RCA FILES “CUT THE CAP” WHITE PAPER WITH THE FCC ON ANNIVERSARY OF THE CETC INTERIM CAP ORDER On May 1, the anniversary of the Commission’s release of the competitive Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (CETC) interim cap order, RCA submitted a comprehensive white paper to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) analyzing the continuing harms being caused by the agency’s action to impose a cap on univer ...

RCA FILES COMMENTS WITH NTIA, RUS AND FCC REGARDING BROADBAND STIMULUS GRANT AND LOAL PROGRAMS On April 13, RCA filed comments with the NTIA and RUS on the Joint Request for Information (“Joint Request” or “JRI”) issued by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (“NTIA”) and the Rural Utilities Service (“RUS”) regarding the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (“Broadband P ...

RCA PARTICIPATES AT NTIA-RUS PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BROADBAND STIMULUS LEGISLATION On March 19, Eric Peterson spoke at a public meeting held jointly by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to discuss several key undefined terms contained in the broadband stimulus legislation, including what the agencies sho ...

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY AND THE INTERNET HOLDS USF HEARING On March 12, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet held a hearing entitled, “Universal Service: Reforming the High-Cost Fund” to "examine aspects of the Universal Service Fund (“USF”), possible reforms to the High Cost program, and the growing demand for advanced services including broad ...

RCA FILES REPLY COMMENTS IN EXCLUSIVE HANDSET PROCEEDING On February 20, RCA filed reply comments in the FCC’s exclusive handset proceeding.  RCA stated that the FCC should initiate a rulemaking to investigate the anticompetitive effects of exclusivity arrangements between commercial wireless carriers and handset manufacturers.  RCA noted that if the FCC concludes that the public interest is, in fact, being ...

PRESIDENT OBAMA SET TO SIGN STIMULUS BILL INTO LAW; OVER $7 BILLION AVAILABLE FOR BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT On February 17, President Obama is expected to sign into law The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The $789 billion economic stimulus bill designates $7.2 billion for broadband grants, but no tax credits for wireless carriers and other service providers. The legislation creates a new Broadba ...

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APPROVES $6 BILLION WIRELESS/BROADBAND GRANT PROGRAM On January 28, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an economic stimulus bill with $6 billion in broadband grants for wireless carriers and other service providers.  The House bill sets aside $1 billion specifically for wireless broadband grants, with carriers and tower companies eligible for federal support.  In additi ...

JULIUS GENACHOWSKI LIKELY NOMINEE TO BE NEXT FCC CHAIRMAN; FCC CHAIRMAN MARTIN ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION; FCC COMMISSIONER COPPS EXPECTED TO BE NAMED INTERIM FCC CHAIRMAN Julius Genachowski, a Harvard Law School classmate of President-elect Obama’s who is a tech advisor on the presidential transition team, is the leading candidate to replace Kevin Martin as FCC Chairman and is expected to be formally nominated ...

RCA FILES REPLY COMMENTS WITH FCC OPPOSING PROPOSED 110 MHz SPECTRUM CAP On December 22, RCA filed reply comments with the FCC opposing the 110 MHz spectrum cap proposed by the Rural Telecommunications Group (RTG), but recommending that the FCC promptly initiate a rulemaking proceeding to further investigate the issues raised by the RTG spectrum cap petition.  RCA stated that the FCC must address the spectr ...