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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.