The FCC Wireline Bureau extended until May 1 the deadline to apply for the rural healthcare program. In an order Thursday in docket 17-310, the bureau extended the FY 2024 application filing window due to "two instances of outages of a program form that delayed some program participants’ ability [to] begin competitive bidding."

The American Association of Public Broadband released a handbook for communities that want to build broadband networks. Published by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the guide “is a key part of AAPB's strategy to double the number of public networks in the next five years,” Executive Director Gigi Sohn said Wednesday.

The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by March 26, replies April 9, in docket 19-126 on a coalition request for amnesty for certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Connect America Fund II recipients, a public notice Tuesday said (see 2402280078). The coalition, which included nearly 70 ISPs, trade associations, state and local officials, and school districts, sought an amnesty period for support recipients "who cannot or do not intend to build their networks, a very short and expedited amnesty period of no more than a month that allows them to relinquish all or part of their winning areas without being penalized to the full extent that the commission’s rules provide."

Effective April 4, an FCC rule states that a one-time text message that confirms a request to revoke consent from receiving any further calls or text messages and that contains no marketing information, doesn't violate commission rules strengthening consumers' ability to make such a request, said a notice for Tuesday's Federal Register. A rule on delivery restrictions is delayed indefinitely. Commissioners adopted the item in February along with an NPRM seeking comment on wireless providers' ability to send robocalls or robotexts to subscribers (see 2402160048). Comments on the NPRM are due April 4, replies by April 19, in docket 02-278, said a separate notice for Tuesday's FR.

The FCC and the U.K. Office of Communications announced Monday “a new framework for cooperation” on combating illegal robocalls and robotexts. The agencies agreed “to cooperate and share information to further their shared interests in protecting consumers and ensuring the integrity of communications networks.” Last week, the FCC and the U.K.’s Information Commissioner’s Office said they will cooperate on robocall and robotext enforcement (see 2402290039). “Scammers cross borders to trick, irritate and defraud consumers,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is seeking comment, due April 30, on a proposed NPRM on “Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain,” said a notice for Friday’s Federal Register. The rulemaking is intended to assist BIS “in determining the technologies and market participants that may be most appropriate for regulation” under a 2019 executive order by former President Donald Trump, the notice said.

More than two-thirds, or 68%, of households enrolled in the affordable connectivity program "had inconsistent or zero connectivity" before entering the program, according to an FCC survey released Thursday. The survey included data from a December poll of ACP households. It said 80% of ACP households cited affordability as the reason for their lack of connectivity before the program. More than three-quarters of household respondents said losing ACP benefits would cause them to change or cancel their internet service plan. “Thanks to today’s survey data, leaders making the decisions about ACP’s future know one thing for certain," Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote in a note, ACP is "not nice-to-have, it’s need-to-have." Rosenworcel added: "We’ve come too far to turn back now."

Every state, D.C., and Puerto Rico submitted a digital equity plan to NTIA, the agency said Thursday. NTIA is "working to review and accept all of the state plans" on a rolling basis as it prepares to launch two grant programs. As of Thursday, the plans of Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Puerto Rico and West Virginia were accepted (see 2402150034).

A coalition of nearly 70 broadband experts, ISPs, community leaders and nonprofit organizations urged the FCC to grant a "brief amnesty period" for certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and Connect America Fund II areas in a letter Wednesday (see 2308170049). Among those signing the letter were the American Association for Public Broadband, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Communications Workers of America and Connect Humanity. The coalition warned that large and rural areas intended to be connected through both programs "will remain disconnected due to the inability or unwillingness of ISPs to fulfill their obligations." In addition, the group said areas that will be served through either program aren't eligible for support through NTIA's broadband, equity, access, and deployment program. "Unfortunately, there are a large number of census blocks throughout the country where RDOF and CAF II awardees have not even begun to build their networks for a variety of reasons," the letter said. An amnesty will let states include these communities on their maps because of "unfulfilled RDOF and CAF II commitments," the group argued. The letter noted it's "entirely in the commission's power to ensure that large swaths of rural America are not left out."

USDA's Rural Utilities Service extended until May 21 the deadline to apply for ReConnect funding (see 2402210072). The change gives applicants "a full 60 days to prepare their complete applications," said a notice for Monday's Federal Register. The March 22 application window opening remains unchanged.