On March 2, the Telecommunications & Technology Steering Committee convened for official business during the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. At the meeting, members were joined by several Capitol Hill staffers who provided updates on legislative activities to improve and advance rural broadband as well as legislation to rescind the Federal Communication Commissions’ (FCC) controversial 5G order. Afterwards, the committee considered three proposed interim policy resolutions.
The first set of discussions was an important continuation of an effort we began four years ago to identify the roadblocks to broadband expansion into areas like Montana. One of the stumbling blocks was determined to be the inaccurate coverage maps used by the FCC and congress in making determinations of where reliable high-speed broadband does and does not exist.
NACo has been working diligently to raise the awareness of the problems with the coverage maps for several years. Now, there is a growing recognition in both the FCC and Congress that better maps are necessary. Staff members from the offices of the two co-chairs of the Senate Broadband Caucus joined us to discuss the need for improved coverage maps.
The staffers, Brendan Dailey, Legislative Assistant, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and April Jones, Legislative Assistant, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) spoke about their Senator’s recent joint letter to the FCC regarding the coverage maps. They also shared their members concern for the quality of the data that created the maps and the impact the flawed maps had on broadband deployment in under-served areas. It became clear during the extended conversation with these congressional staffers that the problem with the coverage maps is not just a rural issue. Urban areas also experience large areas of little-to-no coverage for broadband service despite coverage maps that show high speed availability.
This discussion of the need for improved maps was the perfect lead-in for the roll-out announcement of the new NACo app “TestIT”.
“TestIT” is an iOS/Android mobile app that leverages a broadband sampling tool designed by Measurement Labs (MLabs) to aggregate broadband speeds across the country from app users. With the press of a single button, users will be able to test their broadband speed from anywhere. Additionally, users will be able to compare their internet speeds to the national average and minimum standards established by the Federal Communications System. No personal information will be collected through this mobile app.
A snapshot of each sample will be sent to a database which will allow NACo and partners to analyze connectivity data across the country. The data collected through this app will help identify areas where broadband service is overstated and underfunded by comparing the data to the National Broadband Map. This process will allow us to draft new maps that accurately reflect the availability of broadband service and will form the basis for our case to have the coverage maps changed.
I would ask that you download the app and use it routinely to test the broadband service wherever you are. Test it both with the WiFi access turned on and turned off; this way you can test not only the speed of the connection you are receiving through a hard wire connection via a WiFi router but also the quality and speed of the cellular connection. Both measurements are critical data that we need. The app is free to download and install but you will be using a very small amount of your cellular data usage for the test.
The more folks we have running the test, the faster we can build a better coverage map, so please encourage your friends and neighbors to download and use the app as well. It is available on either the App store for Apple or on Google Play for the Android platform.
The second presentation was regarding the “Accelerating Wireless Broadband Development by Empowering Local Communities Act of 2019 (H.R. 530).” This is a congressional action to repeal the FCC’s new regulations regarding 5G small cell site deployment.
While NACo understands the need for and advocates for rapid deployment of 5G, this recent FCC rule strips local government of most of the control we have over the use of our right-of-ways. NACo salutes the goal behind this FCC rule, but the loss of local zoning authority and local control over our right-of-ways is too significant to allow. The FCC’s regulations limit the type and amount of fees county governments may charge for use of public rights-of-way and sets “shot clocks” as low as 60 days for county governments to authorize proposals. In addition, it limits non-fee requirements county governments may institute in exchange for the use of county rights-of-way.
In January 2019, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) introduced H.R. 530, which would effectively repeal the FCC’s regulations and restore the authority of local governments to act in the best interests of our constituents. Our second presenter was Asad Ramzanali, Senior Policy Advisor, Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), the Congressional staffer who helped draft H.R. 530. Mr. Ramzanali spoke about the legislation and asked us to encourage the members of our congressional delegation to sign aboard as cosponsors of this legislation.
In response to H.R. 530, NACo developed an advocacy action plan to build Congressional support around the legislation. Currently, NACo is working to find a Republican member on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to cosponsor the bill. NACo has identified several potential targets, which includes: Rep. Greg Walden, Ranking Member (OR-2); Rep. John Shimkus (IL-15); Rep. Bob Latta (OH-5); Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5); Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16); Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-9); and Rep. Greg Gianforte (MT-At-Large). I spoke to Congressman Gianforte briefly on this issue and gave him a copy of H.R. 530 for his review prior to leaving DC.
The final action of the T&T Steering committee was the consideration of three proposed Interim Policy Resolutions. Of these, two were unanimously approved and passed on to the Board of Directors for action. The third resolution titled “Proposed Resolution in Support of Preserving Public Safety’s Right to the T-Band (470-512 MHz)” was tabled, as the committee felt that additional information that was not available at the meeting was necessary to properly analyze the impacts of the resolution. The two resolutions that passed were adopted by the NACo’s Board of Directors on March 4th.
Interim policy resolutions passed at the 2019 Legislative Conference are valid until NACo’s 2019 Annual Conference, which is held in July 2019.
The adopted T&T interim policy resolutions are listed below:
- Resolution Calling for the Federal Communications Commission to Address the Lack of Cellular Phone Coverage for Unserved and Underserved Areas of the United States
Adopted Policy: The National Association of Counties (NACo) urges the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to direct additional funding for the build-out of additional cellular communications capabilities in the unserved and underserved areas of the Unites States through the High Cost Program administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). - Resolution Supporting Federal Legislation to Implement Next Generation 911
Adopted Policy: The National Association of Counties (NACo) urges Congress to pass legislation that affirms nationwide implementation of Next Generation 911 and provides funding to facilitate implementation across all states, U.S. territories, tribal lands and the District of Columbia.
Thank you for the continuing privilege of representing you on the NACo T&T Policy Steering Committee.