CBP plans to make use of the new entry type meant for low-value shipments as part of the next blockchain "use case" involving intellectual property rights licensing, said Vincent Annunziato, director of CBP’s Business Transformation and Innovation Division. "We figured out a way to make it so we're tying in the data that we're getting off the licensing to the entry," he said of the test while speaking on a panel during the stakeholder's forum of the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council on Dec. 5. "And we're using that new type 86 that hasn't come out yet so a lot of the companies will get a chance to experiment." The new type 86 entry is planned as a way to handle de minimis shipments in the Automated Broker Interface, with a pilot program expected during calendar year 2019 (see 1810200002).

Rural healthcare advocates voiced "frustration with the lack of transparency" in the RHC program "and the pace of funding decisions for 2018 applicants." The application window closed in June "and yet the total demand for funding (which is not difficult to calculate) has not yet been released," wrote John Windhausen, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition executive director, on meetings he and telehealth representatives had with FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, aides and Wireline Bureau staffers, posted Wednesday in docket 17-310. "No applicants we spoke to had received any funding decisions, and ... the lack of information is making it very difficult for applicants to plan." They cited "possible concern" about a recent Universal Service Administrative Co. statement "indicated that eligible single-year applications would be fully funded, which implies that applicants who did not request single-year funding might not be fully funded."

The FCC would give rural telcos monthly model-based USF support of $200 per location if they adopt new commitments to build out 25/3 Mbps broadband, under a draft order issued Wednesday. It would also seek to firm up support for rate-of-return (RoR) carriers still on legacy support in exchange for increased 25/3 Mbps deployment. The tentative agenda issued for the Dec. 12 commissioners' meeting also includes draft items on a new high-band 5G spectrum auction, a communications market report, a quadrennial review, media modernization, a robocall-related reassigned number database (here) and wireless messaging classification (here), as announced Tuesday by Chairman Ajit Pai (see 1811200048).

Parties disagreed on the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act's fallout for an FCC's rulemaking to protect the communications supply chain from national security threats. The Telecommunications Industry Association said NDAA Section 889 requires the commission to bar certain suppliers from participating in its funding programs. Huawei -- one of the targeted suppliers -- and others said the recently enacted provisions give the FCC no mandate to impose supplier restrictions on USF support. NCTA suggested the commission defer action and consult with other agencies. Comments were posted through Monday on a public notice (see 1810260044).

Parties disagreed on the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act's fallout for an FCC's rulemaking to protect the communications supply chain from national security threats. The Telecommunications Industry Association said NDAA Section 889 requires the commission to bar certain suppliers from participating in its funding programs. Huawei -- one of the targeted suppliers -- and others said the recently enacted provisions give the FCC no mandate to impose supplier restrictions on USF support. NCTA suggested the commission defer action and consult with other agencies. Comments were posted through Monday on a public notice (see 1810260044).

ORLANDO -- State regulators’ relationship with the FCC “needs some work,” said NARUC Second Vice President Paul Kjellander in an interview at the association’s annual conference last week. Federal USF contribution modification could raise tension next year if the FCC continues to exclude states from the process, he said, while others identified net neutrality and VoIP classification as hot-button issues. The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, holding its annual event concurrently, remains concerned about deregulation and consumers losing protection as telecom moves to IP, President Elin Swanson Katz told us.

ORLANDO -- State regulators’ relationship with the FCC “needs some work,” said NARUC Second Vice President Paul Kjellander in an interview at the association’s annual conference this month. Federal USF contribution modification could raise tension next year if the FCC continues to exclude states from the process, he said. The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, holding its annual event concurrently with NARUC, remains concerned about deregulation and consumers losing protection as telecom technology moves to the IP world, NASUCA President Elin Swanson Katz told us.

NTCA backs using "any or all of the three generally accepted" geolocation methods cited by Universal Service Administrative Co. for identifying actual locations to be served Connect America Fund Phase II auction winners. "To the extent there are other verifiable, proven methods, such as 911 data created by local or state authorities, NCTA supports allowing" their use, though they "must be derived from a well-established third-party resource, evidentiary based, and auditable," said its reply, posted Tuesday in docket 10-90. Calling initial comments "divided" on how to resolve location discrepancies, NTCA said that regardless of method, all locations "should ultimately be entered" into USAC's high-cost universal broadband portal. Replies were posted through Wednesday. The Wireless ISP Association said "the views of numerous commenters -- on topics including the need for flexibility in participant selection of location data methodologies; correctly defining 'relevant stakeholders;' and extending the timeframe for participants to reply to stakeholder challenges -- echoed" its comments. GeoLinks urged a flexible approach and backed commenters asking the FCC "not to require CAF II recipients to include prospective developments into the definition of 'actual location.'" It agreed with WISPA that recipients should be allowed to do so if they "provide information to show that specific prospective locations are more likely than not to be constructed and inhabited within the six-year buildout."

Localities and their allies inundated the FCC with filings opposing a Further NPRM proposing treating cable operators' in-kind contributions required by local franchise authorities -- such as public, educational and government channel transmission -- as franchise fees (see 1811070045). Wednesday was the comments deadline. The opposition hadn't swayed the agency's GOP commissioners yet, said a cable lawyer with LFA experience. It's unclear if the additional comments might sway them.

ORLANDO -- The FCC should extend the Mobility Fund II challenge process by more than three months to fix a deficient process, said a NARUC resolution cleared Monday by the Telecom Committee and Tuesday by the board. At NARUC's annual meeting (see 1811130035), the committee voted unanimously for the resolution after tweaking some language to address other commissioners’ concerns. Idaho Commissioner Paul Kjellander will step down as Telecom Committee chairman to join NARUC leadership, he said Monday.