Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Update

An overview of the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), the agency’s largest universal service high-cost program designed to support broadband deployment in unserved areas. One year after the RDOF’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC is preparing for the Phase I auction of up to $16 billion in support on October 29, 2020. This webinar will take listeners through what they need to know ahead of the auction, including the auction structure, performance requirements, deployment obligations, and post-auction considerations. We will cover:

• The background of the RDOF and how it relates to Connect America Fund Phase II;
• How the RDOF works (budget, eligible areas, support awarded, deployment);
• The two-stage RDOF application process;
• Unresolved issues and potential pitfalls in RDOF; and
• Considerations and recommendations for RDOF participants.

The webinar will also focus on the process for petitioning the states and/or the FCC for eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) status, which will be required before the winning entities can provide service and receive the support.

This event builds on our annual Universal Service Fund webinar and ongoing coverage of the FCC’s efforts to close the “digital divide” between rural and urban areas.

Speakers: Josh Guyan, Brad Currier