Public Notice

Louisiana Draft Digital Equity Plan

This plan outlines Louisiana’s first coordinated effort to assess the state’s digital divide and move Louisiana toward digital equity.

Social Media and Youth Mental Health

This advisory describes the current evidence on the impacts of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents. It states that we cannot conclude social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents and outlines immediate steps we can take to mitigate the risk of harm to children and adolescents. Key takeaways:

FCC Directs USAC to Fully Fund Eligible E-Rate Requests

The Federal Communications Commission announced that there is sufficient funding available to fully meet the Universal Service Administrative Company’s (USAC) estimated demand for category one and category two requests for E-Rate-supported services for the funding year 2023. On March 29, 2023, USAC submitted a demand estimate for the E-Rate program for funding year 2023. USAC estimates the total demand for the funding year 2023 will be $2.944 billion, which includes estimated demand for category one services of $1.658 billion and $1.286 billion for category two services.

Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Awards $16.6 Million in Broadband Expansion Grants for 24 Projects

On May 18, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) awarded funding from the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program. The Commission awarded $16,601,085 for 24 projects that will expand broadband internet to 6,042 residential and 276 business locations that are underserved. The projects receiving awards will impact 19 counties.

Affordable Connectivity Program Recertification

Recertification is an annual requirement for Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) subscribers. Service providers with Federal Communications Commission-approved alternative verification processes or that use a school-based eligibility verification process for the national school lunch or breakfast program must conduct recertification for those subscribers. For all other ACP subscribers, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) conducts recertification to ensure that ACP subscribers are still eligible for the benefit.

Treasury Releases SLFRF and CPF Supplementary Broadband Guidance

On May 17, 2023, The US Department of the Treasury released supplementary broadband guidance for its State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) and Capital Projects Fund (CPF). As provided for in each SLFRF and CPF award agreement, the Uniform Guidance applies to all uses of funds made available under those awards unless provided otherwise by Treasury. In response to questions from recipients and internet service providers, Treasury issued this guidance regarding the application of the Uniform Guidance to broadband infrastructure projects.

FCC Releases Broadband Funding Map

The Federal Communications Commission has released the Broadband Funding Map. The Broadband Funding Map allows users to identify, search, and filter federal funding programs by the Internet Service Provider receiving funding, the duration timeline, the number of locations included in the project, and the download and upload speeds. In addition to depicting where broadband funding exists, the Broadband Funding Map contains broadband availability data as of June 30, 2022—the same data that currently appear on the National Broadband Map.

FCC Extends Emergency Connectivity Fund Service Delivery Deadline

The Federal Communications Commission granted, in part, a Request for Waiver filed by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN).

Emergency Connectivity Fund Guidance for End of Emergency Period

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of the Managing Director (OMD) offer guidance to participants in the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program on the expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11, 2023 and announce June 30, 2024 as the sunset date for the ECF Program. As part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Act), Congress appropriated $7.171 billion and directed the FCC to promulgate rules to distribute funding from the ECF to eligible schools and libraries for the purchase during the COVID-19 emergency period of eligibl

FCC Seeks Comment on Modifying the Calculation of Broadband Benchmarks

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB or Bureau)—in coordination with the Office of Economics and Analytics—seeks comment on modifying the calculation of the FCC's broadband reasonable comparability benchmarks for the Urban Rate Survey (URS or Survey). In particular, the Bureau seeks comment on methods for calculating benchmarks for a wider spectrum of service speeds as well as other proposed improvements. The FCC seeks comments on whether it should change how it calculates its broadband benchmarks using data collected through the URS.

FCC Announces New Affordable Connectivity Program Application Landing Page at Getinternet.Gov

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced a new Affordable Connectivity Program application landing page available at GetInternet.gov.

FCC Seeks Comment on Proposed 2023 Mandatory Data Collection for Incarcerated People's Communications Services

The Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on the contours and specific requirements of the proposed 2023 Mandatory Data Collection for incarcerated people’s communications services (IPCS).

