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
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. The guidance addresses: (1) how to determine whether students at a charter school should be counted as part of the public school district or separately and (2) how to count part-time students that attend schools that are not a part of the school district (i.e., independent schools) with only part-time students. In addition, to the extent school buildings are either fully or partially closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Bureau provides guidance regarding how to count students that attend these schools for category two budget purposes and reminds applicants of the FCC’s cost allocation rules for the use of shared equipment by non-instructional facilities.
The FCC’s Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force, Wireline Competition Bureau, and the Office of Economics and Analytics (Bureaus) announced they are ready to authorize Connect America Fund Phase II auction (Auction 903) support for six additional Auction 903 winning bids in Pennsylvania. To be authorized to receive the total 10-year support amounts, the must submit acceptable irrevocable stand-by letter(s) of credit and Bankruptcy Code opinion letter(s) from their legal counsel for each state where they have winning bids that are ready to be authorized in accordance with the instructions provided prior to 6:00 p.m. ET on Monday, November 2, 2020.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, the state Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), announced six communities were selected for the new Broadband Connectors Pilot program cohort. The joint pilot program will help provide technical assistance to help these communities apply for federal, state, and private-sector broadband expansion funds.
The selected communities include:
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
The pilot program is intended to help WEDC and PSC to better understand what communities’ broadband technical assistance needs are. Drawing on the expertise of both WEDC and PSC staff, the best practices developed from the pilot program will be incorporated into a Wisconsin Broadband Playbook for communities. Through participation in the pilot cohort, WEDC and PSC intent to increase communities’ readiness to apply for state, federal, or private broadband opportunities, and provide them with a roadmap for continuing its work to expand broadband after the pilot ends.
Separately, the PSC announced it had approved over $5.3 million in funding to 12 projects to expand broadband service across the state. The funding was made available as part of the federal CARES Act. A list of the grant recipients can be found here. The CARES Act dollars are funding projects that will increase broadband capacity in underserved areas of the state to a significant extent while the need for distance learning and telework exists during the public health emergency.
"I'm thrilled that we are able to get these dollars into the hands of providers who otherwise would not be able to get these projects done and people connected by the end of the year. These projects will make a real impact for students who are attending school virtually, people who are working from home, businesses who need to connect with customers, and patients who need to schedule telehealth visits with their doctors during the pandemic," said Rebecca Cameron Valcq, Chairperson of the PSC.
Recent Briefings from Inteserra!
District of Columbia Extends COVID-19 Consumer Protections
FCC Releases Final List Of Census Blocks Eligible For Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction
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FCC Seeks Comment on Revisions to TCPA Exemptions
Nevada Increases USF Assessment
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s 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.