Rosenworcel Broadband Conversations Podcast
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel announced the release of her latest episode of Broadband Conversations—the podcast where she talks to leading women in technology, innovation, and media sectors about what’s on their minds, what they are working on, and what they hope for the future of digital life. The most recent episode features a conversation with Sarah McBride, an activist, author, and one of the most visible voices for trans equality.
Rosenworcel said: “Technology isn’t just about motherboards and fiber cables. Technology can help us connect, help us communicate, and as Sarah so perfectly described in our conversation, help us see the full diversity of our humanity. I share her passion and commitment to an internet that is open and free. As Pride month gets started, I hope that everyone takes the opportunity to hear from Sarah directly and listen to her story.”
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The Regulatory Mix Today: Rosenworcel Broadband Conversations Podcast, FCC Auction 101 Winning Bidders, FCC Schedules Emergency Alert System Test
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FCC Auction 101 Winning Bidders
The FCC announced the results of the auction of 28 GHz Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service licenses (Auction 101). Auction 101 raised a total of $700,309,809 in net bids ($702,572,410 in gross bids), with 33 bidders winning a total of 2,965 licenses. The FCC also released information about: (1) each bidders upfront payments and any post-auction payments or refunds due; and (2) each bid withdrawal and corresponding payment owed by bidders, if any.
Separately, the FCC announced the long form applications (FCC Form 601) for the 28 GHz UMFUS licensees that were found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. Petitions to deny the listed applications must be filed no later than June 17, 2019. Oppositions to a petition to deny must be filed no later than June 24, 2019. Replies to oppositions must be filed no later than July 1, 2019. 
FCC Schedules Emergency Alert System Test
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) announced that, in coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), it will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on August 7, 2019, at 2:20 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), with a backup date of August 21, 2019. The Bureau also announced that the EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) is now open and accepting 2019 filings. All EAS Participants must renew their identifying information in ETRS Form One on or before July 3, 2019. On or before 11:59 p.m. EDT, August 7, 2019, EAS Participants must file “day of test” information sought by ETRS Form Two.14 On or before September 23, 2019, EAS Participants must file the detailed post-test data sought by ETRS Form Three.15 ETRS Forms Two and Three will become available in the ETRS at the time of initiation of the 2019 nationwide test.
Unlike in recent years, the 2019 nationwide test will only be disseminated using a hierarchical, broadcast-based distribution system, otherwise known as the “daisy chain.” Because of this, full message text and multilingual messaging will not be available. According to FEMA, “[t]he intent of conducting the test in this fashion is to determine the capability of the [EAS] to deliver messages to the public in the event that dissemination via internet is not available.” Testing the daisy chain will allow the FCC and FEMA to assess whether the national EAS would perform as designed, if activated, and help to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of broadcast-based alerting as a failsafe to our national emergency communications infrastructure.
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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.
