Public Notice

It is the policy of the United States to combat the economic consequences of COVID-19 with the same vigor and resourcefulness with which the fight against COVID-19 itself has been waged.  Agencies should address this economic emergency by rescinding, modifying, waiving, or providing exemptions from regulations and other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery, consistent with applicable law and with protection of the public health and safety, with national and homeland security, and with budgetary priorities and operational feasibility.  They should also give businesses, especially

The Federal Communications Commission authorized over $7.5 million in funding over ten years to expand rural broadband in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, and Oklahoma. These investments will connect over 3,100 unserved rural homes and businesses. Providers will begin receiving the funds later in May. The funding represents the 12th wave of support from the successful 2018 Connect America Fund Phase II auction. Providers must build out to 40% of the assigned homes and businesses in the areas won in a state within three years.

The Federal Communications Commission and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) have established computer matching program with the State of Nevada, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Welfare and Supportive Services (DWSS). The purpose of this matching program is to verify the eligibility of applicants to and subscribers of the Lifeline program. Written comments are due on or before June 12, 2020.

The Federal Communications Commission granted GE Healthcare’s request for a waiver to allow the importation, marketing, and operation of certain GE medical devices from new suppliers for use in healthcare facilities. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented strain on our nation’s healthcare system. The action taken by the FCC May 11 will enable GE Healthcare to overcome disruptions in the medical device supply chain as it addresses the surge in demand for critical medical equipment.

The Federal Communications Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau granted conditional certification to MachineGenius to provide Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) using only automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology. This is the first such grant and provides an opportunity for advanced technology to meet the FCC’s high reliability standards in providing captioned telephone service for deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans.

The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau, in consultation with the Enforcement Bureau, waives the broad outreach requirements of the FCC's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) recruitment rules in the limited circumstances relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau adopted a conditional waiver to allow TerreStar to begin offering wireless medical telemetry services (WMTS) in the 1.4 GHz band. With the COVID-19 outbreak causing increased reliance on medical telemetry monitoring in hospitals and on telehealth in general, this action will help ensure that traditional health care facilities have more spectrum capacity to meet a surge of additional monitoring demands that may occur in emergencies.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it has adopted under delegated authority a request by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a waiver of the  FCC’s rules for unlicensed devices to permit the certification and marketing of its WiTrack system. WiTrack is a wall-mounted system that allows caregivers to remotely monitor the health and safety of patients and senior adults without physical contact.

The Federal Communications Commission concluded that it will serve the public interest and improve its operations to streamline the organization of the Media Bureau. Specifically, the FCC eliminated the Engineering Division and folded the work and staff of the Engineering Division into the Media Bureau’s Industry Analysis Division (IAD). The FCC said it is taking this action to account for changes in the Engineering Division’s duties and in the organizational structure of the FCC.

The Federal Communications Commission made it easier for individuals who have lost their employment during the coronavirus pandemic and who qualify for Lifeline benefits to enroll in the Lifeline program. Specifically, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau temporarily waived the requirement that consumers seeking to qualify for the program based on their income must provide at least three consecutive months of income documentation.