Welcome to the Tech & Telecom Weekly, an e-newsletter keeping you apprised of the latest developments in the telecommunications and high-tech industries.

FCC Policy

The FCC has authorized The Boeing Company to deploy and operate a non-geostationary orbit fixed satellite service in the 65-71 GHz portion of the V-band. Boeing will use the system to provide broadband services to governmental, institutional, commercial, and residential consumers. Boeing filed its application for approval in December 2018. 

The FCC has released the Tentative Agenda for its next Open Meeting scheduled for November 18, 2021, at 10:30am ET. It contains four items, including an order requiring text messaging providers to support texts to 988, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, and a notice of proposed rulemaking proposing an Enhanced Competition Incentive Program in the wireless services market.

Compliance Alerts

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will hold a webinar regarding best practices for High Cost Fund programming requests for FY 2022 on November 10, 2021, at 2:00pm ET. To register, click  here.

The Wireline Competition Bureau  is pausing the phase-out of support for voice-only Lifeline services for one year. Also paused is the increase of the minimum service standard for voice service. The phase-out was scheduled to go into effect December 1, 2021, but now will begin December 1, 2022. The Bureau determined that the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Lifeline data it had recently collected warrants this action.

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