The FCC will defer Form 470 changes on E-rate drop-down menu options until funding year 2022, citing COVID-19, said a public notice Monday. Staff told Universal Service Administrative Co. to not deny applications due to a confusing option on the menu (see 1911180012).
Industry, USF recipients and consumer advocates are exploring new ways to fund USF. Talks began last year and remain in early stages, participants said in interviews. Parties fear the contribution factor, which reached a record high of 25% last fall (see 1909130003), isn't sustainable. Some want to present a unified funding proposal to Congress or the FCC. Most want the matter addressed next year.
Prospects for advancing legislation on allocating proceeds from the FCC’s coming auction involving of spectrum in the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band have become increasingly doubtful after more than two months in which negotiations were largely in stasis due to Capitol Hill's shift in priority to the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers and communications sector officials said in interviews. Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman John Kennedy, R-La., and Democratic backers of C band remain interested in pressing forward. Republicans on the House and Senate Commerce committees believe the time for pursuing legislation has largely passed given FCC moves to advance the auction. Wireless and satellite interests cited concerns with the FCC's order in petitions for reconsideration filed Wednesday (see 2005270031).
Municipal broadband networks see a spike in subscribers and users upgrading speeds amid the coronavirus, said executives in recent interviews. The pandemic supports allowing muni broadband, they and other local advocates said. Skeptics countered that a short-term boom doesn’t set aside questionable economics. A North Carolina bill allowing public-private partnerships but keeping other limits has bipartisan support, but ISPs remain staunchly opposed, said state Rep. Josh Dobson (R).
Municipal broadband networks see a spike in subscribers and users upgrading speeds amid the coronavirus, said executives in recent interviews. The pandemic supports allowing muni broadband, they and other local advocates said. Skeptics countered that a short-term boom doesn’t set aside questionable economics. A North Carolina bill allowing public-private partnerships but keeping other limits has bipartisan support, but ISPs remain staunchly opposed, said state Rep. Josh Dobson (R).
Major associations wrote congressional leaders Thursday backing legislation funding replacement of Huawei and ZTE equipment in U.S. networks. Industry questioned the FCC approach on equipment by the two Chinese companies, in comments on how provisions in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act affect supply chain security rules. The March law lacks funding for gear replacement (see 2003130083). Industry representatives told us they hope lawmakers fund it soon.
Scrambling to fill programming hours amid canceled community events and having to train public officials on the use of videoconferencing platforms are among challenges public, educational and government channels face during the pandemic, operators and officials told us. The smallest operations had the toughest time, and there are funding concerns the longer the pandemic goes on, said Alliance for Community Media President Mike Wassenaar.
Senate Commerce Committee members signaled interest in including further emergency broadband funding in the next COVID-19 package. Some senators urged their colleagues to think beyond the crisis. The Wednesday hearing featured few references to House Democrats' Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (Heroes) Act (HR-6800), which contains substantial broadband funding. The bill also includes language to make broadcasters and other local outlets eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program. Both issues drew increasing support since the March enactment of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (see 2004300058). The House is expected to vote on HR-6800 as soon as Friday.
The Commerce and State Department should improve export control guidance for universities, which sometimes struggle to comply with U.S. export regulations because of unclear guidance that is usually tailored toward industry, the Government Accountability Office said May 12. The GAO also said Defense Department officials should better familiarize themselves with export control regulations in order to not hamper university research efforts.
Broadband-only providers' statutory right to pole attachments isn't a significant issue because there are so few such providers and it's easy enough for them to expand their offerings beyond that to get pole attachment rights. That's according to a Federalist Society panel Monday about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's Mozilla remand. There were no pro-Title II panelists, and such allies didn’t comment immediately. That title is part of the Telecom Act.