FCC commissioners approved a Further NPRM 4-0 Thursday on an enhanced competition incentive program. The ECIP item includes, as expected (see 2111170054), language requiring staff prepare a five-year report on the program's effectiveness, sought by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. Only Starks and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel offered substantial comments on the item during the meeting.

Three tribes won nearly $1.4 million in grants as part of NTIA's tribal broadband connectivity program, the agency announced Tuesday. The Sokaogon Chippewa Community in Wisconsin and Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe in Virginia got funding for broadband services, computers and digital skills training. Taos Pueblo in New Mexico got funding for a tribal broadband planning project. NTIA received more than 280 applications and additional awards will be announced on a rolling basis (see 2109080072).

California will fund 18 middle-mile broadband pilot projects through this year's $6 billion broadband law before finalizing a statewide map, which is expected by Dec. 31, California Technology Department (CDT) Broadband Middle-Mile Initiative Deputy Director Mark Monroe said at a California Middle Mile Advisory Committee virtual meeting Wednesday. CDT asked California Public Utilities Commission staff to identify the “early wins,” which will help the state learn about building, design, leasing and connectivity issues that will inform future projects, said Monroe. Displaying a map showing the pilots spread through the state, Monroe said they will benefit urban, rural and tribal communities. "These 18 initial projects were not meant to exclude anyone or understate any communities' need” but reflect places where the CPUC had done enough work to move forward, he said. Monroe expects "a lot more" projects to be announced in Q1. The pilots represent a “critical first step” that make good on the governor and legislature's promise to move quickly, said Sen. Mike McGuire (D). Assemblymember Jim Wood (D) said he’s concerned about projects in the Bay Area and Los Angeles and Orange counties: “These projects are going to give people some angst.” He asked about the breakdown between unserved and underserved areas, but Monroe said he didn’t have those numbers. Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D) said she’s "stunned and surprised at how well this process is moving forward."

A Further NPRM on an enhanced competition incentive program (ECIP) that would benefit small carriers and tribes is expected to be approved Thursday largely as circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, agency officials told us. One likely change is language requiring staff to prepare a five-year report on the effectiveness of the program, proposed by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, officials said. In 2019, Starks proposed a similar 10-year, data-focused, look-back report on the high cost USF program.

Tribal libraries may soon get the clarity they sought on E-rate eligibility rules, as industry and tribal groups widely approved, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 02-6, FCC-proposed updates to the definition of an eligible library (see 2110010070). Some said more is needed to encourage participation.

Proponents of using the 12 GHz band for 5G said Tuesday they see room for compromise with satellite incumbents. The remarks came during a New America/Public Knowledge webinar Tuesday. Speakers were hopeful for action once the FCC has a full slate of commissioners.

State rules for a federally funded $2 billion last-mile account should encourage municipal broadband, consumer and local advocates told the California Public Utilities Commission in comments posted through Monday in docket R.20-09-001. The CPUC aims to release a proposed decision between December and March on rules for the last-mile program required in a broadband law (see 2110270063). "Price regulation and subsidies can and should co-exist” to make broadband affordable, said AARP: It suggested prioritizing noncommercial providers. Next Century Cities agreed muni broadband would trim prices. Let communities develop broadband networks through local or tribal governments, community-based organizations or private/public partnerships, said Rural County Representatives of California. Communications Workers of America said industry providers are better equipped to build broadband networks. Meanwhile, telecom and cable companies bristled at CPUC staff-proposed rules straying from California Advanced Service Fund (CASF) infrastructure program rules. If the CPUC wants to meet federal deadlines for distributing federal money, rules should closely track CASF, commented Frontier Communications. The California Cable and Telecommunications Association raised concerns that the staff plan is “markedly different” from CASF rules and shows bias toward overbuilding. Focus on serving the worst first with a “fair and transparent” objection process that isn’t “muddled by unnecessary and irrelevant requirements like infrastructure photographs” and that protects confidential data submitted by companies to object to projects in their areas, said CCTA. Rules that are more onerous than the older CASF program could discourage participation, said Comcast. The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California cautioned that staff-proposed application and compliance rules may be too burdensome for tribes and smaller organizations. Encourage such applicants by reimbursing winners’ grant development costs, CENIC said.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline "needs considerably more resources" at its crisis centers to respond to text and chat volume now, and will need more staffing and training when the ability to text to 988 is fully implemented nationwide, Lifeline administrator Vibrant Emotional Health emailed us Thursday. The FCC will vote Nov. 18 on setting a July 16 deadline for carriers to support texting to 988 (see 2110270049). The draft order was released Thursday.

A revised draft of the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation bill (HR-5376) released Thursday retains funding for next-generation 911, the FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund and other telecom programs included in a House Commerce Committee-approved proposal, albeit with less money than first proposed and as expected (see 2110010001). The $1.75 trillion measure also includes reduced amounts of broadband affordability and some other telecom money Senate Democrats sought (see 2109020072).

Text providers would need to support texting to 988 when the nationwide suicide prevention hotline goes live on July 16, under proposed rules to be voted on at the FCC's Nov, 18 meeting. Also on the agenda announced Wednesday are an enhanced competition incentive program aimed at making more spectrum available for small carriers and tribal entities, a proposal to let broadcasters verify the patterns for FM directional antennas using computer modeling, and approval of U.S. market access for a French microsatellite constellation. See our bulletin here.