Federal Communications Commission

Thank you for your letter sent on March 16, 2023, asking for specific information regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s distribution of funds in the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB), Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), COVID-19 Telehealth program and the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF).

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces January 1, 2024 as the start date for the requirement to begin one year of pre-testing and reporting of speed and latency results for the Bringing Together Puerto Rico Fund Stage and the Connect USVI Fund Stage 2. Testing will begin on January 1, 2025. For the carriers participating in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), pre-testing will begin on January 1, 2025, and testing will begin on January 1, 2026.

Are Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) subsidies being targeted to households currently without broadband?

The Federal Communications Commission committed over $15 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau), on its own motion, grants a limited, one-time waiver to a limited number of Lifeline subscribers who received incorrect information about the deadline for recertifying their eligibility for the Lifeline program. Specifically, in letters from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), these subscribers were informed that they had approximately 80 days in which to recertify their eligibility for the Lifeline program, rather than the 60-days provided for under the Lifeline program rules.

The Federal Communications Commission proposed a fine of more than $1.4 million against PayG for apparently failing to pay Universal Service Fund (USF), Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund), North American Numbering Plan (NANP), and federal regulatory fees when payments were due.

The Federal Communications Commission is taking another step forward in its iterative effort to develop the best and most accurate broadband maps ever built in the US. The map we are releasing reflects challenges and improvements to the data. It has a lot of updated information about both locations and availability. Here are a few key takeaways:

The Federal Communications Commission announced details for additional outreach grant opportunities to promote the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The outreach grants seek to enlist targeted trusted community messengers to develop innovative outreach strategies to reach historically unserved and underserved communities.