THE REGULATORY MIX AND BLOG ARTICLES

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Issues Reminder of June 30, 2022 Deadline for iCanConnect, FCC Announces Form 477 Deadline is March 15, 2021

FCC Issues Reminder of June 30, 2022 Deadline for iCanConnect 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a public notice reminding entities interested in participating in the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as “iCanConnect, that the current certification cycle of the NDBEDP ends on June 30, 2022. 

Today's Regulatory Mix: Arkansas to Allow Municipal Broadband, California Net Neutrality Injunction Denied, FCC Extends Form 477 March 1st Filing Deadline, House Energy and Commerce GOP Members Urge FCC  to Defend Free Speech and Freedom of the Press 

Arkansas to Allow Municipal Broadband 

In an ongoing effort to bridge the digital divide, a new law permits Arkansas municipalities to offer broadband as well as voice, data, video and wireless service.  Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the bill on February 4, 2020, amending the Telecommunications Regulatory Reform Act of 2013.  Previously, such services could only be provided by cable or telephone companies.  

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Form 477 Reminder, FCC Activates Disaster Information Reporting System

FCC Form 477 Reminder

The FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) has issued a Public Notice reminding all parties required to file Form 477 that the filing deadline for the Form 477 data as of June 30, 2020 is September 1, 2020.  Entities required to file the Form 477 include: facilities-based providers of broadband connections to end users, providers of wired or fixed wireless local exchange service, providers of interconnected VoIP service, and facilities-based providers of mobile voice service. 

Each year Inteserra geocodes millions of address records for over 100 telecommunications and cable companies for FCC reporting. The results are used to create files organized by US Census tract and block that are uploaded into the FCC 477 database.

USDA Awards Rural Broadband Funding in North Dakota 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it had awarded $23 million in two high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for 2,643 rural households and 78 businesses in North Dakota. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments. 

FCC Releases Form 477 Data

FTC Settles Privacy Shield Complaints

The Federal Trade Commission announced that it reached settlement agreements with five companies over allegations that they falsely claimed certification under the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework, which establishes a process to allow companies to transfer consumer data from European Union countries to the United States in compliance with EU law. 

FTC Revises List of Companies Subject to Broadband Privacy Study

The Federal Trade Commission has revised the list of companies from which it is seeking information as part of its examination of broadband companies’ privacy practices.

ITIF Report Says GDPR-Style Data Privacy Law Would Cost U.S. Economy $122 Billion Per Year

In a recent Report the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) found that federal legislation mirroring key provisions of either the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) could cost the U.S. economy approximately $122 billion per year.

FCC Delays Form 477 Filing Date

The FCC announced that the filing deadline for the Form 477 data as of December 31, 2018 has been extended to March 8, 2019.  It also announced that the FCC’s Form 477 filing interface is now accepting data as of December 31, 2018.  The FCC reminded providers required to file Form 477 that their failure to do so may subject then enforcement action under sections 502 and 503 of the Communications Act and any other applicable law.