Federal Agency

More thoughts on what the Federal Communications Commission's new maps of locations unserved and underserved by broadband mean for new deployment programs. 7.8 million unserved locations, or 6.9% of the total locations, meet expectations almost exactly. It’s 118% higher than the 3.58 million unserved housing units in the Form 477 data. The number of underserved dropped, which is a surprise, but maybe shouldn’t have been. In the Form 477 data there were 7.35 million underserved housing units. That fell to 6.0 million locations in the new maps. That’s a 19% decline. It makes sense.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules prohibiting communications equipment deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to national security from being authorized for importation or sale in the United States. This is the latest step by the FCC to protect our nation’s communications networks.

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules outlining how broadband providers must design the label, what information it needs to include, and where it should be displayed. The FCC also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking public comment on crucial accessibility and including network management statistics. Such requirements include the following:

The Affordable Connectivity Program (or ACP) Transparency Data Collection will collect information related to the price, subscription rates, and plan1 characteristics of the internet service offerings of Affordable Connectivity Program participating providers as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The collection will offer the Federal Communications Commission an opportunity to collect detailed data about the services to which households in the Affordable Connectivity Program chose to apply the affordable connectivity benefit.

Seven US senators sent a letter to Alan Davidson, head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, urging NTIA to revise its definition of reliable broadband for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. In establishing rules for the program, NTIA omitted fixed wireless service that relies totally on unlicensed spectrum for last mile connectivity from its definition of reliable service – a decision that impacts the BEAD program in two ways. 

With virtually unlimited bandwidth, fiber optic connectivity is the fastest, most reliable, and most innovative solution for bridging the digital divide. Other options, like fixed wireless access, may be faster to deploy but require more upkeep, have limited capabilities, and require substantial new investment in a relatively short period.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has awarded two grants as part of the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC) to Merced Community College and California State University, Sacramento. These grants, totaling about $5.6 million, will spur economic development, increase digital skills, and create Digital Navigator programs at the two institutions. Awardees of the program include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Minorit

Flume, a New York City-based fiber provider, has made strides over the past couple of years offering gigabit service to lower-income households.

The Federal Communications Commission announced details for two pilot program opportunities to promote the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) nationwide. The pilot program outreach grants seek to enlist trusted community messengers to develop innovative outreach strategies to reach historically unserved and underserved communities, including those serving recipients of federal housing assistance and communities interested in launching digital navigator programs.

On November 10, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially opened the application window for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Outreach Grant with the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applications are due January 9, 2023, at 11:59 PM EST. If you’re interested in applying for a grant, we encourage you to start the process as soon as possible, as there are several steps you will need to take. The NOFO includes information on eligibility, funding allocation, funding prioritization factors, and guidance on how to prepare for receiving grant f