The FCC Wireline Bureau extended E-rate deadlines to alleviate administrative burdens on school administrators transitioning to online learning and libraries dealing with COVID-19, it said Wednesday on docket 02-6. The order extends one year to June 30, 2021, the service implementation deadline for special construction for all funding year 2019 applicants and to Sept. 30, 2021, for nonrecurring services for FY 2019. It grants schools and libraries an automatic 60-day extension to file requests for review or waiver of Universal Service Administrative Co. decisions; gives an automatic 120-day extension of invoice filing deadline; and allows an additional 30-day extension to respond to certain USAC information requests. Last month, the bureau directed USAC to extend the deadline for FY 2020 E-rate applications to April 29, and temporarily waived gift rules (see 2003180054).
Wednesday was Census Day, FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks reminded. Rosenworcel tweeted a phone number for those lacking broadband. Many libraries that had planned to provide access during the first largely online census (see 2001120001) closed due to the pandemic. The Census Bureau said Friday it's temporarily suspending in-person interviews. “Americans can fill out the census online until August 14 -- but only if they have access to the internet," Starks told us in a statement. "Anything we do now to get Americans connected on an emergency basis as part of the COVID-19 response will also help increase online census participation. It’s another good reason why we need to get a connectivity stimulus.” While a third of households responded to the census, "we have a long way to go, made more difficult by the coronavirus,” emailed Rosenworcel. “The Census Bureau’s field operations are on hold for the moment, but once we get through the worst of this crisis, they will need to direct those resources to where responses are lagging and internet access is scarce. So, the FCC should do everything within its power to assist the Census Bureau.”
Privacy advocates fear COVID-19 is creating a surveillance state that will outlast the pandemic. Experts during streamed events Wednesday disagreed how much access the U.S. government will have to data, given constitutional protections.
House Democratic leaders said Wednesday they plan to move forward on infrastructure funding legislation as part of the next package addressing COVID-19 when the chamber reconvenes, citing President Donald Trump’s recent interest. Trump said Tuesday he wants the next bill to include $2 trillion in infrastructure spending (see 2003310070). Democrats’ calls for broadband funding to be a part of the next bill have grown since Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (HR-748) last week (see 2003260063).
T-Mobile US said Wednesday it “officially completed” buying Sprint and its CEO transition, with Mike Sievert replacing John Legere ahead of schedule. Analysts expect a relatively smooth transition, much quicker than that which followed Sprint/Nextel 15 years ago. The deal got final federal signoff with the Tunney Act clearance by the U.S. District Court in Washington, hours after the carriers said they finished combining (see 2004010018). DOJ welcomed the decision.
The FCC Wireline Bureau waived rules restricting eligible telecom carriers from spending USF support for high-cost programs outside an awarded geographic service territory so mobile providers have more flexibility in directing the funds to an affiliated ETC's service area more in need due to COVID-19, said an order Tuesday. The flexibility is in place until June 30 and may be extended.
Among U.S. broadband households, 36% listen to podcasts weekly, with popularity stronger among younger consumers, Parks Associates said Tuesday. Nearly half of podcast consumes are heavy users, listening to five or more hours a week. U.S. broadband households that listen to podcasts listen to, on average, five weekly. IHeartMedia said listenership for its podcast network is up 6% month over month, higher in markets under shelter-in-place orders. It said California listenership jumped 13% and New York listenership 8% in one week: "Americans are consuming a vast array of podcasts as they stay home and practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic."
Daytime TV watching levels are up almost 10% at 6 a.m. compared with a year ago, and growth continues through morning and daytime, Comscore said Tuesday. Data comes from New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Sacramento and Indianapolis markets, it said. In 2019, viewership levels peaked at around 8 a.m. and stay flat through much of the day. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have changed things, viewership growing until noon and plateauing then, it said. The biggest jumps are during "commute-heavy hours" of 7-9 a.m. There's big daytime growth in smaller markets, with Wilkes Barre-Scranton-Hazleton in Pennsylvania rising more than 30% for local newscasts during daytime, early fringe, prime access and late news periods.
The U.S. Judicial Conference is temporarily allowing teleconferencing in federal courts for civil proceedings, plus video and teleconferencing for some criminal proceedings, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Tuesday. It said authorization ends when it finds federal courts are no longer materially affected or 30 days after the national emergency ends, whichever is sooner. Its executive committee approved allowing judges to authorize teleconferencing to allow audio access when the public can't enter courthouses.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday he’s interested in pursuing $2 trillion in infrastructure spending as part of the next bill addressing COVID-19. Congressional Democrats have been pushing for future COVID-19 legislation to tackle infrastructure issues since Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (HR-748) last week (see 2003260063). Trump and other administration officials spoke with major U.S. ISPs about the providers’ efforts to increase network capacity to accommodate increased telework and distance learning use.