Seven steps the FCC should take on broadband in response to the infrastructure bill

The Senate infrastructure bill gave the primary responsibility of universal broadband deployment and adoption to the states, with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) providing oversight. To help achieve the Senate’s goals, the FCC should:

1. Immediately commence a Notice of Inquiry that enables stakeholders to debate (and the FCC to analyze) what COVID-19 taught us about the future of connectivity needs and how states should consider the trade-offs for determining what kind of networks to fund.
2. Survey whether there is a critical mass of states interested in using the reverse auction mechanism to allocate some of their funds to be distributed through a competitive grant program.
3. Add anchor institutions to the mapping process.
4. Announce that it is postponing the second Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction until the current congressional funding has run its course.
5. Start a proceeding to lower the contribution factor to reflect congressional appropriations.
6. Accelerate the RDOF review process and detail staff with expertise in that process to the NTIA for its review of the state competitive grant plans.
7. Immediately commence a process for stakeholders to debate, and the FCC to resolve, how best to reform the universal service mandate.