47 CFR Part 1, Subpart N - Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability In Programs or Activities Conducted By the Federal Communications Commission

In this document, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ) seeks comment on a number of actions designed to remove regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment at the federal, state, and local level, speed the transition from copper networks and legacy services to next-generation networks and services, and reform Commission regulations that increase costs and slow broadband deployment. The NPRM seeks comment on pole attachment reforms, changes to the copper retirement and other network change notification processes, and changes to the section 214(a) discontinuance application process. The Commission adopted the NPRM in conjunction with a Notice of Inquiry and Request for Comment in WC Docket No. 17-84.

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted and released an Order on May 3, 2017, correcting certain rules in part 1 of the FCC's rules. In particular, the FCC replaced certain inadvertently deleted paragraphs from a section of the Commission's rules.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) completes its proceeding to review the Uniform System of Accounts (USOA) to minimize the compliance burdens on carriers while ensuring that the agency retains access to the information it needs to fulfill its regulatory duties.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, information collection requirements adopted in the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 16-128. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts the framework to allocate funds to assist in the deployment of 4G LTE to areas that are so costly that the private sector has not yet deployed there and to preserve such service where it might not otherwise exist. This framework redirects funding from legacy subsidies and distributes them through the Mobility Fund Phase II and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase II, using market-based, multi-round reverse auctions, and contains defined, concrete compliance requirements to help ensure rural consumers will be adequately served by mobile carriers receiving universal support.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) published a document revising Commission rules applicable to foreign ownership of broadcast, common carrier, aeronautical en route and aeronautical fixed radio station licensees. Due to an error in the effective date language, the Commission's rules were prematurely removed from the CFR. This technical amendment restores these rules to the CFR.

A Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by William J. Kirsch.

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act) requires the Federal Communications Commission to amend its forfeiture penalty rules to reflect annual adjustments for inflation in order to improve their effectiveness and maintain their deterrent effect. The 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act provides that the new penalty levels shall apply to penalties assessed after the effective date of the increase, including when the penalties whose associated violation predate the increase.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) published a document in the Federal Register of December 30, 2016, concerning petitions for reconsideration filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding. The date for filing replies was incorrect. This document corrects the filing deadline date for replies to an opposition to the Petitions.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by Chris Pearson, on behalf of 5G Americas; Donald L. Herman, Jr., on behalf of Adams Telcom, Inc., jointly with Central Texas Communications, Inc., E.N.M.R. Telephone Cooperative, Louisiana Competitive Telecommunications, Inc., and Pine Belt Communications, Inc.; Audrey L. Allison, on behalf of The Boeing Company; Steven K. Berry, on behalf of Competitive Carriers Association; Brian M. Josef, on behalf of CTIA; Giselle Creeser, on behalf of Inmarsat, Inc., jointly with Jennifer A. Manner, on behalf of EchoStar Satellite Operating Corporation and Hughes Network Systems LLC; Rick Chessen, on behalf of NTCA—The Internet & Television Association; Michele C. Farquhar, on behalf of Nextlink Wireless, LLC; Petra Vorwig, on behalf of SES Americom, Inc., jointly with Suzanne Malloy, on behalf of O3b Limited; Tom Stroup, on behalf of Satellite Industry Association; James Reid, on behalf of Telecommunications Industry Association; Steve B. Sharkey, on behalf of T-Mobile USA, Inc.; and Christopher Murphy, on behalf of ViaSat, Inc.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years for fixed broadband Internet access service (3060-1158) and for a period of two years for mobile broadband Internet access service (3060-1220), the information collections associated with the transparency rule enhancements adopted by the Commission in Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet, Report and Order on Remand, Declaratory Ruling, and Order ( Open Internet Order ). On August 11, 2015, the Commission requested approval of a modified information collection to include the transparency rule enhancements. OMB has approved the information collection as it applies to fixed broadband Internet access service for a period of three years (3060-1158) and, except for disclosure of packet loss, as it applies to mobile broadband Internet access service for a period of two years (3060-1220). The Open Internet Order stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective of the modified information collection requirements associated with the enhancements following OMB approval.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) addresses a number of important issues regarding updating rules and requirements for technologies used to locate and rescue distressed ships and individuals in distress at sea or on land to provide better and more accurate data to rescue personnel. The Commission also addresses issues regarding radar equipment, the use of portable marine Very High Frequency (VHF) transmitters by persons on shore; permitting VHF digital small message service (VDSMS); and allowing assignment or transfer of control of ship station licenses. The Commission is amending its rules to permit the maritime community to make use of the most advanced and reliable communications technologies available for the alerting of search and rescue authorities when a vessel or individual is in distress, and to further the Commission's goal of ensuring that the spectrum allocated for emergency communications is used effectively and efficiently.

