Page 121 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

FCC Oks Final Set of COVID-19 Telehealth Program Applications

The FCC approved the last 25 funding has approved 539 funding applications in the country. And I look forward to seeing
applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth 47 states plus Washington, D.C. and Guam how those who are awarded funding
Program. Congress awarded a total of for a total of $200 million in funding—the today will help patients from New York
$200 million for telehealth as part of the amount of money provided by Congress to Guam, and Alabama to North Dakota.”
March stimulus package known as the in the CARES Act. “This final tranche of Pai told lawmakers last month that once
CARES Act. The Commission distributed approved funding applications includes the program is over, the agency wants
in its COVID-19 Telehealth Program recipients in both urban and rural areas to review how the money was spent and
aimed at helping health care providers of the country, and from coast to coast,” explore ways that might improve the
secure internet connectivity. A total of said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. We have FCC’s Connected Care Pilot Program. He
539 grant recipients received money. The already seen the program’s positive explained participants are expected to
money awarded this week totaled $10.73 impact on expanding access to telehealth report back on the program’s effectiveness.
million. Since the beginning of the FCC’s services and promoting the well-being of
COVID-19 Telehealth Program, the agency patients and healthcare providers across

271 Bidders Qualified for 3.5GHz Auction, FCC Confirms

In an update to its previous disclosures, the Cable Television, T-Mobile License, United TeleGuam Holdings (GTA), DOCOMO
US Federal Communications Commission States Cellular Corporation, Verizon Pacific and PTI (IT&E). In March this year
(FCC) has confirmed that a total of Wireless Network Procurement and the FCC confirmed that it had rescheduled
271 potential bidders have qualified to Windstream Services. (Note: DISH Network its planned auction of frequencies in the
participate in Auction 105, its sale of is understood to be bidding as Wetterhorn 3.5GHz band as a result of the COVID-19
5G-suitable (3550MHz-3650MHz) 3.5GHz Wireless.) Turning to the unincorporated pandemic. The spectrum sale – which had
spectrum. A further 77 applicants failed US territories, Puerto Rican bidders will been scheduled to commence on 25 June
to qualify, the watchdog noted. Registered include: Aeronet Wireless Broadband – will now start on 23 July. The auction
US bidders include: AT&T Spectrum and Puerto Rico Telephone Company will offer seven Priority Access Licenses
Frontiers, Cable ONE, Cincinnati Bell, (Claro), while Broadband VI will target (PALs) in each county-based license area,
Consolidated Communications Enterprise the US Virgin Islands. Over in the Pacific, for a total of 22,631 PALs nationwide. Each
Services, Cox Communications, Frontier meanwhile, bidders focused on Guam PAL will be a ten-year renewable license,
Communications, Mediacom, Shenandoah and the Northern Mariana Islands include consisting of an unpaired 10MHz channel.

All Major Telecoms Obtain 5G Service Licenses from NCC

Taiwan’s three major telecoms have all among telecoms. Apparently, all of them business-to-business applications, he
secured 5G licenses after the National are ready to launch services in the third said. To offer 5G service to the general
Communications Commission (NCC) quarter of this year,” Hsiao said. 5G service public, Asia Pacific Telecom plans to
approved Taiwan Mobile’s application. The is expected to be the focus of Taiwan lease 5G networks built by other telecoms,
NCC granted 5G licenses to Chunghwa Mobile’s shareholders’ meeting today, Hsiao said. “The commission can only
Telecom on June 3 and to Far EasTone market analysts said. The commission approve such a partnership after the
Telecommunications on June 6. The two also approved Asia Pacific Telecom’s Telecommunications Management Act is
plan to launch 5G services next month and 5G service business plan using the 28 implemented next month,” he said, adding
have 3,000 cell stations built nationwide gigahertz (GHz) frequency band, but said it that Asia Pacific Telecom would resubmit
by the end of this year, the NCC said. still needs to have its information security a business plan on how it plans to lease
Taiwan Mobile originally planned to have plan approved before it can start building the networks of other carriers to offer 5G
2,000 cell stations built by the end of this cell stations. The three major telecoms service. The commission said it would
year, but it later changed its business would use the 3.5GHz frequency band, review Taiwan Star’s information security
plan and increased the number to 4,000, which can be accessed by the general plan next week.
NCC spokesperson Hsiao Chi-hung public, Hsiao said. The 5G service on the
said. “This highlights the competition 28GHz frequency band is mainly used in

121 JUNE-JULY 2020