FCC May Open Meeting Agenda

Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the FCC’s May Open Meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2019:

• Toll Free Number Auction – A Public Notice seeking comment on proposed procedures for conducting and participating in an auction of toll free numbers in the 833 code.
• Regulatory Fees NPRM – A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on proposed regulatory fees for Fiscal Year 2019.
• Video Relay Service Rules – A Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would adopt measures, and seek comment on others, to improve Video Relay Service (VRS), expand access to direct video communications, and protect the VRS program against waste, fraud, and abuse.
• Reallocating the 1675–1680 MHz Band – A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would seek comment on reallocating the 1675-1680 MHz band for shared use between incumbent federal operations and non-federal fixed or mobile (except aeronautical mobile) operations on a co-primary basis, as well as an appropriate sharing mechanism that would allow both federal and non-federal users to operate successfully in the band.
• FM Translator Interference Rules – A Report and Order that would adopt streamlined rules relating to interference caused by FM translators and expedite the translator interference complaint resolution process.
• China Mobile USA Application – A Memorandum Opinion and Order that would deny the application of China Mobile USA for a Section 214 authorization to provide international facilities-based and resale telecommunications services between the United States and foreign points.
• Satellite Authorization for Theia – A Memorandum Opinion Order and Authorization that would grant Theia’s request to deploy and operate a proposed non-geostationary satellite constellation to provide earth imaging services around the world.

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The Regulatory Mix Today: FCC May Open Meeting Agenda, USDA Opens Portal for New Rural Broadband Program Applications

USDA Opens Portal for New Rural Broadband Program Applications

The USDA issued a press release announcing that it is now accepting online applications for funding through the new ReConnect Rural Broadband Pilot Program. These funds will enable the federal government to partner with the private sector and rural communities to build modern broadband infrastructure in areas with insufficient internet service. Insufficient service is defined as connection speeds of less than 10 megabits per second download and 1 megabit per second upload. Beginning today, ReConnect funding applications can be submitted at reconnect.usda.gov.

In this first round of funding, USDA is making available at least $600 million in rural broadband projects, through $200 million in grants, $200 million in loan and grant combinations, and $200 million in low-interest loans. The application deadlines for each of these funding packages are as follows:

• May 31, 2019, for projects seeking federal funds from the grants-only package;
• June 21, 2019, for projects seeking a combination of federal loans and grants; and
• July 12, 2019, for projects seeking low-interest federal loans.

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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.