[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 9, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67660-67665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24395]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 18-143, 10-90; FCC 22-79; FR ID 112958]


The Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund, Connect 
America Fund

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC 
or Commission) seeks comment on proposals to ensure that mobile 
carriers continue to implement advanced telecommunications services and 
that fixed providers have sufficient

[[Page 67661]]

resiliency and redundancy during the transition periods of the Bringing 
Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund.

DATES: Comments are due on or before December 9, 2022, and reply 
comments are due on or before December 27, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by WC Docket Nos. 10-90 
and 18-143, by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the internet by accessing the Commission's Electronic Comment 
Filing System (ECFS): https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket 
or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, the 
Commission's rules require paper filers to submit two additional copies 
for each additional docket or rulemaking number.
     Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by 
commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, 
and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 
20554.
     Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the 
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings at 
its headquarters. This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the 
health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of 
COVID-19.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply 
comments on or before the dates indicated in this document. Comments 
may be filed using ECFS. See Electronic Filing of Documents in 
Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). If you anticipate that you 
will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this document, you should advise the contact 
listed in the following as soon as possible.
    People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 
418-0432 (TTY).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please 
contact, Dangkhoa Nguyen, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, 
Wireline Competition Bureau, at [email protected] or 202-418-
7400, or Jesse Jachman, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, 
Wireline Competition Bureau, at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in WC Docket Nos. 18-143 
and 10-90, adopted on October 27, 2022, and released on October 28, 
2022. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission's headquarters will 
be closed to the general public until further notice. The full text of 
this document is available at the following internet address: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-further-strengthen-storm-hardened-puerto-rico-usvi-networks-0.
    Ex Parte Presentations. This proceeding shall be treated as a 
``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the Commission's 
ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy 
of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral 
presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a 
different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons 
making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda 
summarizing the presentation must: (1) list all persons attending or 
otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte 
presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and 
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted 
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already 
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other 
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such 
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other 
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where 
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the 
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex 
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must 
be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by 
rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of 
electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda 
summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, 
must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available 
for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., 
.doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding 
should familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.

I. Introduction

    1. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, ``the 
major threat of disaster in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
comes from hurricanes, tropical storms, and drought.'' In 2017, two 
hurricanes battered these Territories, causing extensive damage and 
loss of life. Although repair of infrastructure was critical, ``simply 
putting vulnerable systems back to the way they were before they 
collapsed is not enough.'' The outages, flooding, and landslides in 
Puerto Rico caused by the recent Hurricane Fiona demonstrate that 
infrastructure in areas prone to hurricanes must be built to withstand 
storm damage and have redundant capabilities.
    2. In the aftermath of the 2017 hurricanes, the Commission 
committed to ensuring the restoration, hardening, and expansion of 
advanced telecommunications networks in the Territories by creating the 
Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund. As part 
of these efforts, the Commission adopted a plan to support state-of-
the-art mobile wireless networks, including the 5G services being 
deployed nationwide. For fixed broadband services, the Commission 
adopted a new, single-round competitive process to award fixed 
broadband support tied to defined deployment and public interest 
obligations over a 10-year period in place of the frozen support 
carriers were then receiving. With the effects of Hurricane Fiona 
clearly evident, the Commission now seeks to build on these efforts and 
ensure that carriers maintain and strengthen existing facilities while 
network construction and improvement continue toward the goal of 
bringing more advanced services to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands (together ``the Territories''). As explained in 
the following, the Commission seeks comment on proposals to ensure that 
mobile carriers continue to implement advanced telecommunications 
services and that fixed providers have sufficient resiliency and 
redundancy during the

[[Page 67662]]

transition periods of the Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the 
Connect USVI Fund.

