A July order that modifies partitioning, disaggregation and leasing rules to create an enhanced competition incentive program is effective Oct. 20, said a notice for Tuesday’s Federal Register. Commissioners approved the ECIP 4-0 (see 2207140055). “The ECIP will promote greater competition in the provision of wireless services, facilitate increased availability of advanced wireless services in rural areas, facilitate new opportunities for small carriers and Tribal Nations to increase access to spectrum, and bring more advanced wireless service including 5G to underserved communities,” the notice said.
Top government speakers promised on Monday the U.S. government is moving forward on a long-awaited national spectrum strategy. But a top DOD official at NTIA’s Spectrum Policy Symposium warned federal users also have strong continuing needs, and clearing 3.1-3.45 GHz, a top candidate band for 5G, would be prohibitively expensive.
Wireless provider Smith Bagley sought a three-month extension of its Lifeline waivers for Indian country, through Dec. 22. “Subscribers in the Navajo Nation continue to face unique circumstances that are a barrier to complying with the Lifeline and [affordable connectivity program] documentation rules,” Smith Bagley said in a filing posted Friday in docket 11-42: “The conditions that were present when the Commission granted the last waiver in June 2022 have not changed, as customers on Tribal lands are still suffering from the impacts of COVID-19, while contending with the lack of Internet and mail service and other challenges associated with living in remote Tribal areas.”
House Agriculture Committee leaders eyed how to address broadband issues in the 2023 farm bill during a Thursday hearing, with panel ranking member Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., and some others noting dissatisfaction with the degree to which the $65 billion in connectivity money included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would affect rural areas. “Rural broadband will continue to be a major focus” for House Agriculture despite House passage of IIJA’s connectivity money instead of the panel-approved Broadband Internet Connections for Rural America Act (HR-4374), which included $43 billion to Rural Utilities Service programs for FY 2022-29 (see 2107140061), said panel Chairman David Scott, D-Ga.
It’s “really important” that states take advantage of the FCC’s new broadband maps and challenge process before NTIA allocates its funding for the broadband, equity, access and deployment program, said Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten during a Fiber Broadband Association webinar Wednesday. “The purpose of the maps is for NTIA to decide how much money every state will get,” Wallsten said, but “states are not obligated to use that map.”
In one of its first hybrid events since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC on Tuesday held an all-day environmental compliance workshop at its new headquarters. Staff presented and took questions on the FCC’s tower construction notification system, requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the rules for working with Native American tribes. “Your role in the process of reviewing and deploying wireless infrastructure is absolutely critical,” said Joel Taubenblatt, acting chief of the Wireless Bureau. “During the last few years during the pandemic, we've seen the importance of communications services across the country and wireless services,” he said: “We've seen how [the pandemic] has changed the way people interact with work, with schools, with their medical service providers, and with their family and friends. … We have seen how all of you have adjusted during this period of time to make sure that the review and deployment of wireless facilities can continue.” Daniela Arregui, Enforcement Bureau attorney adviser, underscored the importance of following FCC environmental rules. “Never start construction, including breaking ground, clearing brush, cutting trees, prior to completing the requirement of the environmental review,” she said. “It is important to document, authorize, and review each element of the project during each phase of construction,” she said: “Notify and actively engage with the state historic preservation officers and the tribal historic preservation officers throughout the process. Applicants should be doing more than minimally following up on an electronic Section 106 notification or responding to inquiries.” Notify the Wireless Bureau and the Enforcement bureaus “when you suspect a violation,” she said. Answer FCC inquiries whenever they are posed, Arregui said. “A letter of inquiry is a commission order” and “recipients are required to respond timely, fully, and completely,” she said. “Even if there is no substantive violation, the failure to respond completely can, itself, result in significant monetary penalties,” she said.
Coalition of Large Tribes acting Executive Director OJ Semans disputed claims by Public Knowledge Government Affairs Director Greg Guice about influences "that are not tribal" on the group’s August letter to Senate Commerce Committee leaders opposing FCC nominee Gigi Sohn’s confirmation (see 2208300058). “Neither COLT nor” any of its staff nor its member tribes “took a dime from anyone” to write the letter, Semans emailed us: “The letter was presented by me at our quarterly meeting hosted at the Navajo Nation” Aug. 15-16. COLT tribal “leaders discussed their own regrettable experiences with Ms. Sohn and her very concerning record and voted unanimously to have” Chairman Kevin Killer send the letter, Semans said.
The bulk challenge process for the FCC's broadband data collection begins Sept. 12, said a Wireline Bureau, Office of Economics and Analytics, and Broadband Data Taskforce public notice Friday in docket 19-195. States, local governments, tribal governments and providers will be able to file challenges to data in the broadband serviceable location fabric. FCC staff will host a webinar on the challenge process Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. EDT. The FCC is "ready to get to work and start developing new and improved broadband maps," after Thursday's deadline for providers to submit data on broadband service availability, blogged Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. "We are targeting November 2022 for release of the first draft of the map," Rosenworcel wrote, and another challenge process will open for the public once the maps are released.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) may sign at least three more tech and telecom bills as the state legislature wraps up its legislative session this week. SB-717, the Broadband Access Point Investment Acceleration Study Act, passed unanimously. It would direct the Office of Planning and Research to report by 2024 about the challenges of broadband development on public and private land, particularly for low-income and tribal communities. AB-1262, which would limit personal data collection for makers of connected TVs and smart speaker devices, passed unanimously. AB-32, which would make COVID-19-related telehealth accessibility permanent, also passed unanimously.
NTIA awarded more than $105 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support Tuesday to five tribal entities in Arizona. The new funding will support infrastructure deployment projects to connect more than 33,300 unserved and underserved tribal households, said a news release. “Direct investment into tribal communities is a crucial step in closing the digital divide in Indian country while protecting local customs and traditions and creating new opportunities for global engagement and growth," said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The funding "will improve the quality of life, spur economic development activity, and create opportunities for remote employment,” said Pascua Yaqui Tribal Chairman Peter Yucupicio. The tribe received nearly $7 million to connect 1,372 unserved tribal households with fiber and fixed wireless.