All in Broadband Funding

FCC Releases Preliminary List Of Areas Eligible For Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Support; Challenges Due April 10th

FCC Releases Preliminary List Of Areas Eligible For Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Support; Challenges Due April 10th

Tony Veach
Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Funding, FCC, Rate-of-Return, Universal Service, USF, Rural Broadband

The FCC has released a preliminary list of census blocks that have been deemed initially eligible for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The announcement begins a limited challenge process which gives parties an opportunity to identify by April 10, 2020, any of the listed census blocks that should not be eligible for support.

FCC Eliminates E-Rate Amortization Rule For New Or Upgraded Fiber Deployments

FCC Eliminates E-Rate Amortization Rule For New Or Upgraded Fiber Deployments

Tony Veach
Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Funding, E-Rate, Fiber, Universal Service, USF

The FCC has eliminated an E-Rate Program rule requiring schools and libraries to amortize over three years upfront, non-recurring charges of $500,000 or more for category one services. The decision is expected to help increase the deployment of fiber and other broadband infrastructure to the nation’s schools and libraries.

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund – Draft Report And Order – RDOF Phase I Auction Participants Will Place Bids Using Four Broadband Performance Tiers

Rural Digital Opportunity Fund – Draft Report And Order – RDOF Phase I Auction Participants Will Place Bids Using Four Broadband Performance Tiers

Tony Veach
Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Funding, Fiber, RDOF

The FCC has released a draft Report and Order establishing a framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund which will be voted on at the FCC’s January 30, 2020, open meeting. For Phase I of the RDOF, auction participants will place bids in four broadband performance tiers, and each tier will differentiate between bids that would offer either low or high latency service. Bids in each performance tiered will be weighted to reflect a preference for higher speeds, higher usage allowances, and low latency.

FCC Estimates Six Million Locations Eligible For Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Support

FCC Estimates Six Million Locations Eligible For Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I Support

Tony Veach
Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Funding, Universal Service, Rural Broadband, RDOF

The FCC recently released a draft Report and Order establishing a framework for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Phase I of the RDOF will target $16 billion in support to census blocks that do not have any 25/3 Mbps broadband service. The FCC initially estimates six million locations could be eligible for support in Phase I of the RDOF.