In this Report and Order, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) extends its streamlined foreign ownership rules and procedures that apply to common carrier and certain aeronautical licensees under Section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”) to broadcast licensees, with certain modifications to tailor them to the broadcast context. The Commission also reforms the methodology used by both common carrier and broadcast licensees that are, or are controlled by, U.S. public companies to assess compliance with the 20 percent foreign ownership limit in Section 310(b)(3), and the 25 percent foreign ownership benchmark in Section 310(b)(4) of the Act, in order to reduce regulatory burdens on applicants and licensees. Finally, the Commission makes certain technical corrections and clarifications to its foreign ownership rules.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopts rules for specific millimeter wave (mmW) bands above 24 GHz. This action is undertaken to establish a regulatory framework for the use of these bands for the development of the next generational evolution of wireless technology. Once effective, these rules will promote the development of highly beneficial technologies, in particular the so-called 5G technology.

Petitions for Reconsideration and Clarification (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by Andrew D. Lipman, on behalf of Submarine Cable Coalition, and Kent D. Bressie, on behalf of North American Submarine Cable Association.

This document seeks comment on the proposal set forth by the Media Bureau, in consultation with the Incentive Auction Task Force, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Office of Engineering and Technology, for developing a post-incentive auction transition scheduling plan. In preparing their submissions commenters should be mindful of the Commission's prohibited communications rule, which prohibits broadcasters and forward auction applicants from communicating any incentive auction applicant's bids or bidding strategies to other parties covered by the relevant rules.

In this document the Commission revises its Schedule of Regulatory Fees to recover an amount of $384,012,497 that Congress has required the Commission to collect for fiscal year 2016. Section 9 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual assessment and collection of regulatory fees for annual “Mandatory Adjustments” and “Permitted Amendments” to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) proposes and seeks comment on proposals to revise the Commission's rules governing private land mobile radio (PLMR) services, such as allowing 806-824/851-869 MHz (800 MHz) band incumbent licensees in a market a window in which to apply for Expansion Band and Guard Band frequencies before the frequencies are made available to applicants for new systems, extending conditional licensing authority to applicants for site-based licenses in the 800 MHz and 896-901/935-940 MHz (900 MHz) bands, making available for PLMR use frequencies that are on the band edge between the Industrial/Business (I/B) Pool and either General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) or Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) spectrum, making certain frequencies that are designated for central station alarm operations available for other PLMR uses, and accommodating certain railroad operations.

In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB or Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) announces that on August 3, 2016, the FCC, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Council or ACHP), and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) executed the attached First Amendment to Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas (First Amendment to the Collocation Agreement) to address the review of deployments of small wireless antennas and associated equipment under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The First Amendment to the Collocation Agreement amends the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas (Collocation Agreement).

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopts final rules of a Report and Order requiring submarine cable licensees to report service outages through the network outage reporting systems (NORS). In doing so, the FCC seeks to improve overall submarine cable reliability and resiliency by enhancing the FCC's visibility into the operational status of submarine cables, which will permit the FCC to track and analyze outage trends. The Report and Order requires all submarine cable licensees to report service outages to the FCC, defined as a failure or significant degradation in the performance of a licensee's cable service regardless of whether the traffic can be re-routed to an alternate path. Licensees must report outages, including those caused by planned maintenance, of a portion of a submarine cable system for more than 30 minutes, or the failure or significant degradation of any fiber pair lasing for four hours or more. Lastly, the Report and Order will improve submarine cable deployment conditions and resiliency through better coordination of inter-agency permit review.

In this document, the Commission makes changes to the Commission's rules, and amends its Schedule of Application Fees to adjust its fees for processing applications and other filings. Section 8(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (“the Act”), requires the Commission to “assess and collect application fees at such rates as the Commission shall establish or at such modified rates as it shall establish pursuant to” section 8(b). Section 8(b)(1) requires that the Schedule of Application Fees “be reviewed by the Commission every two years after October 1, 1991, and adjusted by the Commission to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index.” As required by section 8(b)(1), this Order increases application fees to reflect the net change in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”) of 1.8 percent.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission addresses eight petitions for reconsideration on certain rules adopted in the Report and Order ( Report and Order ) in this proceeding governing the Citizens Broadband Radio Service in the 3.5 GHz band. The Commission also finalizes the regulatory scheme established in the Report and Order to make this spectrum available for wireless broadband through dynamic sharing among three tiers of users.