II. The Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund

    3. The Commission provided a three-year period of support for 
mobile carriers to rebuild their networks to their pre-hurricane 
coverage levels. In addition, carriers had the opportunity to accept 
additional funding dedicated to the expansion of 5G services throughout 
the Territories. Although substantial progress has been made, this 
Stage 2 mobile support will end in 2023, and it appears now that more 
work is needed to ensure that Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
enjoy the same levels of service as the mainland. Hurricane Fiona has 
provided a reminder of the critical nature of mobile services in times 
of emergency and that carriers must have the resources necessary to 
prepare for and repair from severe storms. The Commission seeks comment 
on these issues.
    4. Transition for Mobile Support. The Commission proposes to 
provide transitional support to those eligible facilities-based mobile 
carriers currently receiving Stage 2 mobile support. The transitional 
support is for the purpose of maintaining the availability of service 
until a longer-term support mechanism is adopted and does not supplant 
the Commission's goal of furthering the deployment of advanced mobile 
services. The Commission believes that the preservation of service and 
advancement of mobile networks will be best achieved by providing 
transitional support for facilities-based carriers participating in the 
Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund. At a time 
of heightened risk from hurricanes, the Commission feels that any lapse 
in funding, no matter how brief, may leave progress already made in 
increasing the robustness of existing 4G telecom services and expanding 
5G at risk. Should all facilities-based carriers that received mobile 
support for restoration, hardening, and expansion be eligible for 
transitional support? The Commission also notes that support recipients 
in the Territories must submit their first annual reports later this 
year. Should the data the Commission receives from those reports impact 
the provision of transitional support?
    5. Transitional Support Schedule. For the transition period, the 
Commission proposes to provide support for up to two years (24 months) 
beginning in the month immediately following the conclusion of each 
eligible carrier's current Stage 2 mobile support. The Commission 
tentatively concludes that providing support immediately following the 
completion of the current mobile support period will allow a seamless 
preservation of service and will encourage carriers to continue the 
hardening and expansion of advanced mobile networks in the Territories. 
The Commission seeks comment on this tentative conclusion.
    6. The Commission adopted the current Stage 2 three-year support 
period to allow further development of the procedures and standards for 
mobile voice and broadband services for possible future application in 
the Territories. At the time, the Commission anticipated issuing a 
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on the 
implementation of a long-term support process for high-speed mobile 
broadband networks through Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
before Stage 2 ended. Notwithstanding the Commission's proposal for a 
transition period of up to two years, it proposes that transitional 
support will cease once support is authorized under a long-term mobile 
wireless mechanism for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 
Commission seeks comment on its proposal for the period of transitional 
support, including whether to continue transitional support after two 
years if authorizations under a long-term mechanism have not yet 
occurred.
    7. Transitional Support Amounts. The Commission proposes to provide 
transitional support for each eligible facilities-based mobile carrier 
in an amount equal to the Stage 2 mobile support it currently receives 
for 5G technologies. For Stage 2, the Commission allocated 25% of the 
total Stage 2 mobile support of $258.8 million for the Territories 
toward 5G network deployment. Participating carriers elected to receive 
approximately $21.2 million annually for 5G networks in Puerto Rico and 
approximately $367,000 annually for 5G networks in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. Carriers are required to return any unused Stage 2 mobile 
support to the Universal Service Administrative Company within 30 days 
following the end of the three-year support period. The Commission's 
proposed transitional support amount is based on the tentative 
conclusion that mobile carriers will have successfully restored and 
hardened their mobile networks by the end of the Stage 2 period, so 
less support will be needed. The Commission seeks comment on whether 
Stage 2 recipients have already been using more than 25% of their 
available support, i.e., if recipients have used a portion of the 75% 
of support allocated for 4G LTE or better, for the deployment of 5G 
technologies, to determine whether the proposed amount of transitional 
support is appropriate. The Commission notes that it is in the process 
of updating its fixed and mobile broadband availability maps with more 
detailed and precise information on the availability of fixed and 
mobile broadband service. The Commission seeks comment on whether it 
should use these Broadband Data Collection maps to determine 
transitional support amounts or if it is better to maintain a stable 
amount of support to allow carriers to make plans on how best to expand 
and harden their networks.
    8. The Commission required eligible facilities-based mobile 
carriers to meet interim and final milestones to restore their network 
coverage to at least their pre-hurricane area, while also meeting 
public interest and network performance obligations for 4G LTE and 5G 
network technologies. While the interim milestone reporting deadline 
date has not been reached, staff analyses based on June 2021 Form 477 
data preliminarily indicate that mobile carriers participating in the 
Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund will have 
met, or exceeded, their interim milestone to restore network coverages 
to at least 66% of their pre-hurricane coverages. Similarly, the 
Commission's review of carriers' publicly available coverage maps 
reflects significant coverage of the Territories with 4G LTE and 5G 
capable networks. Do participating carriers require a different amount 
of transitional support to preserve service following the full 
restoration of pre-hurricane coverage areas? Should the transitional 
support for each eligible facilities-based mobile carrier vary 
depending on any network resilience performance metrics? Should any 
unused Stage 2 mobile support designated for 5G networks be used to 
offset a carrier's transitional support? For example, if a carrier was 
unable to use all of the 25% of total support allocated to 5G networks, 
should that unused support be deducted from the transitional support 
the carrier would otherwise receive? Is the amount of proposed 
transitional support sufficient to permit carriers to further harden 
advanced telecommunication networks supporting 5G service? The 
Commission seeks comment on its proposal for transitional support 
amounts, along with any evidence of why a different support amount or 
alternative proposals might be necessary.
    9. Appropriate Use of Support. In the 2019 PR USVI Order, 84 FR 
59937, November 7, 2019, the Commission observed that carriers were 
rapidly

