The U.S. Senate has passed the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, sending it to the President for his signature. Among other things, the Act requires the FCC to establish a “Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program” to reimbursement communications service providers that rip-and-replace covered communications equipment or services from their networks.
The FCC has commenced an information collection on the use of Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation equipment and services in U.S. communications networks. On or before April 22, 2020, all ETCs must report the extent to which their networks contain or use potentially prohibited equipment or services provided by Huawei, ZTE, or their subsidiaries.
The FCC is seeking comment on three net neutrality related issues: Public Safety, Pole Attachments, and the Lifeline Program. The action is being taken in response to a remand order from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in its decision on the legal challenge to the FCC’s 2018 Restoring Internet Freedom Order.
An update on the FCC’s Connect America Fund Phase II Auction.
T-Mobile USA, Inc. has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed against it by Craigville Telephone Co. d and Consolidated Telephone Co. related to T-Mobile’s past violations of the FCC’s rural call completion rules. In general, T-Mobile argues every claim in the complaint should be dismissed because the “Plaintiffs have failed to plead a plausible theory of injury.”
An update on news from January 2020.
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.
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.
An update on news about USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program.
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.
