Commentary
In March, the FCC and USAC worked hard to stand up the first of
three pandemic-related special programs, the Emergency Broadband
Benefit Program (EBBP). Rules for the $3.2 billion EBBP were
adopted in February and the Wireline Competition Bureau
(Bureau) issued milestones in March for ETC election notices,
non-ETC applications and applications to use alternative
verification systems. Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel said in
mid-March that over 100 applications or election notices were filed
(we believe the number is much higher now); clearly the program is
attracting a lot of interest from service providers and, in
particular, from service providers that have not heretofore