FCC Releases Preliminary List and Map of Eligible Areas for RDOF Phase I

Mar 17, 2020
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FCC Conducts Limited Challenge Process With April 10, 2020 Deadline

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Today the Wireline Competition Bureau (“Bureau”) of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) released the preliminary list of census blocks and a map of areas that have been deemed initially eligible for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (“RDOF”) Phase I auction (Auction 904).  The list of census blocks, associated census block groups and census tracts can be accessed at this FCC link: https://www.fcc.gov/auction/904. The map can be accessed at this FCC link:  https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/maps/auction-904-preliminary-eligible-areas/.

The Bureau is conducting a limited challenge process that will provide parties with an opportunity to identify census blocks that fall into one of three categories by April 10, 2020:

1) Current Form 477 filers should identify as ineligible any census blocks
 that have become served with voice and 25/3 Mbps or better broadband
 services since June 30, 2019;
2) Parties may identify as ineligible any census blocks that have been
 awarded funding (already paid or a formal commitment) by a federal or
 state broadband subsidy for 25/3 Mbps or better service; and
3) rate-of-return carriers may identify as potentially eligible any census
 blocks within their service areas as ones where they do not expect to extend
 broadband to satisfy their USF deployment obligations.

 

The Bureau will release the final list of eligible blocks prior to the short-form application deadline, after taking into consideration comments received in the above three categories.

We encourage you to review the initially eligible areas to determine if your company needs to submit a challenge, as well as to assess potential areas of interest for participating in the RDOF Phase I auction.  If you would like to learn more about participating in the RDOF auction, please contact Robin Tuttle, [email protected], Clare Andonov, [email protected], or Dee Herman, [email protected].