The FCC Wireline Bureau waived gift rules through Sept. 30 for the E-rate and Rural Health Care programs to help schools, libraries and healthcare providers better respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, in an order Wednesday on docket 02-60 (see 2003180048). Waivers in the healthcare program are limited to providers involved in screening and treatment of COVID-19 or mitigating its spread, the order said. The E-rate waiver is limited to eligible entities adjusting to school or library closures due to COVID-19, regardless of the USF program's funding year. The FCC will monitor whether extensions are needed. “By waiving certain FCC rules today, we are giving service providers the chance to step up and give health care providers more tools to fight the ongoing pandemic and serve patients more effectively," Chairman Ajit Pai said. He encouraged "service providers and equipment makers to partner with schools and libraries to provide mobile hotspots and other broadband-enabled devices to students to help bridge the digital divide during the coronavirus pandemic." Such efforts could complement the agency's work with Congress to appropriate funds for a remote learning initiative and a COVID connected care pilot, Pai said, adding such programs would allow the agency to use federal funds to support in-home equipment for patients and students affected by the pandemic. The agency's Connected Care pilot remains in the rulemaking stage, and it sought comment on whether the program should subsidize patient monitoring equipment and broadband to the home (see 1906190013). Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called the gift waivers a smart step. "But let’s not confuse generosity for justice," she said. "We need a national plan to ensure that everyone is connected during these unprecedented days." She wants the FCC to use its "universal service powers" to provide hotspot loans to students caught in the homework gap, and connectivity for telehealth services to support treating coronavirus patients and those quarantined. Stakeholders for USF programs supporting anchor institutions expect a spike in telehealth (see 2003060036) and online learning (see 2003170014) this year. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition asked the FCC to waive the gift rules, in a letter Tuesday (see 2003170014). The gift ban was in place to prevent undue influence in the competitive bidding process, SHLB Executive Director John Windhausen told us. SHLB views this as "a timely step,” he emailed Wednesday. “The coronavirus is putting online learning and telemedicine in high demand ... We hope the FCC will continue to be proactive.”

The telecom and other high tech communities continued to respond to COVID-19 with telework and cancellation and postponement of events, or moving them virtual.

Regulatory reviews of mergers and acquisitions aren't expected to face major COVID-19-related slowdowns despite FTC suspension of early terminations (see 2003130075) or DOJ Antitrust Division announcing it will seek extra time to complete its review work and leaving the door open to extending that timeline further, experts told us. Few deals necessitate second information requests by DOJ and that extra time won't materially change how transactions play out, said Holland & Knight antitrust lawyer David Kully, former chief of the DOJ radio and TV M&A section.

Senate leaders looked ahead Wednesday to plans for a third funding package aimed at economic losses and a possible recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The chamber approved the House-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR-6201) on a 90-8 vote, sending it to President Donald Trump for signature. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., continued his push for any additional funding legislation to also address pandemic-related infrastructure issues, including broadband capacity and distance learning resources (see 2003170014).

Keeping 911 call takers safe is critical to maintaining emergency call systems during the U.S. COVID-19 outbreak, said stakeholders in interviews this week. APCO, the National Emergency Number Association and National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) leaders are less worried about a potential surge in calls as there might be in a hurricane. Wider deployment of next-generation 911 would give call takers and responders more flexibility, they said.

Some communications stakeholders are on board with calls to halt retransmission consent blackouts for the next 60 days during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tuesday, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai made such a request, and ACA Connects quickly endorsed it. NAB CEO Gordon Smith in Q&A with us Wednesday made a similar request and supported broadcasters doing their part. After he spoke, some cable operators made similar comments.

Amazon is adding 100,000 new full- and part-time positions across the U.S. in fulfillment centers and its delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on its deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Monday. The additional workers will boost its ability to deliver critical supplies “directly to the doorstep” of people relying on its service “during this stressful time." The e-tailer is contacting potential employees whose jobs have been affected in fields of hospitality, restaurants and travel, saying “we want those people to know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back.” Amazon is temporarily boosting pay for existing employees, who are “playing an essential role” in the crisis, adding $2 per hour in wages in the U.S. to its current $15, through April. The company acted to promote social distancing in the workplace and is doing enhanced and frequent cleaning.

The FCC Wireless Bureau Tuesday approved special temporary authority for U.S. Cellular to use additional spectrum to meet increased customer demand during the coronavirus pandemic. The grant “will allow the company to operate for 60 days in spectrum licensed to Advantage Spectrum in the AWS-3 Band in order to provide additional capacity to U.S. Cellular customers in parts of California, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin,” the FCC said.

Broadcasters having satellite phones on hand and pressing more stations to sign up for the FCC's disaster information reporting system are among items the FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council is considering for dealing with emergencies. CSRIC adopted two working group reports Tuesday, one on broadcaster best practices and one on 911 interoperability in the transition from legacy to IP-based networks. The approved reports weren't posted Tuesday.

The rapid escalation in the number of confirmed U.S. cases of COVID-19 Tuesday continued turning life topsy-turvy for millions in various sectors, including telecom and consumer electronics. New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance urging Americans to avoid crowds larger than 10 people was making telework the new normal and sending more events and functions to the virtual domain.