Public Notice

Carriers Opt in to USF Funding
The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau authorizes 186 rate-of-return companies that elected 242 revised offers to receive additional Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support in exchange for extending broadband service to additional locations. A report shows the revised authorization amount and deployment obligations for each carrier that elected a revised offer. These carriers are among the rate-of-return carriers nationwide that previously had been authorized to receive A-CAM support. The revised authorizations provide support to the electing comp

Announcement of opening date for Rural e-Connectivity Pilot Program application windows
The US Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service announced its general policy and application procedures for funding under the eConnectivity Pilot Program in late 2018. The Reconnect Program will provide loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. This Notice announces the opening date for the ReConnect Program application windows. The Rural Utilities Service will begin accepting applications through https:// reconnect.usda.gov for all three ReConnect Program funding categories on April 23, 2019.

FCC Recharters CSRIC and Seeks Membership Nominations
The Federal Communications Commission announces the rechartering of the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), which will provide advice and recommendations to the FCC to improve the security, reliability, and interoperability of the nation’s communications systems. By this Public Notice, we seek nominations for membership on and a Chairperson for this Committee. The FCC has established the CSRIC for a period of two (2) years, with an expected first meeting in June of 2019.

GAO Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics Team: Initial Plan and Considerations Moving Forward
The 2019 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill Conference Report encouraged the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to reorganize its technology and science function by creating a new office within GAO and to report to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittees on plans for doing so. In January 2019, GAO created the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics (STAA) team to build on its decades-long track record of providing Congress with science and technology (S&T) analysis.

White House Office of Management and Budget Strongly Opposes Passage of the Save the Internet Act
The Administration strongly opposes House passage of the Save the Internet Act (HR 1644). Since the [Restoring Internet Freedom] rule was adopted in 2018, consumers have benefited from a greater than 35 percent increase in average, fixed broadband download speeds, and the United States rose to sixth, from thirteenth, in the world for those speeds. In 2018, fiber was also made available to more new homes than in any previous year, and capital investment by the Nation’s top six Internet service providers increased by $2.3 billion.

FCC Seeks Comment on TracFone Petition to Expand ETC Designation to Tribal Lands
The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on an amended petition filed by TracFone Wireless. TracFone seeks to expand its designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier to certain Tribal lands in Alabama, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.
WC Docket No. 09-197
Comment Date: April 22, 2019 | Reply Comment Date: April 29, 2019

FCC Seeks Nominations for New BDAC Job Skills Working Group
The Federal Communications Commission solicits nominations for membership on a new Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Job Skills and Training Opportunities Working Group of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC). This new working group will assist the BDAC in providing advice and recommendations to the FCC and other stakeholders on ways to make more widely available and improve job skills training and development opportunities for the broadband infrastructure deployment workforce.

FCC Seeks Comment on Improving Wireless Resiliency Framework
This Public Notice is the third in a series that solicits input on the efficacy of the Wireless Resiliency Cooperative Framework. The Federal Communications Commission now seeks feedback on the implementation and effectiveness of each prong of the Framework, including responses to the letters sent by the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) and how to best monitor and document the framework's efficacy.

President Trump Nominates Michael Kratsios for Chief Technology Officer
President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate Michael J. K. Kratsios of South Carolina, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Upon appointment, designate him to be the United States Chief Technology Officer.

FCC takes steps to facilitate broadband services in the 900 MHz band
This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes to reconfigure the 900 MHz band to facilitate broadband via a market-driven, voluntary exchange process to allow existing licensees to agree to a voluntarily plan for relocating incumbents and for transitioning the band. The 900 MHz band (896-901/935-940 MHz) is designated for narrowband private land mobile radio (PLMR) communications by Business/Industrial/Land Transportation (B/ILT) licensees and for Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) providers, with deployed systems primarily used for two-way communication by land transportation, utility, ma