Capitol Hill As the year’s legislative calendar winds down, a large new infrastructure spending program with dedicated funding for broadband appears dead. Attention is on smaller pieces of bi-partisan legislation addressing unwanted robocalls, narrowly targeted funding for “digital dead zones,” and mapping. Targeted infrastructure funding is partly addressed by a Senate appropriations bill that devotes … Continue Reading
Capitol Hill House Democrats’ “Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act” (LIFT America Act) –containing $40 billion dedicated for broadband, largely through reverse auctions – remains pending. While prospects for significant federal spending on a new broadband program remain in limbo, Congress has allocated further funding to the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) ReConnect funding … Continue Reading
Capitol Hill We continue to expect that House Democrats will pass their “Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act” (LIFT America Act) infrastructure proposal, however, any deal with President Trump on infrastructure remains on hold. The House bill includes $45 billion in broadband funding – $30 billion in reverse auction funds to be administered by the … Continue Reading
The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has released a tentative Report and Order, scheduled for a vote on July 10, which, if adopted, will lift many restrictions from the Educational Broadband Service (EBS), including allowing educational institutions to sell their licenses to commercial entities and eliminating the requirement that 5% of system capacity be reserved for … Continue Reading
Broadband on Capitol Hill House Democrats have unveiled their $2 trillion dollar infrastructure package called the “Leading Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s America Act” (LIFT America Act). A House hearing was held May 22 with testimony from, among others, former FCC Commissioner Clyburn. The legislation includes $45 billion in broadband funding: $30 billion in reverse auction funds to … Continue Reading
On the books for the FCC’s May Open Meeting will be a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding rule changes to establish commercial eligibility for Educational Broadband Service (EBS) licenses and to “rationalize” the EBS service areas. EBS is not a well-known radio service, so to appreciate the significance of these changes, a little history … Continue Reading
With renewed interest in EBS leasing, now appears to be a good time for EBS licensees to review some of the more prominent compensation-related factors involved in the process.… Continue Reading
A group led by the National Educational Broadband Service Association has proposed a plan to expand existing EBS service areas, paving the way for opportunities to file for EBS spectrum that has lain fallow for years.… Continue Reading
Comment deadlines have been set in the proceeding that looks to relax out-of-band emission limits for the Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) in the 2.5 GHz band.… Continue Reading
Licensees in the Educational Broadband Service can breathe easier now: their deadline for demonstrating substantial service has just been extended.… Continue Reading
A long-promised Public Notice clarifies when and how BRS and EBS licensees must demonstrate that they have been providing "substantial service" during their most recent license term.… Continue Reading
With a long-dreaded deadline of May 1, 2011 to demonstrate substantial use of their spectrum looming nearer and nearer, some Educational Broadband Service (EBS) parties are seeking a six-month extension of time. The Commission wants to know how you feel about that request.… Continue Reading
The status of hoary Educational Broadband Service leases has been up in the air for some time -- but things may start moving again now, thanks to a long-awaited ruling.… Continue Reading
Christmas has come early for late-filing EBS/BRS applicants. After sitting on a host of late-filed renewal applications for more than two years, the Wireless Bureau's Broadband Division has finally decided to accept the filings and process the applications.… Continue Reading
