All in FCC

FCC Announces Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force – Nominations For Working Groups Due December 3rd

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced the appointment of members to serve on the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. The Task Force will hold its first meeting on Monday, December 9, 2019, at 9:30am. Nominations for membership on one of the Task Force’s four working groups should be submitted to the FCC no later than December 3, 2019.

GAO Says FCC Should Make A-CAM Mandatory For All Rate-Of-Return Carriers As Part Of Antifraud Strategy

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has issued a report on its investigation of potential fraud risk in the FCC’s universal service high-cost program that supports rate-of-return carriers. Among other things, the GAO report recommends that the FCC assess the A-CAM support mechanism to determine the extent to which it produces reliable cost estimates and consider making its use mandatory all for rate-of-return carriers.

Conexon Ex Parte: Transcript From Oklahoma Hearing Shows Wisper Has Provided Incorrect/Misleading Information About Oklahoma ETC Designation

Conexon, LLC filed a written ex parte that supports its opposition to the petition filed by Wisper ISP, Inc. for waiver of the FCC’s 180-day deadline for CAF II auction winners to obtain ETC designation. Wisper’s application for designation as an ETC in the state of Oklahoma is still pending, which is why it filed the waiver. Conexon’s recent FCC ex parte letter contains new information derived from transcripts of Wisper’s hearing before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission that Conexon believes should be used to evaluate the merits of Wisper’s FCC waiver petition.

Draft NPRM: Rural Digital Opportunity Fund

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that the FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking during its August open meeting to formally establish the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The RDOF is planned to provide $20.4 billion over the next 10 years to support the construction of broadband networks in areas that lack access to broadband service at speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps.

Going Granular! The FCC’s New Digital Opportunity Data Collection Expected To Improve Broadband Mapping

The FCC has released a draft Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at collecting more accurate broadband deployment data and producing more precise broadband maps. In the Report and Order, the FCC creates the Digital Opportunity Data Collection, a new initiative distinct from the Form 477 process, which will require all fixed broadband providers to submit coverage polygons depicting the areas where they actually provide service. The FCC also adopts a process to begin collecting public input on the accuracy of service providers’ broadband deployment data. The FCC expects to vote to adopt the item during its August 1st open meeting.