Federal Communications Commission

FCC Commits Over $169 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it is committing $169,297,501.79 million in its latest wave of Emergency Connectivity Fund program support, which will connect over 500,000 students in 47 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. These additional commitments bring the current total commitments to over $3.2 billion. The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, as schools and libraries continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

FCC Establishes Integrity Measures for Emergency Benefit Enrollments Based on Community Eligibility Provision

The Federal Communications Commission's Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued an advisory raising concerns with respect to Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program enrollments based on the USDA National School Lunch Program’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Households with a student enrolled in a school or school district participating in the CEP can qualify for the EBB Program.

FCC Approves Verizon-TracFone Deal with Consumer Protections

The Federal Communications Commission has voted to approve—with strong consumer protection conditions—the transfer of control of TracFone Wireless from América Móvil to Verizon Communications. After rigorous review, the FCC found that the transaction, as modified by Verizon’s enforceable commitments, will make Verizon and TracFone stronger providers of prepaid and Lifeline services. Given the communities that TracFone primarily serves within the US, the FCC adopted a number of binding conditions to address potential harms and to ensure the transaction will be in the public interest.

Chairwoman Rosenworcel responds to senators on agency collaboration to improve broadband connectivity, Lifeline outreach

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent letters to 20 senators on November 10, 2021, in response to their letter urging the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the FCC to share existing data to identify communities without high-speed internet access and improve broadband connectivity.

Remarks of FCC Commissioner Starks at NSR/BCG 5G Conference

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, it’s appropriate to take stock and look to the future. I’d like to reflect on our nation’s progress on 5G and observe a few of the related issues facing us in 2022 and beyond. Since the first mobile deployments in 2019, US 5G service and adoption have steadily expanded. The [Federal Communications Commission] has played a key part in that growth, and we must ensure that it continues. But we must also draw lessons from that work, so we’re prepared for the days ahead.

FCC Grants Market Access for Kinéis Low-Earth Orbit Satellites

The Federal Communications Commission granted a petition from French satellite company Kinéis to offer satellite services in the US market. As detailed in the company’s application, the proposed constellation of 25 small, low-Earth orbit satellites would provide connectivity for Internet of Things devices, as well as enhancements to maritime domain awareness through monitoring of maritime communication.

FCC Proposes Enhanced Competition Incentive Program

The Federal Communications Commission proposed an enhanced competition incentive program to encourage licensees to offer opportunities for small carriers and Tribal Nations to obtain spectrum via lease, partition, or

FCC Seeks Comment on the New Affordable Connectivity Program

The Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on the requirements for the Affordable Connectivity Program and a timeline for its rapid implementation. On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act or Act), which modifies and extends the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) to a longer-term broadband affordability program to be called the Affordable Connectivity Program. The Infrastructure Act directs the FCC to undertake a proceeding to adopt final rules for this modified program.

FCC Announces Conclusion of Bidding in First Phase of Mid-Band Spectrum Auction

The Federal Communications Commission announced the conclusion of bidding in the first phase of Auction 110, an auction of licenses in the 3.45 to 3.55 GHz band. In the clock phase, bidders won 4,041 of the 4,060 available generic blocks, and gross proceeds in the clock phase reached over $21.8 billion, which places Auction 110 among the highest-grossing auctions in FCC history.

FCC Announces Over $700 Million for Broadband in 26 States

The Federal Communications Commission said it is ready to authorize $709,060,159 in its fourth round of funding for new broadband deployments through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. Together with three prior funding wave announcements, the FCC has now announced over $1.7 billion in funding to winning bidders for new deployments.

FCC Awards an Additional $42.16 Million to COVID-19 Telehealth Program Providers

The Federal Communications Commission approved an additional 75 applications for funding commitments totaling $42,163,705 for Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. This is the FCC’s fourth funding announcement of approved Round 2 applications, bringing the total to approximately $166.13 million awarded to health care providers in each state, territory, and the District of Columbia, and completing the first phase of Round 2 of the Program.

FCC Clarifies That COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applicants May Use Updated Hotspot Data

To address the enduring nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission clarifies that for the second round of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program, applicants will receive points on their applications for being located in a hotspot or a sustained hotspot based on the relevant dataset as of either (1) May 6, 2021, the date when the application filing window closed, or (2) November 19, 2021, the date when the ten-day resubmission period closes.

FCC OKs Comcast's Lift Zone Pilot Project

In this Order on Reconsideration, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau reconsiders one aspect of its decision to extend the waiver of certain E-Rate rules until June 30, 2022, and to partially grant Comcast’s request for a waiver of this rule to expand its Lift Zone initiative at seven proposed library systems. The bureau clarifies that Comcast may continue to provide broadband and other services to the seven library systems identified in its petition for the three-year term of its Lift Zone library pilot without running afoul of the E-Rate program gift rule. 

FCC Commits $421 Million in Additional Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it will commit over $421 million in the latest round of Emergency Connectivity Fund announcements, bringing total program commitments to over $3.05 billion. The funding is supporting schools and libraries in all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework and virtual learning, as schools and libraries continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

FCC Pauses Lifeline Minimum Service Standard Increase and Voice-Only Services Phase-Out

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau paused the scheduled phase-out in Lifeline support for voice-only services and the scheduled increase in the mobile broadband data capacity minimum service standards for the Lifeline program. As directed by the FCC in the 2016 Lifeline Order, support for services that meet only the voice minimum service standard is scheduled to be eliminated in most areas on December 1, 2021.

FCC Releases Form 477 Broadband Data

The Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA), in conjunction with the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), released updated data on fixed broadband deployment, and mobile voice and broadband deployment as of December 31, 2020. These data were collected through Federal Communications Commission Form 477 and are available on the FCC’s website.