December 2021 Open Commission Meeting

The FCC held this Open Meeting on the subjects listed below:

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and related agency telework and headquarters access policies, this meeting was held in a wholly electronic format and was open to the public on the Internet via live feed from the FCC’s web page at www.fcc.gov/live and on the FCC’s YouTube channel.

Public Drafts of Meeting Items – The FCC publicly released the draft text of each item expected to be considered at this Open Commission Meeting. One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item. Links to these materials are provided below.

• Improving Accessibility and Clarity of Emergency Alerts
  The Commission considered a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and a Notice of Inquiry to improve clarity and accessibility of Emergency Alert System (EAS) visual messages to the public, including for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, and others who are unable to access the audio message. (PS Docket No. 15-94)
• Facilitating Satellite Broadband Competition
  The Commission considered an Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose revisions to the Commission’s rules for spectrum sharing among low-earth orbit satellite systems. The goal of the proposed revisions is to facilitate the deployment of the new generation of non-geostationary satellite orbit, fixed-satellite service (NGSO FSS) systems, including new competitors. (IB Docket No. 21-456; RM-11855)
• Promoting Fair and Open Competitive Bidding in the E-Rate Program
  The Commission considered a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to implement a central document repository (i.e, bidding portal) through which service providers would be required to submit their bids to the E-Rate Program Administrator and seeks comment on other changes to the E-Rate competitive bidding rules. (WC Docket 21-455)

Meeting Documents

FCC Seeks to Improve Accessibility & Clarity of Emergency Alerts

• News Release
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and a Notice of Inquiry
• Rosenworcel Statement

FCC Moves to Facilitate Satellite Broadband Competition

• News Release
• Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Rosenworcel Statement
• Starks Statement
• Simington Statement

FCC Looks to Promote Fair & Open Competitive Bidding in E-Rate Program

• News Release
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Rosenworcel Statement

Related Materials

• Agenda
• Tentative Agenda
• Circulation Documents:
  • Improving Accessibility and Clarity of Emergency Alerts
  • Facilitating Satellite Broadband Competition
  • Promoting Fair and Open Competitive Bidding in the E-Rate Program