[[Page 67663]]

investing in 5G deployment across the country and directed support 
toward 4G LTE and 5G technologies to ensure that consumers in the 
Territories were not relegated to substandard mobile service. In light 
of that investment, the Commission proposes to limit transitional 
support to restoring, hardening, or expanding networks with 5G-capable 
networks, and to end use of this support for 4G LTE. Would such a 
requirement be consistent with the Commission's goal to ``target 
universal service funding to support the deployment of the highest 
level of mobile service available today''? The Commission alternatively 
seeks comment on allowing support recipients to use transitional 
support to restore (as necessary), harden, or expand networks with 4G 
LTE and 5G baseline performance requirements and standards set forth in 
the 2019 PR USVI Order or any subsequent standard adopted by 
Commission. Would any other restrictions be appropriate? For example, 
how would the Commission curtail overbuilding or supporting multiple 
mobile carriers in areas where more than one carrier already provides 
at least 4G LTE capable service?
    10. Eligible Areas. The Commission next seeks comment on allowing a 
mobile carrier receiving transitional support to continue using such 
support for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and 
services throughout its territory during the transition. While the 
Commission generally limits the scope of where high-cost support can be 
used, the Commission concluded that all areas of Puerto Rico and the 
U.S. Virgin Islands would be eligible for mobile high-cost support for 
the restoration, hardening, and expansion of networks to allow carriers 
``certain flexibility . . . to determine where hardening and/or 
expansion will be most impactful.'' Is it still in the public interest 
to permit use of support throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands to implement greater resiliency and redundancy measures to 
safeguard and preserve service during periods of future natural 
disasters? Allowing a mobile eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) 
the flexibility to allocate its use of high-cost support throughout its 
territory could allow a carrier to make more efficient decisions to 
expand or harden networks, as well as ensure service. Alternatively, 
should the Commission require carriers to limit the use of transitional 
support to less populated areas of the Territories based on data from 
the Broadband Data Collection? What geographic or population 
limitations, if any, should the Commission impose on the use of support 
to preclude the overbuilding of networks and to encourage hardening and 
deployment in those areas with the least robust coverage?
    11. Minimum Service Requirements and Reporting. The Commission 
tentatively concludes that in exchange for accepting transitional 
support, each mobile carrier must commit to accountability measures for 
deployment in the Territories. Currently, competitive carriers 
receiving high-cost support to provide mobile, terrestrial voice, and 
data services must comply with minimum service requirements for 4G LTE 
and 5G-NR technologies. Mobile support recipients are also required to 
file reports and data regarding the use of support for hardening 
networks and 5G technology deployment, and to maintain a Disaster 
Preparation and Response Plan. The Commission sees no reason to deviate 
from including accountability measures, and it proposes that carriers 
receiving transitional support continue to be subject to performance 
and reporting requirements during the transitional support period. The 
Commission seeks comment on what type of performance and reporting 
measures should be adopted. Should there be specific deployment 
commitments or performance requirements by the mobile carriers in 
exchange for transitional support? If so, what are the appropriate 
deployment commitments, performance requirements, and corresponding 
milestones the Commission should consider for the transitional support? 
What types of reports, data, and verification mechanisms are required 
to satisfy the deployment commitments and performance requirements? 
When and how often should mobile carriers be required to submit the 
reports and data the Commission proposes?
    12. Minimum Security Reporting Requirements. The provision of 
advanced services necessitates a recognition that such services, in 
order to be effective and available, must be reasonably secure. In 
order to further the Commission's goal of bringing more advanced 
services to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, it proposes to 
require that, in exchange for accepting transitional support, a mobile 
carrier report and explain the network security controls that it has 
implemented and how they are commensurate with established best 
practices or an established risk management framework. The Commission 
seeks comment on whether, in exchange for accepting transitional 
support, it should also require that mobile carriers report and explain 
to the Commission instances of unauthorized access to their systems and 
services. The Commission seeks comment on how to minimize the burden 
associated with these disclosures, while also ensuring that they 
promote the security of advanced services. The Commission emphasizes 
that mobile carriers' cybersecurity disclosures would not be intended 
to implicate any additional expenditure of transitional support funds. 
The Commission seeks comment on this approach.
    13. Election of Transitional Support. The Commission proposes that 
mobile carriers affirmatively elect to receive the transitional 
support, similar to the election process it employed previously for 
mobile support. Eligible carriers would have a one-time opportunity to 
elect to receive transitional support in exchange for a commitment to 
specifically ensure service in their service areas and to use support 
only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and 
services for which the transitional support is intended. The Commission 
seeks comment on the election process for its proposed transitional 
support.
    14. The Commission next addresses the phase-down of frozen support 
adopted in the 2019 PR USVI Order. Carriers awarded fixed support to 
build out high-speed broadband networks with an emphasis on resiliency 
and redundancy must complete 40% of their required buildout by the end 
of 2024, with an additional 20% of buildout required at the end of each 
subsequent year. However, as demonstrated by the damage caused by 
Hurricane Fiona, current telecommunications networks must be maintained 
and protected until the services on the new networks start to become 
available. Under the Commission's current rules, the phase-down in 
frozen support for incumbent carriers that did not win competitive 
support will be complete in June 2023, a full one and one-half years 
prior to the first interim milestone for the winning carriers in the 
competitive process. The Commission is concerned that incumbent 
carriers may have insufficient resources to maintain their networks and 
ensure resiliency during this period.
    15. To ensure continuity of service throughout the Territories, the 
Commission proposes to freeze phase-down support to the incumbent LECs 
that did not win competitive support at \1/3\ of their total legacy 
support until the winning applicant is required to meet its 60% 
deployment milestone by December 31, 2025. The Commission tentatively 
concludes that this revised phase-down schedule for support strikes

