The FCC issued an order raising by 43 percent a USF Rural Health Care Program cap to $571 million to account for 20 years of inflation and address a funding shortfall in the face of rising demand. With the unanimous order released Monday in docket 17-310, "the FCC takes swift and long-overdue action to address this critical funding crisis," said Chairman Ajit Pai. He and Commissioner Brendan Carr said other steps would provide longer-term certainty. The agency ordered the budget cap be adjusted annually for inflation, with a process to carry forward unused funds from past funding years for future use. The order is "a first step in a much-needed process to revamp the program to ensure that it is operated in a predictable, sustainable, and accountable manner," said Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, who said "there is much more to do." He also said the order "highlights the need for an overall cap" on USF. He said the FCC should work with other agencies "to determine how our rather narrow telemedicine program works within the larger health care system." He said the FCC doesn't get credit for RHC Program benefits to other agencies. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said: "While injecting more funding into the program is the right call, we need to acknowledge our actions here are no more than a short-term band-aid. If we want this program to truly thrive, it is going to require more long-term care and attention." Pai's draft order (see 1806060057) received votes of all colleagues recently (see 1806140017 and 1806190063).
The FCC issued an order raising by 43 percent a USF Rural Health Care Program cap to $571 million to account for 20 years of inflation and address a funding shortfall in the face of rising demand. With the unanimous order released Monday in docket 17-310, "the FCC takes swift and long-overdue action to address this critical funding crisis," said Chairman Ajit Pai. He and Commissioner Brendan Carr said other steps would provide longer-term certainty. The agency ordered the budget cap be adjusted annually for inflation, with a process to carry forward unused funds from past funding years for future use. The order is "a first step in a much-needed process to revamp the program to ensure that it is operated in a predictable, sustainable, and accountable manner," said Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, who said "there is much more to do." He also said the order "highlights the need for an overall cap" on USF. He said the FCC should work with other agencies "to determine how our rather narrow telemedicine program works within the larger health care system." He said the FCC doesn't get credit for RHC Program benefits to other agencies. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said: "While injecting more funding into the program is the right call, we need to acknowledge our actions here are no more than a short-term band-aid. If we want this program to truly thrive, it is going to require more long-term care and attention." Pai's draft order (see 1806060057) received votes of all colleagues recently (see 1806140017 and 1806190063).
Telecom-focused lawmaker reactions to Monday's effective date of the FCC order rescinding 2015 net neutrality rules largely reflected longstanding positions. And rescission supporters compared opponents’ reaction to the panic in 1999 over Y2K.
Telecom-focused lawmaker reactions to Monday's effective date of the FCC order rescinding 2015 net neutrality rules largely reflected longstanding positions. And rescission supporters compared opponents’ reaction to the panic in 1999 over Y2K.
Commissioners were in lockstep Thursday as they approved a high-band Further NPRM, though there was a party-line rift over the pre-auction limit of 1250 MHz of millimeter-wave spectrum that any party can buy at auction. The agency is sending "confusing signals" to industry given those limits and yet not committing to a time frame for making available more spectrum, said sole Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who dissented in part. Her support of the pre-auction limits was unclear (see 1805250058). The FCC said there was no substantive changes from the draft, but the approved item wasn't released Thursday. Commissioners also Thursday approved a telecom discontinuance streamlining order and six other items (see 1806070021).
Commissioners were in lockstep Thursday as they approved a high-band Further NPRM, though there was a party-line rift over the pre-auction limit of 1250 MHz of millimeter-wave spectrum that any party can buy at auction. The agency is sending "confusing signals" to industry given those limits and yet not committing to a time frame for making available more spectrum, said sole Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who dissented in part. Her support of the pre-auction limits was unclear (see 1805250058). The FCC said there was no substantive changes from the draft, but the approved item wasn't released Thursday. Commissioners also Thursday approved a telecom discontinuance streamlining order and six other items (see 1806070021).
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn's “closing statement” Wednesday summed up her accomplishments at the FCC and her regrets. Though Clyburn announced she was leaving, sat out the May meeting and held a farewell ceremony last month, she has continued to vote on some things, attend events as a commissioner (see 1805180042) and issued a call for ISP data for low-income broadband package subscriber information earlier in the day. Though the statement is labeled a closing one, and reads like a farewell, it doesn’t expressly say Clyburn is now officially stepping down. Her office didn’t comment.
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn's “closing statement” Wednesday summed up her accomplishments at the FCC and her regrets. Though Clyburn announced she was leaving, sat out the May meeting and held a farewell ceremony last month, she has continued to vote on some things, attend events as a commissioner (see 1805180042) and issued a call for ISP data for low-income broadband package subscriber information earlier in the day. Though the statement is labeled a closing one, and reads like a farewell, it doesn’t expressly say Clyburn is now officially stepping down. Her office didn’t comment.
FCC Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel, appearing together at a WifiForward event, agreed the FCC needs to make more spectrum available for Wi-Fi. Both expressed impatience with the slow pace of opening the 5.9 GHz band for sharing with Wi-Fi. O’Rielly said later he doesn’t have a firm timetable for the release of proposed rules for the 3.5 GHz citizens broadband radio service band.
With less than two weeks before the June 7 commissioners’ meeting, how the votes will shape up on the high-band Further NPRM (see 1805160051) remains unclear. The draft NPRM proposes to eliminate the pre-auction limit of 1250 MHz on the amount of millimeter-wave spectrum in the 28 GHz, 37 GHz and 39 GHz bands that any party can buy at auction. FCC Democrats historically favored aggregation limits, usually opposed by Republicans. FCC Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel is still studying the draft and has reached no conclusions, industry and FCC officials said Friday. The item is one of 12 on one of the biggest agendas in a long time for an FCC open meeting.