Pai Makes Rural Broadband Focus of Aug. 3 Commissioners' Meeting
Chairman Ajit Pai will continue his push on rural broadband deployment at commissioners' Aug. 3 meeting in what he called "Rural Broadband Month at the FCC." He circulated draft items, including a public notice initiating the pre-auction process for the Connect America Fund Phase II auction and addressing the challenge process for the Mobility Fund II (MF-II) auction. Commissioners also would consider changes to Form 477, which collects broadband data and a notice of inquiry on midband spectrum. The CAF Phase II draft public notice would propose procedures for implementing a reverse auction of about $2 billion in broadband subsidies.
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The MF-II item moves away from the use of 477 data as the basis for determining whether an area has 4G LTE coverage or is presumptively eligible for MF-II funding. “Instead, the Order would undertake a new, one-time collection of more specific and current data on the deployment of 4G LTE,” said a fact sheet. The FCC would affirm its decision to use 5 Mbps download as the speed benchmark for areas eligible for MF-II support.
“The MF-II challenge process we establish will be administratively efficient, fiscally responsible, and will enable us to resolve eligible area disputes quickly and expeditiously,” the draft order says. The FCC approved the MF-II program in February but left open details on the challenge process, on which it later sought comment (see 1702230042).
The midband NOI looks at spectrum between 3.7 GHz and 24 GHz, as expected (see 1707120043). “It will begin the process of determining whether spectrum in this range can be made available for wireless broadband use and will explore various options for doing so,” said a fact sheet. “The inquiry will focus on exploring potential opportunities in the mid-range bands allocated for exclusive non-federal use and for shared federal and nonfederal use.”
The NOI examines three bands: 3.7-4.2, 5.925-6.425 and 6.425-7.125 GHz. They “garnered interest from stakeholders -- both domestically and internationally -- for expanded flexible use,” the FCC said. The agency also said it would ask about additional bands. An Intel-led group is expected to make a proposal at the FCC for licensed use of the 3.7-4.2 GHz band and unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band.
The CAF II auction would use census block groups as the minimum geographic area for bidding, the draft PN proposed. It made proposals for short-form and long-form applications, reserve prices and bidding procedures. Reserve prices would be calculated using the Connect America Cost Model, and the bidding procedures would include a "multi-round, descending clock auction," the PN would say. "Support will be assigned to no more than one bidder per area. The auction will end after the aggregate support amount of all bids is less than or equal to the total budget and when there is no longer competition for support to any area."
The FCC would seek ways to improve Form 477 data collection and scrap unnecessary or overly burdensome filing requirements. The draft FNPRM would solicit comment on various aspects of data reporting, including possibly eliminating mobile provider duties to submit data by spectrum band for each technology, and possibly scrapping or streamlining collection of fixed provider "business/government/enterprise data." It would examine "publicly providing minimum advertised speed data for mobile services" and "revising the filing frequency of Form 477 data."
Pai also circulated an order and Further NPRM on wireless renewal and service continuity reform. “To ensure that licensees not only begin operating, but remain operating, the Commission has adopted rules on construction, service continuity, and renewal of licenses,” said a fact sheet. “These rules have been adopted over decades on a license-by-license basis, resulting in a patchwork of service-specific rules.”
Pai discussed the items in a blog post, which mentioned his tour this week to check on broadband connectivity in Mid-Atlantic states. “I saw the cost of lack of access at almost every stop during this week’s travels,” he wrote. “In Hampshire County, West Virginia, I heard how a resort in the town of Capon Springs that doesn’t have broadband has had trouble attracting guests, who prize connectivity. On that same stop, I spoke with the owner of a chocolate store from nearby Kirby who told me that poor or nonexistent Internet access prevents him from serving his customers, maintaining the store’s Facebook page, and growing his business.”