Federal Communications Commission
Chairman Pai's Response to Senator Udall Regarding the Lifeline Program
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai sent a letter to Sen. Tom Udall (D-CO) on June 22, 2020, to respond to the senator's letter asking the FCC to prioritize relief for low-income citizens by increasing Lifeline support. Chairman Pai said the FCC waived certain Lifeline program rules and allowed Lifeline applicants on rural tribal lands to begin receiving Lifeline benefits while their application was in the process of being verified.
Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Regarding Implementation of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai sent letters to 16 members of Congress on June 22, 2020, to respond to their letter asking the FCC for information on how it will select applicants for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Pai said the FCC consulted with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify the hardest-hit areas and the FCC has taken steps to ensure health care providers have the necessary information to participate.
Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Regarding the Rural Health Care Program
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai sent letters to Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) on June 23, 2020, to respond to their letter urging the FCC to take steps to make more rural health care funding available to providers during the pandemic. Chairman Pai said the FCC extended the RHC program window until June 30, 2020, eased competitive bidding requirements for providers with expired evergreen contracts, and extended a number of filing deadlines.
Chairman Pai's Response to Senators Regarding Extending the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Priority Window by 180 Days
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Pai sent letters to 38 senators on June 23, 2020, in response to their letter that asked the FCC to extend the 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window by 180 days in light of the pandemic. Chairman Pai noted the FCC granted four emergency short-term grants of special temporary authority in the 700 MHz and 2.5 GHz bands to support the Navajo Nation, Zuni Pueblo, and Makah Tribe communications and pandemic response efforts. And Chairman Pai said the FCC has yet to make a decision on whether to extend the August 3, 2020 application window deadline.
Letter to T-Mobile regarding Network Security Agreement (Federal Communications Commission)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 07/01/2020 - 13:48FCC Seeks Comment on Petitions by Mobile Service Providers for Waivers of Deadline to Support Real-Time Text on IP-Based Network (Federal Communications Commission)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 07/01/2020 - 13:47Chairman Pai's Response to Senator Wicker and Senator Thune Regarding C-Band (Federal Communications Commission)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 07/01/2020 - 13:22Commissioner Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast Episode With Dr. Nicol Turner Lee (Federal Communications Commission)
Submitted by benton on Wed, 07/01/2020 - 13:21FCC Approves Thirteenth Set Of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications
The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau approved an additional 70 funding applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Health care providers in both urban and rural areas of the country will use this $31.63 million in funding to provide telehealth services during the coronavirus pandemic. To date, the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which was authorized by the CARES Act, has approved 514 funding applications in 46 states plus Washington, D.C.