At The FCC

FCC Announces May 1 Workshop on Collocation

WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU ANNOUNCES WORKSHOP: PROMOTING MOBILE BROADBAND IN YOUR COMMUNITY BY COLLOCATING WIRELESS ANTENNAS ON COMMUNICATIONS
TOWERS AND OTHER STRUCTURES

The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, in cooperation with the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), will host an educational workshop addressing collocations of wireless and broadband antennas on communications towers and other structures.  The workshop will take place on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, from 9:30 AM – 4 PM EDT in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC.  The FCC will also webcast the workshop.

The workshop will provide an overview of how collocations can promote the availability of mobile broadband, public safety, and other wireless services in a manner consistent with community priorities.  Panelists will discuss the technical, structural, and business considerations underlying collocations on a variety of structure types, including wireless towers, AM radio/broadcast towers, public safety communications towers, utility infrastructure, rooftops, and water tanks.  The workshop will explore examples of cooperative solutions that have facilitated wireless deployment while recognizing community interests.  We will also discuss the significance of the FCC’s Nationwide Programmatic Agreement for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas.
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NATOA files comments in USF proceedings

On April 2nd, NATOA, joined by the National Association of Counties, filed comments in several Universal Service Fund proceedings advocating that the FCC establish a competitive funding mechanism to support community-based digital learning centers. While acknowledging that schools and libraries can play a big role in providing these types of services, NATOA asserts that funding should be made available to a wide variety of facilities, such as senior centers and low-income housing developments. Doing so will permit localities to target digital training initiatives to those most in need in their communities. NATOA thanks Joanne Hovis and Marc Schulhof for their hard work in putting these comments together.

Click HERE to read the comments.

NATOA Files Comments Supporting USF Reform

On February 17, NATOA filed reply comments with the FCC supporting a proposal advanced by the Benton Foundation and other public interest groups that the Commission impose interconnection obligations on Universal Service Fund (USF) recipients.  Doing so could help community and local networks provide better broadband services to their residents.  In addition, we supported the suggestion that, as part of USF reform, the Commission establish a funding mechanism that could be used by community and local networks to upgrade and build-out their systems, especially in unserved area of the country.  The National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, and the United States Conference of Mayors signed onto NATOA’s filing.  Click HERE to read the reply comments.

NATOA Files Comments with FCC re: Next Generation 911

NATOA, along with its national local government partners – NACo and NLC – filed Reply Comments with the FCC concerning Next Generation 911 applications and deployment (PS Docket Nos. 11-153 and 10-255).  In the comments, the associations argued that any proposed enhancements and improvements to NG911 must be balanced against available funding and strained local government budgets.  In addition, the associations asserted that a robust public education initiative must be undertaken to educate the public as to the availability of, and limitations of, 911 text messaging.

We would like the thank NATOA’s Public Safety Committee Chair Barry Fraser for his input and review of the comments.  Click HERE to read the Reply Comments.  

FCC Releases Report and Order on Lifeline Program

The FCC has released its Report and Order reforming and modernizing Lifeline, a program vital to ensuring affordable communications for low-income consumers.  As a universal service program that fulfills Congress’s mandate to ensure the availability of communications to all Americans, Lifeline for the past 25 years has helped tens of millions of low-income Americans afford basic phone service.  Access to telephone service is essential for finding a job, connecting with family, or getting help in an emergency, and the percentage of low-income households with phone service has increased from 80% in 1985, when Lifeline began, to nearly 92% last year.



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