Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Announces More Companies Signed on to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, FCC Issues Consumer Advisory On COVID-19 Scams, FCC Guidance On Non-US Banks Letters of Credit
FCC Announces More Companies Signed on to the Keep Americans Connected Pledge
The FCC announced that 205 additional broadband and phone service providers have taken the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, bringing the total number of companies to 390. By taking the Pledge, each of these companies has committed for the next 60 days to (1) not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
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Topics:
USAC,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
Keep Americans Connected Pledge
Today's Regulatory Mix: California Announces New Online Comment Portal for the Public, USDA Announces Georgia Broadband Grant, FCC February Open Meeting Agenda
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California Announces New Online Comment Portal for the Public
The PUC issues a press release announcing that the public can now submit comments on CPUC matters electronically, as well as review the comments of others. Importantly, the PUC noted that the new format is only for public comments on proceedings.
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Topics:
Public Safety,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
USDA Broadband Grant,
FCC February Open Meeting ,
Flexible Use of the C-band,
C-band Auction Bidding,
TV White Spaces,
Georgia Broadband,
California Online Comment Portal
What will the FCC be tackling next?
Chairman Pai’s theme for the February 28, 2020 Open Meeting is “Save the Date” but he also dubbed February as “Spectrum Month,” reflecting the spectrum-heavy agenda the FCC will be considering. His blog mentions three dates in particular:
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Topics:
FCC NORS,
Checking In @ The FCC,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
FCC February Open Meeting ,
Sharing Outage Information Between Agencies,
3.5GHz Band Auction,
Unlicensed White Spaces Device Operations,
C-Band Rules and Auction
Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Begins TRACED Act Proceedings, FCC February Open Meeting, FCC Procedures For $691M Investment in Puerto Rico & USVI Networks, USDA Rural Broadband Grants
FCC Begins TRACED Act Proceedings
The FCC has initiated the first of the rulemakings required by the TRACED Act. Specifically, it is seeking comment on rules establishing a registration process for a single consortium to conduct private-led efforts to trace back the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls.
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Topics:
USDA Rural Broadband Grants,
TRACED Act,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
FCC February Open Meeting ,
Flexible Use of the C-band,
C-band Auction Bidding,
TV White Spaces,
Licenses for the 3.5 GHz Band,
Electronic Delivery of Carriage Election Notices,
Cable Operator Interests in Video Programming
USDA Rural Broadband Grants Announced
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced four new investments through its ReConnect Pilot Program to expand broadband infrastructure and services in rural America.
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Topics:
Hearing Aid Compatibility Rules,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
Rural Broaband Grants
FCC January Open Meeting
The FCC announced the final agenda for its January 30, 2020, Open Meeting. The agenda is as follows.
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Topics:
FCC January Open Meeting Agenda,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
5G Report,
Hearing Aid-Compatible Handset Rules,
Minnesota Broadband Funding
FCC Releases Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Eligible Location Numbers
The FCC released a preliminary list, by state, of the number of locations eligible for bidding in the upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction. In total, about 6 million rural homes and businesses could be eligible for bidding in Phase 1 of the auction.
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Topics:
intercarrier compensation,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
FCC’s 2011 USF/ICC Transformation Order,
ICC Reform Petition
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
California Attorney General Releases Proposed CCPA Regulations
In a press release, the Attorney General of California announced the release of proposed regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The law mandates that on or before July 1, 2020, the Office of the Attorney General promulgate and adopt implementing regulations for the CCPA. Comments on the proposed regulations may be submitted by December 6, 2019. The Attorney General will also hold four public hearings.
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Topics:
California Consumer Privacy Act,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
United Kingdom,
CCPA,
Pennsylvania Federal Broadband Funding,
RUDOF
FCC Grants Forbearance from UNE Loop and Resale Requirements
At the statutory deadline on Friday, the FCC announced it had granted US Telecom’s petition asking it to forbear from requiring price cap ILECs to continue offering: (1) analog voice-grade copper loops on an unbundled basis at regulated rates and (2) legacy services for resale at regulated rates. The FCC found that the communications marketplace has transformed over the past twenty years, with consumers migrating away from plain old telephone service provided over copper wires by their local telephone company toward newer, any-distance voice services provided over next-generation networks by cable, mobile and fixed wireless, and over-the-top VoIP providers.
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Topics:
FCC CAF Phase II,
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund,
Telehealth,
Forbearnace from UNE Loop and Resale