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes changes to our rules and procedures related to certain applications and petitions for declaratory ruling involving foreign ownership (together, “applications”). The Commission refers certain applications to the relevant Executive Branch agencies for their input on any national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, and trade policy concerns that may arise from the foreign ownership interests held in the applicants and petitioners (together, “applicants”). As part of our effort to reform the Commission's processes, we seek to improve the timeliness and transparency of this referral process. More specifically, our goals here are to identify ways in which both the Commission and the agencies might streamline and facilitate the process for obtaining information necessary for Executive Branch review and identify expected time frames, while ensuring that we continue to take Executive Branch concerns into consideration as part of our public interest review.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts rules to implement a competitive bidding process for Phase II of the Connect America Fund that will harness market forces to expand broadband in targeted rural areas. The Commission also adopts rules to establish the framework for the Remote Areas Fund auction to address those areas that receive no winning bids in the Phase II auction.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved on June 22, 2016, a revision to an approved information collection to implement modified collection requirements on FCC Form 601, Application for Radio Service Authorization, contained in the Part 1 Report and Order, Updating Competitive Bidding Rules, FCC 15-80. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Inflation Adjustment Act) requires the Federal Communications Commission to amend its forfeiture penalty rules for inflation.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules to allow and in certain circumstances to require parties to give the Commission notice of lawsuits by email. First, it requires persons petitioning for judicial review who wish to participate in a “judicial lottery” to notify the Commission of the petition by email. This method will allow timely service, and will eliminate security concerns that arise through in-person service. Further, the new rule encourages, but does not require, notice by email for persons who petition for review but do not seek to participate in a lottery. It likewise encourages, but does not require, notice by email for persons who judicially appeal Commission decisions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks public comment on a proposed Amended Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas to address the review of deployments of small wireless antennas and associated equipment under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved on May 23, 2016, an information collection for FCC Form 611-T, FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Annual Report Related to Eligibility for Designated Entity Benefits and 47 CFR 1.2110(n) contained in the Report and Order, FCC 15-80. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) will revise its Schedule of Regulatory Fees in order to recover an amount of $384,012,497 that Congress has required the Commission to collect for fiscal year 2016. Section 9 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual assessment and collection of regulatory fees under sections 9(b)(2) and 9(b)(3), respectively, for annual “Mandatory Adjustments” and “Permitted Amendments” to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees.

This document replaces an erroneous effective date and corrects typographical errors in a summary of the above-captioned order that was published at 81 FR 5605.

In this document, the Commission builds on its prior efforts to harmonize pole attachment rates that cable and telecom service providers pay utility pole owners. The Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), contains two formulas for calculating pole attachment rates, a formula adopted in 1978 applicable to cable television systems solely providing cable service, and a formula adopted in 1996 applicable to telecommunications carriers providing telecommunications service.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, on an emergency basis, a revision to an approved information collection to implement modified and new collection requirements on FCC Form 175, Application to Participate in an FCC Auction, contained in the Part 1 Report and Order, Updating Competitive Bidding Rules, FCC 15-80. This document is consistent with the Part 1 Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules and requirements.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) have identified specific spectrum bands above 24 GHz that appear to be suitable for mobile service, and we seek comment on proposed service rules that would authorize mobile and other operations in those bands. This development of service rules for mobile use of the millimeter wave (mmW) bands occurs in the context of our efforts to develop a regulatory framework that will help facilitate so-called Fifth Generation (5G) mobile services.

In this document, the Commission announces that on December 10, 2015, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, on an emergency basis, for a period for six months, a revision to an approved information collection to implement a modified collection requirement under 47 CFR 1.2105(c)(4) contained in the Part 1 Report and Order, Updating Competitive Bidding Rules, FCC 15-80. This document is consistent with the Part 1 Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rule and requirement.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, on an emergency basis, a revision to an approved information collection to implement new collection requirements contained in the Broadcast Incentive Auction Report and Order, Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, FCC 14-50. This document is consistent with the Broadcast Incentive Auction Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules and requirements.

On December 10, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a summary of a Public Notice, 80 FR 76649, announcing that oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration must be filed by December 28, 2015, and replies to an opposition must be filed by December 21, 2015. This document corrects the due date for replies to an opposition.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's proceeding by: Kathleen O'Brien Ham, on behalf of T-Mobile USA, Inc.; Caressa D. Bennet, on behalf of PBP Group, LLC, Bulloch Cellular, Inc., Pineland Cellular, Inc., and Planters Rural Cellular, Inc.; and A. Wray Fitch, III, on behalf of Walker Broadcasting Company, Inc. T-Mobile USA, Inc.'s petition requests a declaratory ruling in the alternative.

In this document, the Commission announces that, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, on an emergency basis, for a period for six months, an information collection for FCC Form 177, Application to Participate in a Reverse Incentive Auction, and certain Commission's rules contained in the Report and Order, Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, FCC 14-50. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules and requirements.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by: Chuck Powers, on behalf of Motorola Solutions, Inc., and Brian Scarpelli, on behalf of Telecommunications Industry Association.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by: Kim M. Keenan, on behalf of the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council; Donald L. Herman, Jr., on behalf of the Rural-26 DE Coalition; and D. Cary Mitchell, on behalf of the Blooston Rural Carriers.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to extend its foreign ownership rules and procedures that apply to common carrier licensees to broadcast licensees, with certain modifications to tailor them to the broadcast context. The Commission also seeks comment on whether and how to revise the methodology a licensee should use to assess its compliance with the 25 percent foreign ownership benchmark in section 310(b)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, in order to reduce regulatory burdens on applicants and licensees. Finally, the Commission makes several proposals to clarify and update existing foreign ownership policies and procedures for broadcast, common carrier and aeronautical licensees.