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Posted by Amy Gross on 7/16/20 5:57 PM

Today's Regulatory Mix: House Energy And Commerce Committee Telecom Bills, FCC Announces Carriers Electing BDS Incentive Regulation

 

US Congress sunset shutterstock purchased62620House Energy and Commerce Committee Telecom Bills

The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it advanced seven communications bills and one House resolution to the full House of Representatives by voice votes.  The legislation is as follows:

 

H.R. 451, the “Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019,” repeals the requirement on the FCC to reallocate and auction the 470-512 MHz spectrum band, also known as the T-Band. This legislation also addresses the diversion of 9-1-1 fees. 

 

H.R. 4194, the “National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019,” amends the Communications Act to designate 9-8-8 as the universal dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  The bill also allows states to impose a fee or charge on voice service subscribers’ bills for the support or implementation of suicide prevention services. An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute was offered  that made technical and conforming edits was adopted by voice vote. 

 

H.R. 5567, the “Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2020” or the “MEDIA Diversity Act of 2020,” requires the FCC to consider, with the input of its Office of Communications Business Opportunities, market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals in the communications marketplace. 

 

H.R. 5918, A bill to direct the FCC to issue reports after activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System and to make improvements to network outage reporting, requires the FCC to establish formal processes to take effect in instances when the FCC activates the Disaster Information Reporting System. An amendment in the Nature of a Substitute was offered by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) to make technical and conforming edits was adopted by voice vote. 

 

H.R. 6096, the “Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2020,” among other things, amends the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act to include emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a type of alert that subscribers of mobile service may not block from their devices, as currently, alerts from the President may not be blocked. 

 

H.R. 6624, the “Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecommunications Act of 2020” or the “USA Telecommunications Act,” creates the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and authorizes up to $750 million in grants on a competitive basis to support the deployment and use of Open RAN 5G Networks in America. The legislation also requires a detailed report to Congress each year grants are made and a report detailing the current state of the 5G network supply chain within 180 days of enactment, and establishes an advisory committee consisting of the FCC, federal agencies and other representatives from the private and public sectors, to advise the NTIA on technology developments to help inform the strategic direction of the grant program. 

 

H.R. 7310, the “Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020,” requires the NTIA to submit to Congress a report on its plans to modernize agency information technology systems relating to managing the use of federal spectrum. It would also require the Government Accountability Office to conduct oversight over the implementation of the plans.  

 

H. Res. 549, a resolution reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to media diversity and pledging to work with media  entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.

 

Contact Us   for  Broadband Reporting Assistance!

 

FCC entrance shutterstock-1FCC Announces Carriers Electing BDS Incentive Regulation

The FCC‘s Wireline Competition Bureau announced that the 99 rate-of-return carriers serving 139 study areas in 32 states and one territory elected to move their lower speed business data services (BDS) Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) transport and end user channel termination services to incentive regulation effective July 1, 2020 in accordance with its 2018 Order. (That  Order adopted a path for rate-of-return carriers that receive model-based or other forms of fixed high cost universal service support to voluntarily elect to transition their lower speed BDS offerings to incentive regulation effective either July 1, 2019 or July 1, 2020.)  As a result of both years’ elections, a total of 136 rate-of-return carriers serving 227 study areas in 40 states and one territory have now moved their lower speed BDS offerings to incentive regulation.  The Public Notice specifies the carrier name, study area, state, and study area code for each newly electing carrier.

 

 

DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE FCC BRIEFING

 

____________________________

 

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.

 

 

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Topics: BDS, U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee

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Posted by Amy Gross on 7/16/20 5:57 PM

Today's Regulatory Mix: House Energy And Commerce Committee Telecom Bills, FCC Announces Carriers Electing BDS Incentive Regulation

 

US Congress sunset shutterstock purchased62620House Energy and Commerce Committee Telecom Bills

The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it advanced seven communications bills and one House resolution to the full House of Representatives by voice votes.  The legislation is as follows:

 

H.R. 451, the “Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019,” repeals the requirement on the FCC to reallocate and auction the 470-512 MHz spectrum band, also known as the T-Band. This legislation also addresses the diversion of 9-1-1 fees. 

 

H.R. 4194, the “National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019,” amends the Communications Act to designate 9-8-8 as the universal dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  The bill also allows states to impose a fee or charge on voice service subscribers’ bills for the support or implementation of suicide prevention services. An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute was offered  that made technical and conforming edits was adopted by voice vote. 

 

H.R. 5567, the “Measuring the Economics Driving Investments and Access for Diversity Act of 2020” or the “MEDIA Diversity Act of 2020,” requires the FCC to consider, with the input of its Office of Communications Business Opportunities, market entry barriers for socially disadvantaged individuals in the communications marketplace. 

 

H.R. 5918, A bill to direct the FCC to issue reports after activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System and to make improvements to network outage reporting, requires the FCC to establish formal processes to take effect in instances when the FCC activates the Disaster Information Reporting System. An amendment in the Nature of a Substitute was offered by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) to make technical and conforming edits was adopted by voice vote. 

 

H.R. 6096, the “Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2020,” among other things, amends the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act to include emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a type of alert that subscribers of mobile service may not block from their devices, as currently, alerts from the President may not be blocked. 

 

H.R. 6624, the “Utilizing Strategic Allied Telecommunications Act of 2020” or the “USA Telecommunications Act,” creates the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and authorizes up to $750 million in grants on a competitive basis to support the deployment and use of Open RAN 5G Networks in America. The legislation also requires a detailed report to Congress each year grants are made and a report detailing the current state of the 5G network supply chain within 180 days of enactment, and establishes an advisory committee consisting of the FCC, federal agencies and other representatives from the private and public sectors, to advise the NTIA on technology developments to help inform the strategic direction of the grant program. 

 

H.R. 7310, the “Spectrum IT Modernization Act of 2020,” requires the NTIA to submit to Congress a report on its plans to modernize agency information technology systems relating to managing the use of federal spectrum. It would also require the Government Accountability Office to conduct oversight over the implementation of the plans.  

 

H. Res. 549, a resolution reaffirming the commitment of the House of Representatives to media diversity and pledging to work with media  entities and diverse stakeholders to develop common ground solutions to eliminate barriers to media diversity.

 

Contact Us   for  Broadband Reporting Assistance!

 

FCC entrance shutterstock-1FCC Announces Carriers Electing BDS Incentive Regulation

The FCC‘s Wireline Competition Bureau announced that the 99 rate-of-return carriers serving 139 study areas in 32 states and one territory elected to move their lower speed business data services (BDS) Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) transport and end user channel termination services to incentive regulation effective July 1, 2020 in accordance with its 2018 Order. (That  Order adopted a path for rate-of-return carriers that receive model-based or other forms of fixed high cost universal service support to voluntarily elect to transition their lower speed BDS offerings to incentive regulation effective either July 1, 2019 or July 1, 2020.)  As a result of both years’ elections, a total of 136 rate-of-return carriers serving 227 study areas in 40 states and one territory have now moved their lower speed BDS offerings to incentive regulation.  The Public Notice specifies the carrier name, study area, state, and study area code for each newly electing carrier.

 

 

DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE FCC BRIEFING

 

____________________________

 

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.

 

 

GET COVID-19 STATE REGULATORY ACTION LIST HERE

Topics: BDS, U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee

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