Today: US Virgin Islands Opts-In to FirstNet Network, US House Legislation to end Lifeline Support for Wireless Service, US Senate Legislation to Make More Spectrum Available
US Virgin Islands Opts-in to FirstNet Network
The US Virgin Islands is the first territory to join the FirstNet Network plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the territory’s public safety community helping first responders save lives and protect communities. FirstNet and AT&T designed the U.S. Virgin Islands’ network solution with direct input from the territory’s public safety community. FirstNet has been engaging with Virgin Islands’ officials and public safety personnel for years to address their unique communication needs. This includes expanding coverage across the territory, enabling state, local, and federal agencies to effectively communicate and coordinate over the islands, even in remote areas and coastlines. Click here to read full press release.
US House Legislation To End Lifeline Support For Wireless Service
Representative Austin Scott (R-GA) introduced the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act (H.R. 3546), which would end the Lifeline support for wireless voice and data services effective January 1, 2018.
Representative Scott said: “Hardworking American taxpayers are already overburdened and should not be forced to pay for a program that has vastly expanded beyond its intended scope and is riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse. My bill will reform the Lifeline Program and restore it to its original purpose of providing landline services and prohibit Universal Service support for mobile services. In order to promote government accountability, cut government fraud and waste, and protect consumers from further increases to their phone bills, the Lifeline Program’s free cell phone plans should end.”
US Senate Legislation To Make More Spectrum Available
Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced legislation to encourage the federal government to continue to free up spectrum for commercial licensed and unlicensed use and leverage the success of spectrum auctions to help close the urban-rural divide. The Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum or AIRWAVES Act would establish a spectrum pipeline that will provide more capacity for wireless providers to improve existing service and expand to new areas. It aims to motivate industry and federal agencies to find ways to better utilize spectrum and avoid a spectrum crunch and lay the groundwork for 5G technologies. It also requires that 10% of all of the proceeds from spectrum auctions in the bill to go directly to wireless broadband infrastructure buildout in unserved and underserved areas throughout rural communities across the country.
All three FCC Commissioners issued statements in support of the AIRWAVES Act, with Chairman Pai saying, in part, “This bipartisan bill addresses an issue that’s critical to continued American leadership in wireless innovation: making available more spectrum for commercial use. I’m also very pleased that they have proposed a ‘rural dividend,’ under which 10 percent of proceeds from spectrum auctions would be devoted to increasing wireless Internet access in rural areas.” Commissioner O’Rielly said, in part: “I applaud Senators Gardner and Hassan for introducing critical spectrum legislation and for their leadership on such an important issue. There is a lot to like in the bill, including firm spectrum deadlines and auctions for key bands. Commissioner Clyburn agreed, saying, in part “Senators Gardner and Hassan rightly highlight the need for a comprehensive, technology-neutral spectrum policy that includes licensed, unlicensed, and shared use of spectrum bands.”
________________________________________
The Regulatory Mix, TMI’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 a TMI Briefing.
