Educational interests got little of what they were hoping for in draft FCC rules on the 2.5 GHz educational broadband service band, in an order circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai for the July 10 commissioners' meeting and as expected (see 1906120043). Pai didn’t circulate a rulemaking on the 5.9 GHz band, which some expected, after it, like the 2.5 GHz item, didn’t make the cut for the June meeting (see 1905130054). The 5G items top a busy July 10 agenda (see 1906180080).

The FCC is taking nominations for a new Precision Agricultural Connectivity Task Force through July 17. Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday the agency will work with the Agriculture Department to develop policies to speed broadband deployment for unserved agricultural lands. The task force will prepare a report due within a year on the status of fixed and mobile broadband access for agricultural lands; projections for future connectivity needs of agricultural operations; and ways to measure availability of broadband on agricultural lands. The FCC seeks representatives from diverse demographic regions, including small farmers and tribal agriculture producers; state and local government, data collection and mapping experts; and industry representatives, including from fixed and mobile broadband service providers, satellite broadband and telecom equipment manufacturers. Requirements and duties are in Monday's public notice. Congress sought ways to ensure federal spending on broadband deployment in rural areas is better coordinated across agencies (see 1905020058).

The FCC is taking nominations for a new Precision Agricultural Connectivity Task Force through July 17. Chairman Ajit Pai said Monday the agency will work with the Agriculture Department to develop policies to speed broadband deployment for unserved agricultural lands. The task force will prepare a report due within a year on the status of fixed and mobile broadband access for agricultural lands; projections for future connectivity needs of agricultural operations; and ways to measure availability of broadband on agricultural lands. The FCC seeks representatives from diverse demographic regions, including small farmers and tribal agriculture producers; state and local government, data collection and mapping experts; and industry representatives, including from fixed and mobile broadband service providers, satellite broadband and telecom equipment manufacturers. Requirements and duties are in Monday's public notice. Congress sought ways to ensure federal spending on broadband deployment in rural areas is better coordinated across agencies (see 1905020058).

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and House Commerce Committee Vice Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., led filing of Telecommunications Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real (Tower) Infrastructure Deployment Act to increase workforce training for 5G-related jobs. HR-3255 would direct the FCC to create the Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council to develop recommendations on “needs of the workforce in the communications industry to promote the deployment” of telecom facilities, “ways to encourage participation in industry-led workforce development programs” and “ways to improve” communications industry workforce development. The council would include representatives from NTIA, the Telecom Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program, state, local and tribal agencies, the communications industry and “a minority institution.” By “streamlining workforce development programs and promoting industry collaboration, we can free up resources for greater broadband deployment instead of recreating the same curriculum across the country,” Walberg said Friday. “Women and people of color are underrepresented in the telecom industry, which is why I am committed to drafting and supporting legislation that addresses this unacceptable reality,” Clarke said. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr praised HR-3255's filing, saying "expanding America’s skilled workforce is essential to our country’s leadership in 5G and building out next-generation networks. In fact, industry estimates that it could fill another 20,000 job openings for tower climbers and telecom techs alone." The National Association of Tower Erectors and the Wireless Infrastructure Association also lauded the bill.

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., and House Commerce Committee Vice Chair Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., led filing of Telecommunications Opportunities for Workers Engaging in Real (Tower) Infrastructure Deployment Act to increase workforce training for 5G-related jobs. HR-3255 would direct the FCC to create the Telecommunications Workforce Development Advisory Council to develop recommendations on “needs of the workforce in the communications industry to promote the deployment” of telecom facilities, “ways to encourage participation in industry-led workforce development programs” and “ways to improve” communications industry workforce development. The council would include representatives from NTIA, the Telecom Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program, state, local and tribal agencies, the communications industry and “a minority institution.” By “streamlining workforce development programs and promoting industry collaboration, we can free up resources for greater broadband deployment instead of recreating the same curriculum across the country,” Walberg said Friday. “Women and people of color are underrepresented in the telecom industry, which is why I am committed to drafting and supporting legislation that addresses this unacceptable reality,” Clarke said. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr praised HR-3255's filing, saying "expanding America’s skilled workforce is essential to our country’s leadership in 5G and building out next-generation networks. In fact, industry estimates that it could fill another 20,000 job openings for tower climbers and telecom techs alone." The National Association of Tower Erectors and the Wireless Infrastructure Association also lauded the bill.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., led the filing Wednesday of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (Data) Act, as expected (see 1906120076). S-1822 would require the FCC to issue rules to collect more “granular” broadband coverage data, including a decision on whether to collect “verified” information from others, including “state, local, and Tribal governmental entities that are primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband internet access service coverage” for their respective jurisdictions. The bill would require all data collected from ISPs to include “information regarding the download and upload speeds” made available in a location and that there be certification that a “senior executive has examined the information ... and that, to the best of the executive’s knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct.” It would require a “user-friendly challenge process” allowing participation by consumers, governments and others. Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also are S-1822 co-sponsors. Lawmakers criticized the FCC's broadband mapping practices during communications policy hearings (see 1905150061). S-1822 is “an important step to ensure we get the most accurate coverage maps from the FCC and to help close the digital divide between rural and urban areas,“ Wicker said. He previously led filing of the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act (S-1294), which would direct the FCC, NTIA and Agriculture Department to sign a memorandum of understanding to coordinate on broadband funding (see 1905020058). Stakeholders including CenturyLink, the Competitive Carriers Association, ITTA, NCTA, NTCA and USTelecom praised S-1822.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., led the filing Wednesday of the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability (Data) Act, as expected (see 1906120076). S-1822 would require the FCC to issue rules to collect more “granular” broadband coverage data, including a decision on whether to collect “verified” information from others, including “state, local, and Tribal governmental entities that are primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband internet access service coverage” for their respective jurisdictions. The bill would require all data collected from ISPs to include “information regarding the download and upload speeds” made available in a location and that there be certification that a “senior executive has examined the information ... and that, to the best of the executive’s knowledge, information, and belief, all statements of fact contained in the submission are true and correct.” It would require a “user-friendly challenge process” allowing participation by consumers, governments and others. Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also are S-1822 co-sponsors. Lawmakers criticized the FCC's broadband mapping practices during communications policy hearings (see 1905150061). S-1822 is “an important step to ensure we get the most accurate coverage maps from the FCC and to help close the digital divide between rural and urban areas,“ Wicker said. He previously led filing of the Broadband Interagency Coordination Act (S-1294), which would direct the FCC, NTIA and Agriculture Department to sign a memorandum of understanding to coordinate on broadband funding (see 1905020058). Stakeholders including CenturyLink, the Competitive Carriers Association, ITTA, NCTA, NTCA and USTelecom praised S-1822.

