Further Inquiry into Issues Related To Mobility Fund Phase II

In this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Wireline Competition Bureau seek further comment on a limited number of specific issues relating to the implementation of Phase II of the Mobility Fund.

As established in the USF/ICC Transformation Order and FNPRM, under Mobility Fund Phase II the Commission will award $500 million annually to ensure the availability of mobile broadband and high quality voice services in areas where such services would not otherwise be available. Building on the comments filed in response to the FNPRM and our experience to date in implementing a reverse auction to award one-time Phase I support, the Bureaus seek to develop a more comprehensive, robust record on certain of the issues related to the award of ongoing support for advanced mobile services. In this regard, we note that a number of commenters support having an opportunity to evaluate and learn from Mobility Fund Phase I before the program details of Phase II are finalized. In considering the issues discussed below, we request that commenters keep in mind that Phase II support is not one-time support, but is ongoing Phase II support aimed at expanding and sustaining mobile services.

Comments are due December 21, 2012; reply comments are due January 7, 2013.