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Today:  FCC Disaster Reporting For Hurricane Lane, FCC Extends the Deadline for the Close of the Mobility Fund Phase II Challenge Process Window, Michigan Announces Broadband Plan Launch 

FCC Disaster Reporting For Hurricane Lane

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau  announced the activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) in response to HURRICANE LANE. DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that communications providers, including wireless, wireline, broadcast, cable and VoIP providers, can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis.  The FCC requests that communications providers that provide service to any of the five counties in the state of Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, and Maui) expeditiously submit and update information through DIRS regarding the status of their communications equipment, restoration efforts, and  power (i.e., whether they are using commercial power or back-up power). Providers can accomplish this by accessing DIRS at https://www.fcc.gov/nors/disaster/.

Separately, the FCC announced it is available to address emergency communications needs 24 hours a day, including throughout the weekend, especially relating to the effects that Hurricane Lane may have on the State of Hawaii.  Providers, emergency response managers first responders, and others needing assistance to initiate, resume, or maintain communications operations to contact the FCC Operations Center for assistance at 202-418-1122 or by e-mail at FCCOPCenter@fcc.gov.

It also released procedures for carriers, CATV providers and licensees of TV and radio stations that need to request special temporary authority (STA) in connection with their operations in the areas affected by the hurricane.

FCC Extends the Deadline for the Close of the Mobility Fund Phase II Challenge Process Window

The FCC released an order extending the previously announced deadline for the close of the Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) challenge window by an additional 90 days.  Challengers will have until November 26, 2018, to submit speed test data in support of a challenge.  Also, the FCC adopted this extension to ensure that interested parties can initiate and submit speed test data for areas they wish to challenge.  In addition, given this extension, the FCC proposes to make modifications to the speed test data specifications regarding the relevant timeframes for valid speed tests.  Comments are due 10 days after publication in the Federal Register with reply comments due 15 days after publication.  Publication has not yet occurred. 

Michigan Announces Broadband Plan Launch

Governor Rick Snyder announced the Michigan Broadband Roadmap which is a plan to provide access to high-speed internet for every Michigan resident, business, region and community.  The Roadmap identifies three main areas for improvement: 1) Access to Unserved Areas; 2) Increase Broadband Adoption; and 3) Advance Michigan’s Broadband Ecosystem.  Previously, the Governor created the Michigan Consortium of Advanced Networks (MCAN) through Executive Order to develop the Roadmap.  The goal of the MCAN being to develop a plan for ubiquitous broadband access.  The press release went on to advise that Michigan currently ranks 30th in the nation for broadband availability and more than 350,000 households, in mostly rural areas, do not have access to vital high-speed internet service.  Another two million households only have access to a single, terrestrial internet service provider.  There is approximately $2.5 billion in potential economic opportunities available for these regions if this gap is closed.  The full Roadmap report is available on the Michigan website. 

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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.

"Translating Government Policies to Day-to-Day Telecom Operations," Inteserra's Fall 2018 Seminar 10/16 and 10/17