The COVID-19 telehealth program round two application filing window opens April 29 at noon EDT, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday in docket 20-89. The filing window closes May 6 (see 2103300063). “Telehealth has been at the forefront of this effort, and I’m pleased to announce that additional support is just around the corner,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “Today the FCC announced it will open the application process for the second half of COVID-19 telehealth program funding later this month. The FCC is dedicated to moving quickly to review and approve applications for this funding to support health care providers and patients across the country.”
Audio-Technica recalled the charging cases sold with ATH-CK3TW wireless headphones due to a fire hazard, said the Consumer Product Safety Commission Wednesday. The company received four reports of incidents of the charging cases overheating, all outside the U.S., resulting in damage to the charging cases and the surfaces on which charging occurred. No injuries were reported, it said. Consumers should immediately stop using the charging cases and contact Audio-Technica for instructions on returning the cases for a free replacement charging case. The company will provide a prepaid return shipping label and send a replacement charging case upon receipt of the returned one. The headphones and cases were sold December 2019-February 2021 for between $100 and $120. The recall affects about 7,450 units.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by May 13, replies by May 28, on petitions for eligible telecom carrier designation to participate in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, a public notice said Tuesday in docket 09-197. SpaceX's Starlink, Mediacom and Altice are among the winning bidders seeking ETC designation.
Comments are due May 29 on the FTC’s April 29 workshop on digital "dark patterns," said the agency Friday (see 2102240045). It seeks comments on definitions of dark patterns and their marketplace prevalence, plus their harms and mitigation and their influence on consumers. The workshop will discuss dark patterns as "a range of potentially deceptive or unfair user interface designs used on websites and mobile apps," said the agency.
Verizon recalled Ellipses Jetpack mobile hot spots imported by Franklin Wireless due to fire and burn hazards, said the Consumer Product Safety Commission Thursday. Verizon received 15 reports of devices overheating, including six reports of fire damage to bedding or flooring and two reports of minor burn injuries. The hot spots were sold at Verizon stores nationwide and other stores April 2017-March for $50-$150. The recalled devices are in a dark navy plastic oval housing with Verizon printed below the display window, and the paired charger has a sticker on the wire that says: “Compatible: FWC MHS900L, Model: FWCR900TVL, DC151030.” Consumers should power the unit off and keep it away from combustibles until it can be returned to Verizon. Users who need the hot spot for internet access should plug it in and power it on to receive two automatic over-the-air software updates that enable an ID number to be viewed on screen and prevent the device from charging while powered on. When it's not in use, they should turn it off and unplug it, CPSC said. Owners can call Verizon toll-free at 855-205-2627 or go online at www.EllipsisJetpackRecall.expertinquiry.com for information on receiving a free replacement device, said CPSC.
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough “advised that a revised budget resolution may contain budget reconciliation instructions,” opening up the possibility of Democrats using that process again in FY 2021 to pass an infrastructure spending package or another measure, said the office of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Monday. That "allows Democrats additional tools to improve the lives of Americans if Republican obstruction continues," the office said. Democrats began floating the possibility last month of using reconciliation on an infrastructure bill (see 2103160001). New America's Open Technology Institute and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies proposed using "the windfall proceeds of current and anticipated spectrum auctions" to pay for a "Digital Futures Foundation" aimed at investing "in the significant advancements in public-purpose applications and services needed to close the various digital equity gaps for the benefit of all the American people." Some lawmakers are reexamining the possibility of using spectrum auction proceeds to pay for broadband funding in an infrastructure package (see 2104010062). Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said Tuesday he backs an increase in the corporate tax rate to pay for infrastructure.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau is investigating whether major wireless carriers are in compliance with rules requiring them to start delivering 911 callers’ vertical location information on calls in the top 25 cellular market areas by Saturday, the FCC said Friday. They're required to certify deployment by June 2. AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile asked for 18-month waivers of the requirement (see 2103050043). Public safety groups opposed delays (see 2011040032). “Today we are taking action to ensure that wireless providers deliver on their public safety obligations,” acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said: “The FCC adopted comprehensive rules to improve location information for 911 wireless calls back in 2015. But there has been too little progress since then, and I have consistently called on this agency to do more to ensure that our rules are delivering actionable information.” Accurate location information “is critical in emergency situations,” a Verizon spokesperson said: “It is a priority we share. But in this case there are technical requirements that are outside of our control.” Verizon will “continue to work constructively with the Commission and public safety stakeholders to achieve our common goals in the months ahead,” the spokesperson said. “We have spent years and significant resources to improve 911 by providing public safety accurate latitude and longitude information to locate a caller’s address,” said an AT&T spokesperson: “We continue to work with the FCC, our industry partners and public safety to help locate 911 callers in multi-story buildings by adding vertical location information that meets or exceeds accuracy benchmarks.” T-Mobile didn’t comment Friday. In a waiver request, AT&T said its “compliance depends in large part on the actions of others” and “on events outside of any party’s control.” Verizon and T-Mobile also said failure to meet the deadline was beyond their control (see here and here).
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr traveled to Mississippi with Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., to promote telehealth and rural connectivity, a news release said Thursday. On the agenda were visits to a rural broadband build to discuss the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (see 2103080042) and to two medical centers to promote the COVID-19 telehealth program and Connected Care pilot program (see 2103300063). One of the facilities, the Center for Telehealth at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, received funding from the Connected Care program and during round one of the COVID-19 telehealth program. Also on the trip was a stop at Jackson State University to discuss “the evolution of the communications industry, the impact of the internet on curriculums and post-graduation employment, and the benefits of collegiate journalism and media studies programs."
The Fiber Broadband Association plans to focus on increasing support for "symmetric gigabit broadband deployment" and opposing low earth-orbiting satellite deployment for rural broadband, CEO Gary Bolton wrote members Wednesday. SpaceX's Starlink, which won 85% of sub-1 Gbps awards in the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction (see 2102080072), "will not meet the performance requirements specified" and "does not provide a path to fiber," Bolton said. SpaceX didn't respond to a request for comment.