Public Notice

The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Managing Director (OMD) announces that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2021 will be 0.291 or 29.1 percent. The Universal Service Administrative Company submitted projected collected end-user telecommunications revenues for October 2021 through December 2021 based on information contained in the Fourth Quarter 2021 Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet—Total Projected Collected Interstate and International End-User Telecommunications Revenues for Fourth Quarter 2021: $9.517295 billion. 

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks nominations for a position on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) representing commercial mobile radio service providers (position formerly held by Matt B. Gerst). All nominations must be filed with the Office of the Secretary by November 8, 2021.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public comment on a direct final rule to help expand access to capital to deploy broadband infrastructure in rural areas. The changes apply to USDA’s Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees program and are in accordance with the provisions of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill). The Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees program provides investment capital to eligible entities to help deploy telecommunications infrastructure, including broadband facilities in rural areas.

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau seeks nominations for the following Board member positions on the Board of Directors of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) listed below for a three-year term.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, which will direct $268 million for expanding broadband access and connectivity to eligible Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and consortia led by an HBCU, TCU, or MSI that also include a minority business enterprise or tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. The Notice of Funding Opportunity 

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announces updated minimum service standards for Lifeline-supported services as required by the 2016 Lifeline Order. Absent action, beginning December 1, 2021, the Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile broadband data capacity will increase to 18 GB per month pursuant to the calculations set out in the FCC’s rules and the 2016 Lifeline Order. The Lifeline minimum service standard for mobile voice service will remain unchanged, at 1000 minutes per month.

The Federal Communications Commission is ready to authorize over $311 million in broadband funding across 36 states through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. At the same time, the agency took steps to clean up issues with the program’s design originating from its adoption in 2020. For now, 48 broadband providers will bring 1 Gbps broadband speeds to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses over the next 10 years. But in light of complaints that the program was poised to fund broadband to parking lots and well-served urban areas, the FCC sent letters to 197 winning bidders.

The Federal Communications Commission made additional mid-band spectrum available for 5G service in the United States. Specifically, the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced the grant of 5,676 licenses in the 3.7 GHz service (3.7 to 3.98 GHz, also referred to as the C-band) following completion of Auction 107 earlier in 2021. The action keeps the transition of this band to flexible use on track, paving the way for carriers to use this spectrum to provide 5G and other advanced wireless services.

The Federal Communications Commission is re-establishing the Technological Advisory Council on or before August 20, 2021 for a period of two years, with an expected first meeting in October of 2021.The FCC seeks nominations for membership and a chairperson. The TAC provides technical advice to the Commission and makes recommendations on the issues and questions presented to it. Among other issues, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will ask the TAC to start looking beyond 5G and conceptualize 6G, to help set the stage for U.S. leadership.

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announces the counties in which conditional forbearance from the obligation to offer Lifeline-supported voice service applies, pursuant to the Commission’s 2016 Lifeline Order. This forbearance applies only to the Lifeline voice obligation of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that are designated for purposes of receiving both high-cost and Lifeline support, and not to Lifeline-only ETCs. The Bureau identifies the counties in which certain competitive conditions are met. In particular, the FCC grants forbearance fr