Federal Communications Commission

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $59 million to expand high-speed internet access to rural Michiganders through four major projects across the state, including two in the Upper Peninsula.  The Upper Peninsula Telephone Company will receive a $34,532,301 grant to install a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 1,625 people, 69 farms, 40 businesses, and two educational facilities with the higher speeds in Dickinson, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, and Ontonagon counties.

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) submited the federal Universal Service Support Mechanisms fund size and administrative cost projections for the first quarter of calendar year 2023 (1Q2023). USAC projects a consolidated budget of $67.28 million for 1Q2023. Direct costs for all support mechanisms total $33.88 million. Joint and common costs (including billing, collection, and disbursement activities) total $33.40 million.

The Federal Communications Commission is currently short a commissioner, and the Biden administration and Senate Democrats just can’t seem to get that seat filled despite having nominated an amazingly qualified person. Her name is Gigi Sohn. The inability to get Sohn confirmed at the FCC has left the commission deadlocked with two Democrats and two Republicans. That means the commission in charge of regulating all telecommunications in the United States, including how you get your internet service, is unable to get much done.

This report, mandated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, details the work of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) in expanding access and identifying barriers to high-speed internet service for students, faculty, and staff at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBU), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and within anchor communities. Examples of OMBI’s key 2021-2022 accomplishments highlighted in the report include:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is planning to reorganize the FCC to better support the needs of the growing satellite industry, promote long-term technical capacity at the agency, and navigate 21st global communications policy. Under this plan, Chairwoman Rosenworcel will work to reorganize the FCC’s International Bureau into a new Space Bureau and a standalone Office of International Affairs.

This study focuses on broadband deployment over the years 2014- 2020 in Tribal and non-Tribal census tracts using the Federal Communications Commission’s Form 477 data to quantify progress. This “Tribal Gap” is measured as the difference in average broadband availability between Tribal and non-Tribal census tracts. Unmatched and matched samples are used, and a sample of census tracts within 30 miles of a Tribal area is also analyzed with and without matching.

TekWav, Nextlink, and Plains Internet won Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) funding in the December 2020 reverse auction. Two of the three providers were quoted as saying that the cost to build the networks to satisfy the RDOF obligations has doubled since they won the award – the third said costs have risen materially. Most providers I’ve been working with estimate the increase to be between 15% and 30%, differing by region and the planned technology.

The Federal Communication Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology conditionally approved 13 proposed automated frequency coordination (AFC) database systems to finalize development for operations in the 6 GHz band and prepare for the testing phase. This automated frequency coordination (AFC) system manages spectrum access for 6 GHz band standard-power unlicensed devices. The FCC’s recent rule changes expanded unlicensed use in the 5.925-6.425 GHz and 6.525- 6.875 GHz portions of the 6 GHz band to allow standard-power devices under the control of an AFC.

The Federal Communications Commission is committing nearly $183 million in new funding rounds through the Emergency Connectivity Program (ECP), which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.

After a highly competitive process, Pioneer Connect of Philomath (OR) has been awarded $24,952,007 from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the 3rd round of funding for the ReConnect program. This ReConnect 3 grant will bring Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to 1,528 locations in Benton, Lincoln, and Polk counties. The cooperative will install 296 miles of fiber to provide increased speeds and enhanced reliability, eliminating many challenges faced by members of these communities. This grant will be combined with an $8,317,336 loan bringing the total project to $33,269,343.