As we continue our important work directly related to COVID-19, the Federal Communications Commission will also continue our work confronting the longer-term challenges that have been highlighted by pandemic. In particular, at our upcoming meeting on April 23, we will be voting on major initiatives to expand wireless connectivity and further close the digital divide.

• I have proposed a set of rules to make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use in four segments of the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz). This band is currently populated by, among others, microwave services that are used to support utilities, public safety, and wireless backhaul. So unlicensed devices will share this spectrum with incumbent licensed services under rules that are carefully crafted to protect those licensed services and to enable both unlicensed and licensed operations to thrive throughout the band. Ultimately, I expect that 6 GHz unlicensed devices will become a part of consumers’ everyday lives. For the rules we will vote on would play a major role in the growth of the Internet of Things, connecting appliances, machines, meters, wearables, and other consumer electronics, as well as industrial sensors for manufacturing. In addition to the Report and Order, we’ll consider a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to explore possibilities for very low power devices in this band.
• A plan to establish a 5G Fund for rural America. This proposal would use multi-round reverse auctions to distribute up to $9 billion, in two phases, to bring 5G service to rural areas of our country. Phase I of the 5G Fund would target at least $8 billion of support over ten years to rural areas of our country that would be unlikely to be covered by the commitmentsPDF Download made by New T-Mobile as part of its acquisition of Sprint (including coverage of 90% of rural Americans with 5G service at 50 Mbps or greater over the next six years) and that we anticipate would not see timely deployment of 5G service absent universal service support. To balance our policy goal of efficiently and quickly redirecting high-cost support to areas where it is most needed with our obligation to ensure that we have an accurate understanding of the extent of nationwide mobile wireless broadband deployment, we seek public input on two options for identifying areas that would be eligible for 5G Fund support.
• A Report and Order to comprehensively update the FCC’s existing rules regarding orbital debris mitigation, which were adopted in 2004. These new rules are designed to address the problem of orbital debris, while at the same time not creating undue regulatory obstacles to new satellite ventures. We would also seek comment on adopting a performance bond tied to successful spacecraft disposal.
• We will vote on an Order to approve ViaSat’s request for market access for a constellation of 20 satellites that will provide fixed-satellite service.
• The Commission’s rules currently require certain commercial television broadcast stations in only the top 60 television markets to provide video-described programming. I have shared a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that tentatively concludes we should expand the Commission’s video description regulations by phasing them in for an additional 10 markets each year for the next four years. The NPRM also proposes that the Commission seek further comment in 2023 on whether to expand its video description to markets beyond the top 100 after 2024.
• A Report and Order to update our technical rules for Low-Power FM (LPFM) stations. 

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai circulated draft rules permitting unlicensed devices to operate in the 6 GHz band. The proposed rules would make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum available for unlicensed use. Unlicensed devices would share this spectrum with incumbent licensed services under rules that are crafted to protect those licensed services and to enable both unlicensed and licensed operations to thrive throughout the band. The Chairman’s draft rules will be voted on by the FCC at its April 23 Open Meeting.

If adopted, the draft Report and Order would authorize two different types of unlicensed operations: standard-power in 850-megahertz of the band and indoor low-power operations over the full 1,200-megahertz available in the 6 GHz band. An automated frequency coordination system would prevent standard power access points from operating where they could cause interference to incumbent services. A Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes to permit very low-power devices to operate across the 6 GHz band, to support high data rate applications including high-performance, wearable, augmented-reality and virtual-reality devices. Specifically, the Further Notice would seek comment on making a contiguous 1,200-megahertz block of spectrum available for the development of new and innovative high-speed, short-range devices and on power levels and other technical and operational measures to avoid causing interference to incumbent services. 

The Federal Communications Commission announced extensions of key E-Rate service implementation and filing deadlines to provide relief to program participants affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These extensions will alleviate administrative and compliance burdens on schools and libraries and enable them to focus on transitioning to remote learning during the pandemic. Given the disruptions caused by COVID-19, April 1’s order waives the so-called service implementation deadline for special construction for all funding year 2019 applicants and extends this deadline by one year, from June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Under FCC rules, applicants must complete special construction (e.g., deploying fiber) and the network must be “lit” or in use by June 30 of the applicable funding year. With schools and libraries closed for lengthy periods of time, the order recognizes that service providers may not be allowed on the premises and may experience significant challenges in meeting this construction deadline. 

As part of today’s order, the FCC also (1) extends the service delivery deadline for nonrecurring services for funding year 2019 by one year, from Sept 30, 2020 to Sept 30, 2021; (2) grants schools and libraries an automatic 60-day extension to file requests for review or waiver of decisions by the E-Rate program administrator, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC); (3) provides applicants and service providers an automatic 120-day extension of the invoice filing deadline; and (4) gives all program participants an additional 30-day extension to respond to certain information requests from USAC. 

Twenty-eight senators wrote a letter to the Federal Communications Commission demanding that it consider how repealing net neutrality could negatively impact public safety, universal access, and broadband competition. In October 2019, the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld the Trump FCC’s repeal of the Open Internet Order as lawful but also ruled that the FCC failed to adequately consider public safety, the Lifeline program for low-income consumers, and competitive broadband providers’ access to poles needed to deploy their networks. The Senators write that by repealing these net neutrality rules, the FCC also abandoned its authority to promote public safety, universal service, and broadband competition, particularly for rural communities and low-income Americans.  American consumers and broadband users suffered as a result, and the current coronavirus pandemic further underscores the need for the FCC to promote public safety in light of the Court’s opinion. 

“Without solid authority over these vital areas, the Commission has called into question its ability to carry out core Congressional mandates: namely ‘promoting safety of life and property’ and the ‘preservation and advancement of universal service’,” write the senators in their letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “Net neutrality rules that protect the free flow of ideas and commerce, along with the FCC’s power to ensure public safety and promote broadband access for communities throughout the country, are more important than ever.”

Signing the letter: Sen Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sens Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Tom Carper (D-DE).

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will pay for a wider range of telemedicine services during the coronavirus pandemic including remote patient monitoring for both chronic and acute conditions, not just related to coronavirus treatment, and allowing doctors to collect Medicare payments for making phone calls to patients. CMS previously required that consultations have both audio and visual elements. Some medical groups had pushed the agency to remove that requirement, arguing that some sessions can easily be conducted over the phone.

April 1 marked the Census Bureau’s biggest push yet to get Americans to participate in the once-in-a-decade count. The outcome will not only determine communities' representation in Congress but will also have far-reaching implications for funding for schools, hospitals, emergency services and other institutions that have been central to the war on Covid-19. And thank God for the internet. Luckily, this is the first time Americans can respond by mail, phone or online — and the agency expects a surge in participation thanks to the latter. The national response rate was just north of 36 percent as of March 31; the bureau expects that to grow to 60.5 percent. The bureau anticipates the majority of households (a projected 58 percent) will respond online. Parts of the country with low internet access were mailed paper questionnaires in March and “at some point we’re going to have to send people door-to-door.” Roughly 500,000 census takers would be responsible for visiting the homes of people who don’t complete their forms, but that effort will be delayed until deemed safe by local health officials.