The National Tribal Telecommunications Association asked staff of FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks for relief from USF's budget control mechanism, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 10-90. “Negative cash flow brought about by the BCM would make it difficult to serve these tribal communities with viable and affordable communications services.” (Correction: A previous version of this item incorrectly reported the commissioner's first name.)

The effort to increase broadband access on tribal lands is gaining momentum, experts said in recent interviews. The next challenge is holding the FCC and Biden administration to their commitment to consult with tribal leaders and promote broadband deployment on tribal lands, they said.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ new role shepherding the $100 billion broadband spending component of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal shows that part of the plan is a priority for the administration and will help smooth talks on the path forward, lawmakers and observers told us Thursday. Democrats are preparing to advance an infrastructure package via a budget reconciliation process if talks on Senate Republicans’ counterproposal, which includes $65 billion for broadband, don’t progress in coming weeks.

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday released a draft order for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund. The draft would adopt several proposals sought by education advocates and trade groups but excludes wireless providers' bid to include smartphones (see 2104060042). Rosenworcel thanked Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr's "encouragement to share a draft with the public." Ex parte presentations on ECF are prohibited after Wednesday at 6 p.m. EDT, said a public notice in docket 21-93. Rosenworcel says commissioners will likely vote on the rules by mid-May (see 2104140041). The program would mirror existing E-rate rules for eligibility and includes tribal libraries. Schools and libraries aren't required to be existing E-rate participants to apply, but entities not eligible for E-rate support won't be eligible for ECF. The draft puts Universal Service Administrative Co. in charge of administering funds. USAC will issue funding decision commitment letters for 50% of workable applications within 60 days after the first application window closes, 70% of workable applications within 100 days. Schools that bought services and equipment during the pandemic will be given priority in the first window, with any remaining funds awarded during a second one. USAC would make public pricing data for eligible services and equipment to put applicants in a "better bargaining position." Participating providers wouldn't be required to have eligible telecom carrier designation to contract with a school or library. The draft doesn't exclude providers participating in the emergency broadband benefit program from providing services through ECF. The draft lists Wi-Fi hot spots, modems, routers, combined modem-router devices and connected devices as eligible equipment. The commission defined connected devices as "laptop computers and tablet computers that are capable of connecting to advanced telecommunications and information services." Smartphones were excluded because they "lack the full functionality students, school staff, and library patrons need." There's limited exception for network construction because "in some instances, there is simply no commercially available service for purchase available to reach students, school staff, and library patrons in their homes." The document doesn't set minimum service standards. Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen, while backing the quick turnaround in a statement, was "disappointed that the draft order does not provide schools and libraries more flexibility" and doesn't "grant SHLB's request to waive a rule to let schools and libraries extend service from their buildings to surrounding households."

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday released a draft order for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund. The draft would adopt several proposals sought by education advocates and trade groups but excludes wireless providers' bid to include smartphones (see 2104060042). Rosenworcel thanked Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr's "encouragement to share a draft with the public." Ex parte presentations on ECF are prohibited after Wednesday at 6 p.m. EDT, said a public notice in docket 21-93. Rosenworcel says commissioners will likely vote on the rules by mid-May (see 2104140041). The program would mirror existing E-rate rules for eligibility and includes tribal libraries. Schools and libraries aren't required to be existing E-rate participants to apply, but entities not eligible for E-rate support won't be eligible for ECF. The draft puts Universal Service Administrative Co. in charge of administering funds. USAC will issue funding decision commitment letters for 50% of workable applications within 60 days after the first application window closes, 70% of workable applications within 100 days. Schools that bought services and equipment during the pandemic will be given priority in the first window, with any remaining funds awarded during a second one. USAC would make public pricing data for eligible services and equipment to put applicants in a "better bargaining position." Participating providers wouldn't be required to have eligible telecom carrier designation to contract with a school or library. The draft doesn't exclude providers participating in the emergency broadband benefit program from providing services through ECF. The draft lists Wi-Fi hot spots, modems, routers, combined modem-router devices and connected devices as eligible equipment. The commission defined connected devices as "laptop computers and tablet computers that are capable of connecting to advanced telecommunications and information services." Smartphones were excluded because they "lack the full functionality students, school staff, and library patrons need." There's limited exception for network construction because "in some instances, there is simply no commercially available service for purchase available to reach students, school staff, and library patrons in their homes." The document doesn't set minimum service standards. Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen, while backing the quick turnaround in a statement, was "disappointed that the draft order does not provide schools and libraries more flexibility" and doesn't "grant SHLB's request to waive a rule to let schools and libraries extend service from their buildings to surrounding households."

Vice President Kamala Harris’ new role shepherding the $100 billion broadband spending component of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal (see 2104280088) shows that part of the plan is a priority for the administration and will help smooth talks on the path forward, lawmakers and observers told us Thursday. Democrats are preparing to advance an infrastructure package via a budget reconciliation process if talks on Senate Republicans’ counterproposal, which includes $65 billion for broadband (see 2104220067), don’t progress in coming weeks.

FCC rules on emergency outage reporting take effect Sept. 30, 2022, says Thursday's Federal Register (see 2103170070). The new rules allow the agency to share outage information with state, local and tribal governments.

Smith Bagley Chairman Kevin Frawley defended the carrier’s December petition for reconsideration urging the FCC to rethink 5G Fund rules for tribal areas, in a call with an aide to acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Not creating "an opt-in plan for remote Tribal lands in the Continental United States, similar to that afforded carriers serving Alaska, was in error,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 20-32. The proposed $680 million over 10 years won’t be enough, the company said: Smith Bagley “is often quoted a fiber installation price of over $120,000 per mile.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., refiled her Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act Monday, to expand the priority window for tribes to apply for 2.5 GHz licenses. The measure, first filed last year (see 2010150046), would require the FCC open a new window for tribal applications for at least 180 days. The previous opportunity ended in September (see 2009030012), despite petitions seeking further extensions. “The FCC didn't sufficiently recognize the difficulties many tribal nations have faced,” Warren said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., refiled her Extending Tribal Broadband Priority Act Monday, to expand the priority window for tribes to apply for 2.5 GHz licenses. The measure, first filed last year (see 2010150046), would require the FCC open a new window for tribal applications for at least 180 days. The previous opportunity ended in September (see 2009030012), despite petitions seeking further extensions. “The FCC didn't sufficiently recognize the difficulties many tribal nations have faced,” Warren said.