Local officials and E-rate groups asked the FCC to heed calls to abandon its proposed centralized online competitive bidding portal for the program, said reply comments in docket 21-455 (see 2204280051). Many said the record showed such a change would hurt smaller E-rate participants and remains unnecessary. Some advocated for updates to the Universal Service Administrative Co.'s training and how it shares information with participants.
Economists and telecom experts urged NTIA to develop evaluation and accountability metrics to ensure the $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access, and deployment program is effective in reaching unserved and underserved communities during a Technology Policy Institute webinar Tuesday (see 2205240052). Some suggested NTIA release specific metrics on the type of data states should submit or allow for independent reviews once the program ends.
Disability rights advocates and digital navigators on Wednesday urged the FCC to emphasize accessibility in its forthcoming consumer broadband labels. Several panelists at the commission’s third public hearing on the labels highlighted the need for multiple languages and alternative formats for individuals who may not understand technical language (see 2204080027).
NTIA has a “keen interest in making sure that there's strong oversight” on how the $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access and deployment program is spent, said Administrator Alan Davidson Tuesday during a Mountain Connect conference in Colorado (see 2205130054). The agency “left flexibility” in its notice of funding opportunity, Davidson said, but included “basic requirements” on accountability, subgrantees and affordability to ensure that “federal money is being spent wisely,” he said: “We tried to take the principle of if it didn’t need to be in the notice, it’s not there.”
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $65 billion broadband investment presents an opportunity to bridge the digital divide for students and improve workforce development across the country, industry experts and officials said Monday during a Software & Information Industry Association webinar. Panelists said the FCC, NTIA and other agencies should ensure their programs are sustainable and promote digital equity.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $65 billion broadband investment presents an opportunity to bridge the digital divide for students and improve workforce development across the country, industry experts and officials said Monday during a Software & Information Industry Association webinar. Panelists said the FCC, NTIA and other agencies should ensure their programs are sustainable and promote digital equity.
Citing the need to modernize the FCC's high cost USF programs and align them with recent federal broadband investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commissioners on Thursday unanimously adopted an NPRM seeking comment on an Alternative Connect America Cost Model (ACAM) Broadband Coalition proposal extending the program. The proposal would increase deployment obligations in exchange for additional funding, and seeks comment on whether to extend participation to carriers that haven't already been participating in the program.
Healthcare organizations and state agencies backed the Health and Human Services Department's request for clarification that certain prerecorded calls and text messages are permissible under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (see 2205020059). Stakeholders said the planned calling and texting campaigns would help eligible individuals remain enrolled in Medicaid, the children's health insurance program (CHIP) and the basic health program (BHP), in comments posted Wednesday in docket 02-278.
Industry and consumer advocacy organizations disagreed on the severity of digital discrimination and on potential solutions, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 22-69. The FCC sought comments on how to combat digital discrimination as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The law directed the FCC to adopt rules that prevent discrimination based on income, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin.
A draft FCC order that would impose certain requirements on gateway providers would help efforts to curb illegal robocalls originating abroad and is likely to be unanimously adopted during commissioners' Thursday meeting, industry executives told us (see 2204280059). Some providers sought clarifying language in the draft, saying it would streamline efforts and further disrupt bad actors. Several said a requirement for a Stir/Shaken C-level attestation would be too costly.