The FCC chair, secretary of the Interior and the Commerce Department's assistant secretary for communications and information will meet at least quarterly to plan policies and programs aimed at broadband and wireless services on tribal lands, per an MOU signed by the agencies. The MOU said the aim is better coordination among federal agencies on ways to help deploy and develop broadband and other wireless services on tribal lands, plus expanded access to spectrum over tribal lands and the Hawaiian homelands. Under the MOU, the agencies will also discuss initiatives aimed at encouraging tribes and the Native Hawaiian community to take part in existing programs such as Lifeline through outreach and promotion to eligible households on tribal lands. Interior said it also is establishing an Office of Indigenous Communications and Technology to help tribal nations and tribal entities manage and develop wireless services on tribal lands. Interior said OICT will try to facilitate work between tribes and the tech industry, review spectrum leasing opportunities as a route to advancing Tribal self-determination and help develop national tribal broadband policy guidance. The MOU was announced during a White House Tribal Nations Summit Wednesday. The MOU "is an important, concrete step to ensure that Tribal voices are at the table when decisions are being made on how best to promote deployment of broadband to their communities," Public Knowledge said. It also will ensure a coordinated effort by the FCC, Interior and NTIA to engage with tribal leaders and communities and help ensure they have necessary information for getting access to resources, such as E-rate and the tribal Broadband Connectivity Fund, PK said.
NTIA awarded more than $224 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support to 18 tribal entities Thursday. Tribes in Alaska, Arizona, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, South Dakota and Virginia received funding to reach 21,468 unserved tribal households, said a news release. NTIA said it plans to announce an additional notice of funding opportunity "in the coming months."
The FCC encouraged entities interested in applying for the affordable connectivity program's outreach grants to present "innovative outreach strategies" that can be implemented at the multistate or national level, due to the limited funding available, said Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau staff during a webinar Tuesday. Attendees sought guidance on how to navigate the application process and how the bureau will base its funding decisions.
A new study by CTIA and Recon Analytics questions whether citizens broadband radio service spectrum, often cited as the potential sharing model of the future, is a suitable replacement for exclusive, licensed spectrum. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is moving on release of a national spectrum strategy (see 2209260048). Carriers already said they hope the strategy will lay out bands that can be cleared for licensed use. Wi-Fi advocates fired back.
Applications for the FCC's affordable connectivity program national outreach grants and tribal outreach grants are due by Jan. 9, said a notice of funding opportunity released Thursday (see 2209200076). A separate notice for the Your Home, Your Internet and ACP navigator pilot grant programs will be released Nov. 21, said a news release. "Our outreach partners have already demonstrated creativity, perseverance, and a continued commitment to ensuring everyone, everywhere has the internet connections they need," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, "and these outreach grants aim to supercharge those successful efforts.”
Historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions say inadequate or nonexistent infrastructure is a common barrier to accessing reliable, high-speed broadband, said NTIA's Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) in its inaugural report to Congress Thursday. The report also cited an affordability gap and the cost of devices as a barrier to adoption. Affordable and reliable high-speed internet "is still far from ubiquitous and its benefits are not equitably shared," the report said. Despite "promising improvements," the report highlighted "persistent disparities in internet subscriptions and device usage along lines of race, ethnicity, and income." The report is "a milestone in our mission to address high-speed internet deployment challenges in vulnerable communities,” said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson: “The newly created Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives will lead the way to ensure that these critical anchor institutions and the communities they serve have access to high-speed, affordable internet service.” OMBI said it plans to focus on four areas in the coming years: building the capacity of anchor institutions and their communities, evaluating the connecting minority communities pilot program for best practices to "expand digital access and adoption," coordinating with other agencies on the Biden administration's "Internet for All" initiatives, and exploring partnerships with digital equity stakeholders. OMBI said it awarded five grants totaling more than $20 million through the connecting minority communities pilot.
Broadband advocates, industry and academics urged policymakers Wednesday to develop standards for measuring broadband beyond speed. Some during the Marconi Society virtual event sought a focus on how local communities implement sustainable broadband programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Wisconsin officials promised Tuesday to take big strides to close the state’s digital divide. Local governments should engage with the state on plans for NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program and do more to increase participation in the federal affordable connectivity program (ACP), said Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chairperson Rebecca Cameron Valcq at a partially virtual broadband forum co-hosted by NTIA and the Wisconsin PSC: “We cannot leave any part of our state behind.”
The FCC launched a new pilot Thursday to help tribal libraries enroll in the E-rate program. The pilot will target 20 tribal libraries that are "new to the program or have had challenges applying in the past," said a news release. Applications to participate in the pilot will be due Nov. 18. The FCC adopted an order amending the definition of tribal libraries in January to clarify their eligibility for the program (see 2201270030). The pilot will "provide one-on-one help to tribal libraries throughout the sign-up and benefit process," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: "We want to do everything possible to make sure Tribal communities have full access to the digital age.” The commission will also host a webinar Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. EST to provide additional information about the pilot.
The FCC authorized support for an additional 1,865 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction winning bids, said a public notice Wednesday in docket 19-126. Support was authorized for AMG Technology Investment, Northern Arapaho Tribal Industries and SafeLink. Also Wednesday, the FCC listed Cal.net, GeoLinks and Connect Everyone with bids in default.