NTIA awarded more than $276 million in tribal broadband connectivity program support to 44 tribal entities Monday (see 2309270065). The second round of funding will support infrastructure deployment and broadband adoption projects on tribal lands. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving meaningful, universal Internet access. That’s especially true on tribal lands,” said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. “Each grant we announce today reflects a tribe’s own novel approach to bridging the digital divide in their community.”
The FCC broadband data task force’s sixth data collection filing window for facilities-based providers will open Jan. 2, said a public notice in docket 11-10 Monday. Providers will have until March 3 to submit their availability data as of Dec 31. “Providers who are already licensees of the Fabric and all other Fabric licensees (including state, local, and Tribal government and other third-party entities) will receive an email from CostQuest, the FCC’s Fabric contractor, providing them with links to access to the December 2024 Fabric data,” the PN said. Changes from previous versions of the broadband serviceable location fabric include “additional Broadband Serviceable Locations and corrections to addresses, unit counts, building types, land use, and geographic coordinates,” the PN said. “We encourage filers to submit their availability data as of December 31, 2024, as early as possible in the filing window,” the PN said. “Failure to timely file required data in the new BDC system may lead to enforcement action and/or penalties.”
The House approved the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-1377), an amended version of the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-3293) and Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (HR-3343) Monday on voice votes. The Senate, meanwhile, was set to vote Monday night to invoke cloture on the House-passed FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5009) with language that would authorize the AWS-3 reauction to offset $3.08 billion in funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412110067). HR-1377 lead sponsor Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., said on the floor that the measure “strengthens American leadership in 5G and future wireless communications” by directing NTIA to encourage U.S. companies and others to participate in international standards-setting bodies (see 2303240065). “China and other adversaries are investing heavily in 5G deployment and are actively working to shape these standard-setting processes to serve their interests,” he said: “If they succeed in skewing future standards toward their own priorities, the U.S. risks being placed at a significant economic and strategic disadvantage.” HR-3293 lead sponsor Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., said his legislation “takes a crucial step towards bridging this divide and streamlining the process for deploying broadband infrastructure” by directing NTIA to lead an interagency strike force to help prioritize reviews for communications use authorization requests to deploy on federal land (see 2305240069). “Faster broadband deployment will create jobs, stimulate economic development and improve quality of life for all Americans,” he said: “Students will have access to online reading resources, telehealth services will become more accessible and rural communities will be better connected to the global economy.” HR-3343 lead sponsor Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, said the bill “will help close the digital divide for rural Americans” requiring NTIA to submit a plan to Congress for tracking the acceptance and processing of communications use authorizations on federal property. “By enhancing government accountability and accelerating broadband deployment, we're not just improving a process,” he said: “We're investing in our future as a nation. This will help ensure investments in broadband expansion reach Americans more quickly and effectively.”
The House plans votes this week under suspension of the rules on the Promoting U.S. Wireless Leadership Act (HR-1377), an amended version of the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act (HR-3293) and Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act (HR-3343). The House Commerce Committee advanced the three measures last year. HR-1377 would direct NTIA to encourage U.S. companies and others to participate in international standards-setting bodies (see 2303240065). HR-3293 would direct NTIA to lead an interagency strike force to help prioritize reviews for communications use authorization requests to deploy on federal land (see 2305240069). HR-3343 would require NTIA to submit a plan to Congress for tracking acceptance and processing of communications use authorizations on federal property. In addition, it would require that NTIA identify any barriers to that plan and how to increase transparency for authorization applicants.
China appears to be preparing to use its own set of extraterritorial export controls against the U.S. in response to the Biden administration’s latest chip restrictions and Entity List additions, an official with the U.S.-China Business Council said.
The possibility of a double whammy come January consisting of a strike at East and Gulf coast ports and the implementation of President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs (see 2411250034) is making shippers nervous, with the National Retail Federation saying that the scenarios could result in a "continued surge in imports through next spring."
The FCC’s Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force held its final meeting Thursday, approving the group's comprehensive final report. Summarizing the task force's working groups' findings, the report wasn’t released Thursday. Task force Chair Michael Adelaine said during a virtual meeting that the work must continue even as the group’s charter expires.
ISPs are hopeful that the new Trump administration will focus on streamlining federal permitting once President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, experts said Wednesday during a Broadband Breakfast webinar.
The Commerce Department properly picked the benchmark data for two subsidy programs received by respondent Jiangsu Zhongji Lamination Materials in the 2017-18 review of the countervailing duty order on aluminum foil from China, the Court of International Trade held in a decision made public Dec. 3.
The Court of International Trade in a decision made public Dec. 3 sustained the Commerce Department's benchmark picks for two subsidy programs in the 2016-17 review of the countervailing duty order on aluminum foil from China. Judge Timothy Reif said the agency adequately explained its selection of Trade Data Monitor data for use as the benchmark in assessing respondent Jiangsu Zhongji Lamination Materials Co.'s receipt of aluminum plate, sheet and strip, and the selection of a 2010 Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis report using Thai data for the benchmark for Zhongji's land use rights program. On the land use rights program, Reif accepted Commerce's practice of using data contemporaneous with the receipt of the benefit and not with the review period.