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a more appropriate balance to ensure service in light of the heightened 
risks of hurricanes in the Territories during the 18-month gap in time 
following the end of the current phase-down schedule and first 
deployment milestone deadline of December 31, 2024, for winning 
applicants. The Commission seeks comment on this tentative conclusion. 
The Commission notes that service may already be available to consumers 
from a winning Stage 2 applicant or other unsubsidized carriers in 
certain areas. Is providing support to areas where service is already 
available consistent with the Commission's commitments to fiscal 
responsibility and efficiently targeted support? The Commission seeks 
comment on whether the period of time and amount of support it proposes 
for additional phase-down support promotes access to quality services 
in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible.
    16. While the Commission proposes to extend phase-down support to 
December 31, 2025, are there other possible circumstances in which it 
would be appropriate for the Commission to consider extending or 
shortening the phase-down period? Would a significant delay or 
substantial failure to meet the final deployment milestone by the 
winning applicant require an extension of phase-down support? 
Conversely, should the Commission consider shortening its proposed 
additional phase-down period if a winning applicant meets its 
milestones earlier than required? The Commission seeks comment on any 
additional factors and circumstances it should consider in adjusting 
the phase-down period. Are there actions the Commission should take to 
ensure sufficient flexibility in the event that support should be 
curtailed or extended?
    17. The Commission also proposes that an incumbent LEC must limit 
its use of the phase-down support to resiliency and redundancy 
measures, consistent with the 2019 PR USVI Order, to continue hardening 
its network, and that the incumbent LEC must at least maintain its 
current footprint for voice and broadband services. The Commission 
notes that since part of the Disaster Preparation and Response Plan 
adopted by the 2019 PR USVI Order includes ensuring network diversity 
and backup power, use of transitional phase-down support to purchase 
and maintain generators to address power failures would be appropriate 
under the Commission's proposal. The Commission seeks comment on 
requiring an incumbent LEC receiving additional phase-down support to 
maintain its Disaster Preparation and Preparedness Plan. Should the 
Commission impose any other specific uses or limitations, e.g., a 
geographic limitation, for the use of additional phase-down support? 
What other obligations or commitments, if any, should apply to an 
incumbent LEC that receives additional phase-down support under the 
Commission's proposal? The Commission also seeks comment on whether to 
adopt a formal procedural process for an incumbent LEC to affirmatively 
accept additional phase-down support or opt out of receiving any 
additional phase-down support.
    18. To provide oversight and accountability and prevent waste, 
fraud, and abuse, the Commission proposes to subject phase-down support 
recipients to ongoing oversight by itself and the Universal Service 
Administrative Company. An incumbent LEC interested in receiving this 
support would be required to submit a spending plan for its use of 
phase-down support for redundancy and resiliency measures to the 
Wireline Competition Bureau (the Bureau) for approval. At the 
conclusion of each calendar year, the incumbent LEC would be required 
to provide the Commission with a report of how the phase-down support 
was spent on resiliency and redundancy measures consistent with the 
Bureau-approved plan, along with a certification pursuant to section 
54.313(n) of the Commission's rules that the support was used only for 
authorized purposes. The Commission seeks comment on this proposal. 
Should the Commission require additional oversight and accountability 
measures specific to the receipt of phase-down support? Are there 
alternative measures the Commission should consider to ensure oversight 
and accountability of providers receiving additional phase-down 
support?
    19. Digital Equity and Inclusion. Finally, the Commission, as part 
of its continuing effort to advance digital equity for all, including 
people of color, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural 
or Tribal areas, and others who are or have been historically 
underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected by persistent poverty 
or inequality, invites comment on any equity-related considerations and 
benefits (if any) that may be associated with the proposals and issues 
discussed in this document. Specifically, the Commission seeks comment 
on how its proposals in the FNPRM may promote or inhibit advances in 
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, as well the scope of 
the Commission's relevant legal authority.

