July 15, 2022

House Energy & Commerce Committee Passes Key Communications Legislation

On Wednesday, July 13, the Energy and Commerce Committee passed five bipartisan bills, including several aimed at strengthening the nation’s communications networks. The Committee favorably reported H.R. 7624 (the “Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022”), which would make available additional frequencies in the 3.1-3.45 gigahertz band for non-federal use, shared federal and non-federal use, or a combination thereof. H.R. 7624 would also fund the Secure and Trusted Reimbursement Program and a newly authorized Next Generation 9-1-1 grant program from the proceeds of the auction required by the bill. As amended, H.R. 7624 incorporates H.R. 7783 (the “Extending American’s Spectrum Action Leadership Act of 2022”), which would extend the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) general auction authority for an additional 18 months, to March 31, 2024. The bill as amended also incorporates H.R. 5486 (the “SMART Act”). You can read more about the bills the Committee advanced here.  

NTIA Announces 50-State Signup for Internet for All

On Wednesday, July 13, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that all states and territories have confirmed their participation in the Biden Administration’s Internet for All initiative, which was announced in May. The over $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program will fund planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs for high-speed internet access expansion. Separately, the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program supports the development of workforce plans and digital skills training. Digital Equity applications were due Tuesday, July 12 and all Letters of Intent to participate in the BEAD Program were submitted ahead of the Monday, July 18 deadline. The NTIA will announce the allocation of the $60 million Equity Planning Grant Program funds by September 29, 2022. You can read the full announcement here.   

FCC Announces Over $266 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

On Wednesday, July 13, the FCC announced that its Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) has awarded over $266 million for broadband support in Delaware, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon. The support was awarded to support student and library patron broadband access. The ECF, which was created in the American Rescue Plan Act, seeks to support those who need connectivity in off-campus situations and is administered by school districts and libraries. The applications awarded were filed during three of the program’s application windows, with over $254 million coming from the third application window. The funding will support over 400 schools, 45 libraries, and 15 consortia. You can read the announcement here.

White House Highlights Workforce Development Progress

On Wednesday, July 13, the White House hosted a summit on the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and workforce development, which featured remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, and other state and local leaders who are putting the funds allocated towards workforce by the ARP to use in their states and communities. The summit also highlighted the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Talent Pipeline Challenge, which seeks to encourage immediate partnerships between the public and private sectors to foster the workforce development needed to meet the nation’s infrastructure challenges. You can read more about the Administration’s workforce investments here.

NATE Speaks at OSHA Leadership Boot Camp

On Monday, July 11, Jocko Vermillion from NATE member company CITCA LLC represented the Association at the OSHA Leadership Boot Camp at OSHA’s Salt Lake Technical Center in Utah. At the event, Jocko was given the opportunity to represent NATE and speak directly to OSHA’s top agency leaders, including Doug Parker (Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA) and Jim Frederick (Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA) about NATE and our industry safety initiatives. To view a photo of this event, visit here.

FCC Announces 2.5 GHz Band Auction Qualified Bidders

On Monday, July 11, the FCC announced qualified bidders for its upcoming 2.5 GHz band. The FCC saw 93 applicants, with 82 qualifying - including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile – and 11 not qualifying. The auction will begin on Friday, July 29 at 10:00 AM ET, but bidders will get early access on July 22, with mock auctions being held July 26 and 27. Bidding will resume on Monday, August 1^st and will continue each business day until the FCC closes the auction. “Much of this band, which is prime spectrum for 5G, has lain fallow for more than twenty years, particularly in rural areas,” the FCC noted. You can read more about the auction here.