Universal Service Fund
Extending Broadband Access in Rural and Native Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
Representatives of rural and Native communities share stories about the experience of lacking a broadband connection when the service is necessary to work, study, and obtain healthcare, safely. These brief anecdotes illustrate the negative impact that substandard service or lack of service has on the safety and wellbeing of rural and Native communities in general, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors offer the Federal Communications Commission 12 recommendations:
Short-Term Recommendations
FCC's Ajit Pai doubts Elon Musk’s SpaceX broadband-latency claims
While traditional satellite broadband generally suffers from latency of about 600ms, Elon Musk says that SpaceX's Starlink will offer "latency below 20 milliseconds, so somebody could play a fast-response video game at a competitive level." The Federal Communications Commission is not convinced that Starlink broadband network will be able to deliver the low latencies promised.
Net Neutrality is Essential to Competition, Streaming Revolution and Small Business Recovery
The Federal Communications Commission's Net Neutrality remand proceeding, INCOMPAS highlights several important points:
Black students desperately need a new federal Lifeline
The federal Lifeline program was created in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan to help low-income Americans afford telephone service. It has been expanded over the years to help provide access to a basic cellphone with a limited amount of data. The most recent evolution, to accommodate broadband, was demonized by some Republicans who labeled it the “Obamaphone” program.
The FCC has received hundreds of complaints about carriers’ coronavirus pledge
In a statement to the House Commerce Committee, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said the agency has received around 2,200 complaints related to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Of those complaints, 1,400 have received a response from the carrier, Chairman Pai said. Around 500 of those total complaints were filed specifically about the FCC’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge, the agency’s primary response to the pandemic.
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for June 2020 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the June Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, 2020:
This free webinar will be available on FCC Live and will focus on the issues related to the auction that affect state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments. The webinar also will provide an overview of the adopted policy framework for Auction 904, the draft procedures for applications and bidding in the auction, and tips for service providers that are interested in applying to participate in the auction.
Keeping Americans connected after 'Keep Americans Connected' expires
At the Federal Communications Commission’s request, nearly 800 communications companies and trade groups signed the “Keep Americans Connected” pledge. The signatories agreed not to terminate service to any residential or small business customer, and to waive any late fees incurred, due to economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bread and Butter
The FCC's June 2020 meeting agenda includes the following:
Chairman Proposes Procedures for $16 Billion Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai shared draft procedures for the upcoming $16 billion Phase I Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction (Auction 904). With financial support from the auction, service providers will expand broadband service to millions of unserved homes and businesses in rural areas. At the FCC’s June 9 open meeting, the FCC will vote on finalizing these draft procedures. Auction 904 is the first phase of the FCC’s $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund initiative, which is modeled on the FCC’s successful Connect America Fund Phase II auction in 2018.