Workshop to Offer Guidance To Challenging FCC Mapping Data

The Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force (RBATF) is giving the public an opportunity to comment on the FCC’s broadband assessment map to be used in the upcoming Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) reverse auction.

The RBATF is sponsoring a free presentation May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Advanced Technology Center in South Charleston and it will focus on the process for challenging the identification of areas initially deemed ineligible for universal service funding through the MF-II reverse auction.

In 2017, the FCC adopted rules governing the MF-II reverse auction to award up to $4.53 billion in universal service support for mobile wireless carriers in areas that, absent subsidies, lack adequate mobile voice and broadband coverage. On February 27, 2018, the FCC released a map showing areas across the United States initially deemed eligible to receive support for the provision of 4G LTE service.

The FCC has also released a map to assist challengers that showed the initial ineligible areas where only one provider has reported qualifying service. The presentation will focus on the process by which interested parties can challenge the initial map of ineligible areas.

For additional information about the presentation, please contact Nathan Eagan at Nathan.Eagan@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0991. The address for the Advance Technology Center is 1201 Science Park Drive, South Charleston, WV 25303.