USDA Broadband Grants in Arkansas and West Virginia 

In West Virginia the USDA’s West Virginia State Director Kris Warner announced USDA has invested $18.7 million in a high-speed broadband infrastructure project that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 6,300 rural households and an estimated 383 farms in Harrison, Doddridge, Lewis, Barbour and Upshur counties in West Virginia.

“This project is providing a critical communications investment in some truly rural areas of West Virginia,” Warner said. “Through USDA’s ReConnect program, these counties will get access to the latest broadband technology. This will have a positive economic impact for the farms, small businesses and families that live in these communities. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA is committed to this strong partnership with rural communities in deploying this critical infrastructure, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.” 

In Arkansas the USDA’s Rural Development Arkansas State Director David Branscum announced USDA has invested $7.1 million in two, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 1,250 rural households in north central Arkansas. 

“Through USDA’s ReConnect Program, more than 1,250 Arkansans living in rural communities will get access to the latest broadband technology that will connect them to opportunities in education, health care and economic development,” Branscum said. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has made deploying this critical infrastructure across rural America a top priority because when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.” 

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The Regulatory Mix Today:  USDA Broadband Grants in Arkansas and West Virginia, Pai Statement on Cellular Vehicle to Everything Developments, FCC Consumer Advisor Committee Meeting on Robocalling

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Pai Statement on Cellular Vehicle to Everything Developments 

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued following statement regarding an upcoming Cellular Vehicle to Everything (CV2X) deployment in Northern Virginia.  The deployment was announced Audi, Qualcomm, and the Virginia Department of Transportation.  The deployment will include warnings that automatically alert cars to upcoming work zones as well as SPaT (signal phase and timing), which enables cars to receive a countdown from a red light to a green light.  

“The cars and trucks of the future will use wireless spectrum and advanced technologies to keep us safer on the road. Cellular Vehicle to Everything, or C-V2X, is a new and promising technology that is gaining momentum in the automotive industry as it enables communications between cars, infrastructure, cyclists, pedestrians, and road workers.  Today’s C-V2X deployment announcement was only made possible through an experimental license. That’s because the current rules governing the 5.9 GHz band lock us into DSRC, a technology authorized by the FCC more than twenty years ago that has never been widely deployed. The FCC recognizes the promise of C-V2X, having voted unanimously in December on a proposal to designate 20 megahertz for its deployment in the 5.9 GHz band. If this proposal is adopted, it would be a significant step forward for automotive safety, since there is currently no spectrum designated for C-V2X. Americans on the move would be the beneficiaries—but only if the FCC takes action and leaves the failed status quo behind.” 

FCC Consumer Advisor Committee Meeting on Robocalling 

The FCC announced that its Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) will meet on February 13, 2020, to consider a recommendation from its Robocall Report Working Group.  The recommendation will address the gathering of data and/or sources of data relating to the availability and effectiveness of call blocking tools, as described in paragraphs 88 to 90 of the Commission’s Declaratory Ruling and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in “Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls; Call Authentication Trust Anchor.”  Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 6/12/19. 

A limited amount of time will be available for comments from the public. The event will be broadcast live at www.fcc.gov/live/ and may also be followed on Twitter @fcc or via the FCC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fcc.   

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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.