May 20, 2022

NATE to Participate at United Nations Sponsored Telecommunications Conference in Africa 

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association announced today the organization’s participation at the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) being held in Kigali, Rwanda, between June 6-16.  

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies, with 193 member states, is hosting this landmark conference focusing on "connecting the unconnected", with multiple heads of state and government ministers from around the world attending. 

NATE Wireless Industry Network Pacific Regional Ambassador Jesse Petrilla, President of Petrilla Technologies, LLC, will serve as NATE's official representative to the conference and a part of the Department of State's U.S. delegation.  

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our delegation to reach out and find ways to bring meaningful connectivity to unserved people around the world,” said Petrilla. "I am honored to be a representative of NATE and the United States to this conference and look forward to helping build relationships with our international partners.” 

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association with over 1,130 member companies, dedicated to providing a unified voice in the diverse tower, broadband and communications infrastructure construction, service, and maintenance industries. 

For more information on the World Telecommunication Development Conference, visit HERE. To learn more about Jess Petrilla’s NATE Wireless Industry Network leadership role, click HERE. For more information on NATE, visit www.natehome.com.  

ICYMI: NATE Statement on NTIA’s Guidance on Implementation of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s BEAD Program 

NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association issued the following statement on the release of NTIA’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that provides the formal start for states to apply for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grants and select partners in delivering internet access to unserved and underserved areas of the country. The BEAD Program includes $42.45 billion dollars in funding that was allocated as part of the comprehensive Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). 

“NATE looks forward to conducting a thorough review of the Notice of Funding Opportunity released today by the NTIA. NATE and our over 1,100 member companies encompassing all 50 states have routinely asserted that the effective, efficient deployment of broadband funds as a means of bringing connectivity to all areas of the country must by necessity be technology neutral. As the BEAD Program money begins to flow to the states, it is imperative that broadband deployment be technology neutral – incorporating both fiber and wireless technologies such as fixed wireless, because we must use the technology that fits the unique geography and topography of each area and ensure that we are using taxpayer resources effectively and efficiently,” said President & CEO Todd Schlekeway. 

“It is also important to note that the bi-partisan IIJA that was signed into law included a technology neutral approach, which would allow the flexibility necessary to allow wireless providers an opportunity to compete for the funding. As this process moves towards the states, NATE is well positioned through our 50-state grassroots advocacy Wireless Industry Network program to continue to monitor progress and best shape the guidelines that will best serve to close the digital divide,” added Schlekeway. 

U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy Comments on Davis-Bacon Act Proposed Rule 

Earlier this spring, the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division published a proposed rule updating the Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts Regulations, the first comprehensive review of federal construction regulations in over forty years. NATE has been following this process closely as the Association’s membership is comprised of mostly small businesses.  

This week, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy filed a comment letter recommending that the Department of Labor (DOL) reassess the impact of this rule on small entities in a new Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. DOL’s Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is deficient and does not properly inform the public about the impact of this rule on small entities. Additionally, DOL has underestimated the administrative burdens and compliance costs of this complicated regulation. 

To access the Office of Advocacy Fact Sheet summarizing the agency’s recent correspondence with the Department of Labor, visit HERE.

Matsui, Guthrie Urge Funding for ‘Rip-and-Replace’ Shortfall 

NATE is part of a coalition of industry associations and organizations that is encouraging Congress to address the current ‘Rip-and-Replace’ funding shortfall. The industry coalition was encouraged that Reps. Doris Matsui (D., Calif.) and Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.), in collaboration with a bi-partisan group of colleagues, recently urged House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D., Conn.) and ranking member Kay Granger (R., Texas) to address the shortfall in funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, which could amount to as much as $3.7 billion. 

In their letter to the Appropriations Committee leaders, Reps. Matsui and Guthrie, along with some of their colleagues, said the “significant” shortfall in funding for the program had “introduced severe uncertainty for these small providers and undercuts internet service providers’ ability to execute their plans to rip and replace network equipment. This poses a very significant national security threat and without additional resources, the program cannot fulfill its mandate.” 

To read the letter to the Appropriations Committee leaders, visit the following link: https://natehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220422-Letter-FINAL-1-1.pdf .

FCC, NTIA, USDA AND TREASURY Announce Interagency Agreement to Collaborate on Federal Broadband Funding 

On Thursday, May 12, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) announced an interagency agreement to share information about and collaborate regarding the collection and reporting of certain data and metrics relating to broadband deployment. The agreement is the latest development in federal efforts to coordinate high-speed internet spending.  

The respective Cabinet and Agency leaders announced that their agencies will consult with one another and share information on data collected from programs administered by the FCC, the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, programs administered or coordinated by NTIA, and Treasury’s Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund and State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. 

To read the press release announcement and the signed, interagency Memorandum of Understanding, visit HERE.                  

Join the FAA for Drone Safety Day 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is inviting the drone community to be part of its 2022 Drone Safety Day campaign on Saturday, June 18. This year’s campaign will be a one-day national event, to encourage drone pilots and recreational flyers to “Fly RIGHT.” This year’s safety messages will focus on the following themes: 

• Register your drone  
• Interact with others 
• Gain knowledge 
• Have a safety plan 
• TRUST and Train 

Since 2019, the FAA has hosted the annual campaign dedicated to drone safety and best practices. Safety is a shared responsibility that requires the community and the FAA to work together. For additional information and to find virtual and in-person events near you, visit faa.gov.