NTIA awarded the Ione Band of Miwok Indians $459,000 through the tribal broadband connectivity program, said a news release Friday (see 2206240068). The funding will be used to develop a "comprehensive high-speed internet infrastructure deployment plan" for tribal lands in rural Amador County, California. “The Ione Band of Miwok Indians’ plan to connect their critical wellness, housing, and community centers is a testament to how high-speed internet service can uplift entire communities," said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson. The agency has granted 44 awards totaling more than $91 million to date. Awards will continue to be announced on a rolling basis, NTIA said.
The Department of Agriculture awarded $401 million through the ReConnect program and telecom infrastructure loan and loan guarantee program, said a news release Thursday. USDA plans to announce additional awards "later this summer" (see 2110220040). The new funding "will help 31,000 people and businesses in large and diverse regions across the country access new and critical opportunities," said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. NTCA said 13 of its members received more than $200 million in this round of funding. "We look forward to continuing to work with USDA and other federal and state entities to ensure that community-based providers of all kinds can help rural Americans realize the fullest benefits of these broadband investments," said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield.
The Rural Utilities Service wants comments by Sept. 26 on information collection associated with funding requests for equipment contracts for telecom and broadband loan borrowers, said a notice in Wednesday's Federal Register. Comments are due in docket RUS-22-TELECOM-0044. RUS also announced it intends to request an extension of an already approved information collection for the distance learning and telemedicine loan and grant program.
States and territories participating in NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment program and applicants for the middle-mile broadband infrastructure program should “familiarize themselves” with resources on identifying “project-specific climate-related threats” when establishing their broadband plans, said NTIA Director-Communications Policy Initiatives Russ Hanser during a webinar Wednesday. “This is an important part of these programs” and "we do expect increased climate and severe weather-related risks to be a factor in network design and network maintenance over the next 20 years,” Hanser said, so “this is the best way to get started on thinking about those issues and building into the design when proposing projects and building projects with these federal funds.” Projects won’t be considered “cleared” under the National Environmental Policy Act “until NTIA issues that decision document” confirming it is, said Amanda Pereira, First Responder Network Authority NEPA coordinator-program analyst: “When we are looking at project descriptions, what we are trying to assess is what's going to be the impact on the physical environment and so, having an understanding of the physical imprint of the project is critical.” Applicants should “turn in the best project that they think is the best solution and we will work with them” if there are any categorical exclusions during an environmental assessment, said NTIA Middle Mile Director Sarah Bleau.
The FCC issued notices of apparent liability for more than $4 million Friday against 73 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I applicants for allegedly defaulting on their bids between July 26, 2021, and March 10. “Each of these applicants defaulted on its respective bids for support by withdrawing its application with respect to certain areas, or by its failure to meet deadlines and requirements to which it agreed when it participated in Auction 904,” the FCC said: “By defaulting on their bids, these applicants hindered the disbursement of funds that could have otherwise been expended for the advancement of broadband access across primarily rural areas in the United States.”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued an order Thursday directing all voice service providers to "stop carrying traffic regarding a known robocall scam marketing auto warranties," said a news release. The order directs providers to block the robocall traffic made by Roy Cox, Aaron Jones and affiliated company Sumco Panama. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) earlier filed a lawsuit against nearly two dozen individuals for engaging in a suspected illegal robocall campaign (see 2207070072).
The FCC Wireline Bureau partially granted a request to extend the deadline for reply comments on a Further NPRM on pole replacement rules (see 2207130057). Replies are now due by Aug. 26, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 17-84. Utility companies asked the FCC to extend the deadline to Sept. 26. The bureau said comments filed "have indeed demonstrated the complexity of the issues at hand" and in part granted the extension based on "identified uncertainty regarding the status of confidential filings in the record."
FCC staff scheduled a workshop at the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma Aug. 9-10 for tribal governments, employees, and members to "identify and evaluate opportunities to develop more robust broadband infrastructure and services in tribal communities," said a public notice Monday. Attendees will also get information about various FCC programs and data collection efforts. The commission invited representatives from NTIA to speak about its programs and the Universal Service Administrative Co. to provide training on the E-rate program's application process.
The FCC's compensation formula for IP relay providers through the Telecom Relay Service Fund takes effect Monday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the formula in June (see 2206300058).
The North American Numbering Council will meet virtually Oct. 4. at 2 p.m. EDT, said a public notice Friday in docket 92-237. The group will vote on the numbering administration oversight working group's recommendations on "the feasibility of individual telephone number pooling trials." NANC had been scheduled to vote on the recommendations in August (see 2205020041).