III. Procedural Matters

A. Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis

    20. The FNPRM may contain proposed modified information collection 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13. The Commission, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork burdens, will invite the general public and the Office 
of Management and Budget to comment on any information collection 
requirements contained in the document, as required by the PRA. In 
addition, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, 
Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the Commission seeks 
specific comment on how it might ``further reduce the information 
collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees.''
    21. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Certification. The Regulatory 
Flexibility Act of 1980 as amended (RFA) requires that a regulatory 
flexibility analysis be prepared for rulemaking proceedings, unless the 
agency certifies that ``the rule will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.'' The RFA generally 
defines ``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the terms 
``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small governmental 
jurisdiction.'' In addition, the term ``small business'' has the same 
meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the Small Business 
Act. A small business concern is one which: (1) is independently owned 
and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of operation; and (3) 
satisfies any additional criteria established by the Small Business 
Administration.
    22. The FNPRM proposes support to maintain, improve, and expand 
mobile services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FNPRM 
proposes making support available to a facilities-based mobile carrier 
that currently receives funding and that maintains its ETC designation 
using a subscriber-based process. Four mobile carriers in the 
Territories currently receive high-cost support and three carriers in 
the Territories currently receive phase-down high-cost support 
discussed in the FNPRM. The FNPRM does not propose that other carriers 
will obtain an ETC designation to receive part of the additional 
support proposed by the FNPRM, so the Commission does not anticipate 
the proposed rule to affect more than seven providers out of the 1,763 
providers currently receiving high-cost support. Accordingly, the 
Commission anticipates that the FNPRM

[[Page 67665]]

will not affect a substantial number of carriers, and so it does not 
anticipate that it will affect a substantial number of small entities. 
Therefore, the Commission certifies that the FNPRM will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
See 5 U.S.C. 605(b).

IV. Ordering Clauses

    23. Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to the authority contained 
in sections 4(i), 214, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act 
of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 214, 254, 303(r), and 403, and 
Sec. Sec.  1.1 and 1.421 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1 and 
1.421, that this FNPRM is adopted.
    24. It is further ordered that, pursuant to the authority contained 
in sections 4(i), 214, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act 
of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 214, 254, 303(r), and 403, and 
Sec. Sec.  1.1 and 1.421 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1 and 
1.421, notice is hereby given of the proposals and tentative 
conclusions described in the FNPRM of Proposed Rulemaking.
    25. It is further ordered that pursuant to applicable procedures 
set forth in Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's Rules, 47 
CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on the FNPRM on 
or before 30 days from publication of this item in the Federal 
Register, and reply comments on or before 45 days from publication of 
this item in the Federal Register.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-24395 Filed 11-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P