FCC Agenda For October Meeting
The FCC announced the final agenda for its October 24, 2017 Open Meeting. It includes:
The FCC will also consider two broadcast items.
Maryland County Meeting Over Cell Towers
The Montgomery County Government has invited citizens to a Community Meeting on October 23rd regarding the Montgomery County Zoning Draft Amendment to replace neighborhood street lights and power poles with mini cell towers. The County Council is considering a newly drafted zoning on cell antennas in residential zones. The plan would eliminate public notice, public hearings, and the setbacks for antennas to single family homes.
Nebraska NIEF Grant Applications
The PSC announced that it is now taking pre-applications from counties and municipalities wishing to apply for grants from the Nebraska Internet Enhancement Fund (NIEF). Pre-applications will be accepted beginning October 17th through November 10th. The PSC utilizes pre-applications to determine whether potential projects meet the requirements for a NIEF grant award. The grants focus on areas of the state that are unserved or underserved. Pre-applications are required before an invitation to submit a formal application is issued. The formal application period will begin on December 11, with final awards for the new grant period to be made in March.
New Hampshire Opts Out of FirstNet Plan
Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statement after signing an executive order establishing the FirstNet Opt-Out Review Committee, which will be tasked with reviewing the regulatory and financial risks to the State of New Hampshire associated with the pursuit of an opt-out plan.
“New Hampshire’s Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) has determined from a technical standpoint that an opt-out of FirstNet is far and away our best option, as evidenced by their unanimous 15-0 vote. The State must nevertheless conduct a thorough review of the financial and regulatory viability of Rivada’s opt-out plan. As part of this review, we will seek clarification of certain proposed fees, as well as clarification of penalties that may be imposed by FirstNet if an opt-out were to fail. These fees and penalties appear to be arbitrary and primarily designed to deter states from opting out of FirstNet plans. That is why I am calling on key officials at the federal level to assist us as we examine the numbers released by FirstNet and to ensure that states are being afforded their right to make their decisions with correct information. Executive Order 2017-08
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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.