FCC Announces 2023-2024 Allocations for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program

Under the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also called “iCanConnect,” the Federal Communications Commission may provide up to $10 million annually from the interstate telecommunications relay service fund (TRS Fund) to support local programs that distribute equipment to eligible low-income individuals who are deafblind, so that these individuals can access telecommunications service, Internet access service, and advanced communications services. On April 25, the FCC announced the funding allocations for the NDBEDP for 2023-2024.

NTIA Seeks Comment on BEAD Challenge Process

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is proposing to issue 1) a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Challenge Process Policy Notice to provide Eligible Entities with additional guidance on how to design and conduct their BEAD challenge process and 2) A BEAD Model Challenge Process to provide Eligible Entities.

Principles for Promoting Efficient Use of Spectrum and Opportunities for New Services

The Federal Communications Commission adopted the following spectrum management principles.

Interference Realities

Update on Wind Down of COVID-19 Telehealth Program

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau and Office of the Managing Director announced that the service delivery/receipt deadline for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program was April 10, 2023, due to the signing and enactment of the joint resolution ending the COVID-19 national emergency on the same day. This guidance supersedes earlier guidance identifying May 11, 2023, as the service delivery/receipt deadline.

FCC Adopts White Spaces Order

As the Federal Communications Commission continues taking steps to sustain and spur growth within the white space ecosystem, we adopt three orders addressing pending issues associated with white space devices. These actions will provide additional certainty to white space device users and manufacturers to enable unlicensed white space devices to operate efficiently while protecting other spectrum users. In the Report and Order we adopt rules specifying the database re-check interval for the new categories of mobile and narrowband white space devices established in 2020.

Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Grant Program – Expanding Testing and Evaluation

The Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund will invest $1.5 billion in the development of open and interoperable networks. By demonstrating the viability of new, open-architecture approaches to wireless networks, this initial round of funding will help to ensure that the future of 5G and next-gen wireless technology is built by the US and its global allies and partners—not vendors from nations that threaten our national security.

FCC Announces Comment Dates for the Martha Wright-Reed Act

The Federal Communications Commission' Wireline Competition Bureau announced that comments in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on issues related to the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 are due no later than May 8, 2023, and reply comments are due no later than June 6, 2023. The Notice, which seeks comment on matters related to implementing the new Act and establishing just and reasonable rates and charges for incarcerated people’s communications services, requires that comments and reply comments be filed no later than 30 days an

Connect America Fund Phase II Auction Post-Authorization Defaults Announced

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) announced that Gila Local Exchange Carrier d/b/a Alluvion Communications (GLEC) and Fond du Lac Communications (Fond du Lac) have notified the FCC of their decisions to withdraw from the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II auction support program. Fond du Lac’s and GLEC’s letters constitute notification to the FCC that they are defaulting on their obligations to meet their service milestones.

FCC Announces Final List of Entities Selected for Affordable Connectivity Pilot Programs

The Federal Communications Commission announced the final list of 34 entities selected for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Pilot Programs, which are aimed at providing ACP outreach and application assistance to eligible households. The two ACP Pilot Programs are: (1) the Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program, which is focused on ACP outreach and application support to recipients of federal housing assistance; and (2) the ACP Navigator Pilot Program, which provides selected entities access to the National Verifier to help low-income households complete and submit their ACP applica

FCC Releases Tutorials on Responding to Mobile Wireless Challenges

The Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Task Force announced the release of two tutorial videos to educate providers on how to prepare and submit responses to challenges to mobile wireless coverage data filed in the Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The first video provides an overview of the FCC's rules for responding to a challenge, timelines for mobile service providers to respond to challenges, how a provider can demonstrate mobile coverage in an area, and types of evidence that may be used to rebut a challenge in different scenarios.

Proposed Supplementary Broadband Guidance

As provided for in each Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) and Capital Projects Fund (CPF) award agreement, the Uniform Guidance applies to all uses of funds made available under those awards unless provided otherwise by the US Department of the Treasury. In response to questions from recipients and internet service providers, Treasury is proposing to issue the following guidance regarding the application of the Uniform Guidance to broadband infrastructure projects.

Promoting Telehealth to Low-Income Consumers; COVID-19 Telehealth Program

In this report, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau analyzes how the Connected Care Pilot Program and the COVID-19 Telehealth Program impacted healthcare providers’ use of telehealth services. Telehealth took on an increasingly critical role in healthcare delivery during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.