Comments and Reply Comments Due 30 and 60 days after Federal Register Publication On February 22, 2022, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Promoting Telehealth in Rural America docket, which seeks comment on revisions to the Rural Health Care Telecom Program (“Program”), the Rates Database […]

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (“RUS”) has extended the ReConnect Phase 3 application deadline from February 22, 2022 to March 9, 2022. The ReConnect Phase 3 program provides RUS funding through loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in underserved rural areas. The funds can be used for construction […]

New Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) rule changes to the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum band allow EBS licensees greater flexibility to lease, assign and transfer their licenses.[1] Most notably, the new rules eliminate the EBS educational eligibility restriction and allow EBS licensees to freely sell their EBS licenses to non-educational entities.[2] Despite these changes in […]

The Federal Communications Commission’s (“FCC”) Form 477, a semi-annual report on information collected about broadband connections to end-user locations, wired and wireless local telephone services, and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) services, must be submitted by March 1, 2022. This next report covers data collected from July 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. Four […]

Telecommunications carriers, including interconnected VoIP providers, are required to establish and maintain systems designed to ensure they protect their subscribers’ Customer Proprietary Network Information (“CPNI”) and are required to file an annual CPNI compliance certification no later than Tuesday, March 1, 2022 (for data pertaining to the previous calendar year). If a telecommunications provider fails […]

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has announced that it is establishing the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan (“Accountability Plan”) for USF High Cost programs, including the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The Accountability Plan expands the Universal Service Administrative Company’s (“USAC”) existing audit and verification processes, implementing a number of changes and enhancements to increase audits and […]

As a reminder, the ReConnect Phase 3 application window closes on February 22, 2022. Please see more information below from our previous e-mail. If you need assistance navigating this program, applying for funds or assistance with a legal opinion as part of the application, please contact Clare Andonov at [email protected], or Hilary Rosenthal at [email protected]. […]