FCC Solicits Comment on Amending Accessibility Rules for IVCS: In this Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) requests further comment on whether to amend its...more
IAC Addresses Issues for State, Local and Tribal Governments Under FCC Jurisdiction - The Federal Communications Commission has announced the reauthorization of the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC or Committee)...more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established a new program, the Enhanced Competition Incentive Program (ECIP), designed to further help close the digital divide by fostering increased access to wireless...more
In 1936, during the throes of the Great Depression, the federal government launched the Rural Electrification Act to provide electricity to the people living outside of cities and towns. While 90% of homes in urban and...more
The past several months have seen a number of new funding opportunities for the deployment, adoption and affordability of broadband services on tribal lands. This alert provides a quick update on these various opportunities....more
Background Details on 2.5 GHz Rural Tribal Window - The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) is presenting federally recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages with a unique opportunity to directly access...more
Tribal governments in rural areas, with a population of 50,000 or less, have until Aug. 3, 2020, to apply for a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to directly access unassigned spectrum over their lands....more
We have previously issued several alerts regarding the ability of eligible tribal entities to apply for certain airwave licenses that can be used for wireless internet access and other services. The window for applying for...more
As we previously reported, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will provide rural tribes with an opportunity to apply for free wireless airwaves in the 2.5 GHz band. The FCC has now set the window during which...more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comment on ways to improve the dialogue between tribes and carriers that provide subsidized telephone and broadband services to tribal areas using federal universal...more
On Sept. 18, 2019, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing on tribal access to spectrum. Spectrum are slices of airwaves used to send signals to wireless devices like smartphones. One of the key messages was...more
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released an order making available certain airwaves for broadband wireless services on rural tribal lands. These airwaves, in the 2.5 GHz spectrum band, were previously set...more
As directed by Congress in last year’s RAY BAUM’s Act, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) delivered to the House and Senate Commerce committees its evaluation of broadband coverage in Indian country. The FCC’s bottom...more