Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Increases Rural Health Care Funding, FCC to Fully Fund E-Rate Requests, FCC Issues NAL for Failing to Respond to USAC, FCC’s Pai Reacts To Supreme Court Robocall Decision
FCC Increases Rural Health Care Funding
The FCC’ Wireline Competition Bureau has directed the Universal Service Administrative Company, which administers the FCC’s Rural Health Care Program, to carry forward up to $197.98 million in unused funds from prior funding years to the extent necessary to satisfy funding year 2020 demand for the Program.
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Topics:
E-rate,
Rural Healthcare,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
Supreme Court Robocall Decision,
Failure to Respond to USAC
Today's Regulatory Mix: FTC Releases Agenda for PrivacyCon 2020, FCC's Pai Asks for Response on 5G Strategy, FCC Approves 13th Set of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications
FTC Releases Agenda for PrivacyCon 2020
The FTC has released the final agenda for its fifth annual PrivacyCon event, which will be held online on July 21, 2020. PrivacyCon 2020 will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss the latest research and trends related to consumer privacy and data security.
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Topics:
FTC Robocall Crackdown,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
FTC PrivacyCon,
COVID-19 Telehealth Applications,
5G Strategy
Today's Regulatory Mix: US Congress Bill to Advance Broadband Services, FCC’s Pai Asks Congress Help Consumers Stay Connected After The Keep Americans Connected Pledge Ends, US Congress Moving Forward Act
US Congress Bill to Advance Broadband Services
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) announced the introduction of the Rural Connectivity Advancement Program (RCAP) Act of 2020 (S.4015), which would capture a portion of the proceeds from spectrum auctions conducted by the FCC through September 30, 2022, for the build out of broadband networks.
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Topics:
US Congress,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
Keep Americans Connected Pledge,
RCAP Act of 2020,
Rural Connectivity Advancement Program,
Moving Forward Act
Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Announces Tenth Set of Approved COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications, Washington Adopts New Universal Service Rules for Broadband Support
FCC Announces Tenth Set of Approved COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications
The FCC announced the approval of an additional 67 funding applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Health care providers in both urban and rural areas of the country will use the newly approved $20.18 million in funding to provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Topics:
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
FCC Telehealth Program,
COVID-19,
Washington Universal Rules,
Washington Broadband Support
Today's Regulatory Mix: USDA Announces Broadband Award in New Hampshire, FCC Announces Changes in Media Relations Office
USDA Announces Broadband Award in New Hampshire
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the USDA is investing $2 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in New Hampshire. This funding is part of USDA’s round one investments through the ReConnect Pilot Program.
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Topics:
FCC,
FCC's Media Bureau,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
high-speed broadband,
5G Technology,
USDA's Reconnect Pilot Program,
USDA’s ReConnect program,
USDA Broadband Investments,
COVID-19
Today's Regulatory Mix: US Congress Hearing on 5G, FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel's New "Broadband Conversations" Podcast, FCC's Pai on Cross Sector Resiliency Forum
US Congress Hearing on 5G
Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced the committee will convene a hearing titled, “5G Supply Chain Security: Threats and Solutions,” at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020.
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Topics:
CTIA,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
5G,
FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel,
Broadband Conversations Podcast,
5G Supply Chain Security,
Cross Sector Resiliency Forum ,
Edison Electric Institute
What will the FCC be tackling next?
Chairman Pai’s theme for the first meeting of 2020 is “Kicking Off the New Year in a Big Way.” (scheduled for, January 30, 2020). He notes that “[f]or the fourth year running, my biggest New Year's resolution at the office was to work to bridge the digital divide and provide more Americans digital opportunity.
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Topics:
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
#CheckingIn@TheFCC,
FCC January Open Meeting Agenda,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC) Rule,
Video Relay Service (VRS),
TV Station Notification Rules
FTC No Call Registry Report
The Federal Trade Commission has issued its biennial report to Congress focusing on the use of the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry by both consumers and businesses and other organizations over the past two years. The report includes: 1) a summary of current Registry operations; 2) a summary of the impact on the Registry of new telecommunication technologies; and 3) a discussion of the impact of the established business relationship exception in the Commission’s enforcement efforts.
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Topics:
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
FTC National Do Not Call Registry,
TRACED Act,
No Call Registry
FCC To Review Robocall Blocking Options
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced the FCC will begin a study of unwanted-call blocking services available to consumers. “As the FCC continues to pull out all the stops to protect consumers against scam robocalls and spoofing, we expect phone companies and others to make effective tools available to consumers so they can block unwanted and fraudulent calls,” said Chairman Pai. “This report will help us better understand where we stand on call blocking and how the actions we’ve taken to date have worked.”
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Topics:
FCC Commissioner O'Rielly,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
Robocall Blocking,
Mississippi No-Call Violations,
911 State Fee Report,
USDA’s ReConnect program,
West Virginia Broadband
What will the FCC be tackling next?
Chairman Pai’s theme for the December 12, 2019 Open Meeting is “A Small Number, A Big Difference.” This is a reference to the item adopting 988 as the nationwide 3-digit number to access suicide prevention and mental health services. The rest of the agenda continues the FCC’s ongoing efforts to provide more spectrum for next generation wireless services and modernize its cable rules.
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Topics:
MOBILE NOW Act,
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai,
#CheckingIn@TheFCC,
local franchising authorities,
988: Suicide Prevention Hotline Number,
VoIP Symmetry,
LFAs,
5.9 GHz band,
3.3-3.55 GHz band