An FCC proposal to cap the USF was opposed by more than 60 advocacy groups. The FCC released an NPRM last month calling for Universal Service Administrative Co. to set an annual budget cap atop the overall USF program (see 1905310069). Among groups opposing the proposal Tuesday are the American Library Association, MediaJustice, NAACP, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, National Tribal Telecommunications Association, NTCA, Rural Wireless Association, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, Urban Libraries Council, and WTA. The groups said the FCC should "evaluate and size each program to suit its unique and essential universal service mission." Imposing an overarching cap on the program, they said, would "undermine efforts to ensure that funding for each program is and will remain 'sufficient' to satisfy Congress' mandates for universal service for all." The comments echo early opposition to the proposal (see 1906030059). The agency didn't comment.

An FCC proposal to cap the USF was opposed by more than 60 advocacy groups. The FCC released an NPRM last month calling for Universal Service Administrative Co. to set an annual budget cap atop the overall USF program (see 1905310069). Among groups opposing the proposal Tuesday are the American Library Association, MediaJustice, NAACP, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, National Tribal Telecommunications Association, NTCA, Rural Wireless Association, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, Urban Libraries Council, and WTA. The groups said the FCC should "evaluate and size each program to suit its unique and essential universal service mission." Imposing an overarching cap on the program, they said, would "undermine efforts to ensure that funding for each program is and will remain 'sufficient' to satisfy Congress' mandates for universal service for all." The comments echo early opposition to the proposal (see 1906030059). The agency didn't comment.

Microsoft got support for its proposal for a Further NPRM on TV white spaces (see 1905030050). NAB earlier said it supports some changes. Comments were posted Monday in docket 14-165 and due that night. The Wireless ISP Association supported a Microsoft proposal to allow use of the 6 MHz of spectrum first-adjacent to TV channels at power levels higher than 40 MW. “With access to spectrum adjacent to TV broadcast channels -- with appropriate interference protection -- WISPs can aggregate more spectrum and more contiguous spectrum to increase capacity,” the group said. WISPA said the FCC should seek comment on a proposal to allow TV white spaces devices to transmit from a height above average terrain (HAAT) up to 500 meters, subject to coordination above 250 meters. Giving white space users “additional deployment flexibility will increase the utility of the band, especially in rural areas where towers may be taller but the number of towers may be limited, or where towers are located on mountains or plateaus that exceed the current HAAT limit,” WISPA said. New America’s Open Technology Institute, Next Century Cities and the Gigabit Libraries Network endorsed the petition, in comments not yet posted. “The Petition proposes ‘pragmatic and long-overdue changes’ to the TV White Space rules in Part 15 that present the Commission with an opportunity to take important steps to bridge the rural-urban digital divide.” The groups “strongly concur that the modest improvements proposed in the Petition can empower providers to extend higher-speed internet access to more unserved areas where wireline or even fixed wireless broadband relying on higher-frequency spectrum has proven to be unavailing.” Sacred Winds, a carrier on Navaho tribal lands, said it’s working with Microsoft here. “Using a mix of telecommunications technologies, Sacred Wind has succeeded since its inception in increasing voice service from 26 percent coverage of total locations within its study area to over 90 percent and broadband service from zero in 2006 to over 90 percent,” the carrier said: “Yet, there remain areas within Sacred Wind’s service territory, and in areas in other surrounding rural communities, where customers that live near dense foliage or not clearly within Line of Sight of Sacred Wind’s communications towers, are unable to receive service.” Evolve Cellular and Skylark Wireless said OK'ing the petition "would substantially improve access to broadband in rural areas and thereby advance the Commission’s goal of extending broadband connectivity to all Americans.” Nominet also supported the petition.