Telecom Alert: NTIA BEAD Policy Notice; Simington Departure; June Open Meeting Tentative Agenda; NG911 NPRM Deadlines; Secure Space Act of 2025 [Volume XXII, Issue 23]

NTIA Releases New BEAD Policy Guidance

Last Friday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released revised guidelines for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD). The policy notice requires all states to rescind preliminary awards and conduct an additional round of selection prioritizing partners who submit lowest-cost bids in accordance with the administration’s new “Benefit of the Bargain” scoring rubric. The notice also reverses many provisions embedded in the Biden administration’s 2022 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), such as prioritizing fiber projects over fixed wireless or low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite technologies. Eligible states and territories have 90 days to submit a final proposal reflecting the new policies. For more information, please contact Casey Lide ([email protected]; 202.434.4186) or Sean Stokes ([email protected]; 410.458.1342).

Simington Announces FCC Departure; Starks Officially Steps Down

Last Friday, Commissioners Simington and Starks stepped down from their roles in the FCC. Starks had announced his intention to leave in March, but Simington's announcement was made only two days before he stepped down. These departures leave the Commission short of quorum with only one Republican and one Democrat remaining, Chairman Carr and Commissioner Gomez. The Commission will be able continue bureau level proceedings, but until a quorum is reached, they will be unable to adopt any new rules. For more information, please contact Wes Wright ([email protected]; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty ([email protected]; 202-434-4271).

FCC Announces June Open Meeting Tentative Agenda

Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the June Open Meeting would take place on Thursday, June 26th at 10:30 AM ET. The meeting tentatively has scheduled three items for the Commission to consider: a Report and Order which would eliminate and deregulate cable equipment and small cable systems, a Report and Order which would remove professional engineer certifications from the biannual Broadband Data Collection (BDC) filings, and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which requests comment on eliminating unnecessary regulations related to the Telecommunications Relay Services (RTS) and support for the ASCII transmission format. A formal agenda will be published by the Commission in the days leading up to the Commission’s Meeting. For more information, please contact Wes Wright ([email protected]; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty ([email protected]; 202-434-4271).

FCC Publishes NG911 NPRM Deadlines

Last week the FCC published its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on NG911 Reliability in the federal register, establishing the pleading cycle deadlines. Comments are due to the Commission by July 21st and Reply Comments by August 18th. The proposed rules would update the definition of “covered 911 service provider” to broaden the coverage to all critical services within the NG911 network, as well as the reasonable reliability standards for such services. Additionally, the proposed rules would impose interoperability requirements for interstate transfers of 911 traffic to permit PSAPs across state lines to transfer calls with minimal roadblocks. For more information, please contact Wes Wright ([email protected]; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty ([email protected]; 202-434-4271).

Sen. Lujan, Fischer Reintroduce Secure Space Act

Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation tasked with prohibiting the FCC from granting geo-and non-geostationary orbit system or earth station licenses to entities who manufacture services and equipment designated on the FCC’s Covered List. The Secure Space Act of 2025’s main purpose is to prevent foreign adversaries from accessing U.S. satellite markets and strengthen national security measures across the FCC’s licensing systems. The Act has a House companion bill passed back in April, and according to the current text, would only apply to new licenses and authorizations issued after the passage of the Act. For more information, please contact Wes Wright ([email protected]; 202.434.4239) or Tim Doughty ([email protected]; 202-434-4271).

To sign up for our weekly alert, please send us an email at [email protected] and provide us with your name and email.