Sec. 10001. Expansion of broadband access
1,151 words·~5 min read·
/bill/115/hr/2479/ih/section-10001A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Assistant Secretary shall establish a program to expand access to broadband for communities throughout the United States in a manner that protects consumer privacy and promotes network security. Of the amounts authorized for the program, 75 percent shall be distributed by the Assistant Secretary to private entities to deploy broadband in unserved areas of the United States through a national reverse auction. Of the amounts authorized for the program, 25 percent shall be distributed by the Assistant Secretary among the States for the States to distribute to private entities (or governmental entities for the deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 services) through a statewide reverse auction in accordance with the program and project requirements described in this section— to deploy broadband in unserved areas; or if a State does not have an unserved area, to— deploy broadband in underserved areas; deploy broadband or connective technology to a school or library that does not receive funding under subpart F of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations; or fund the deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 services.
Any funds distributed under the program shall not favor a project using any particular technology. There shall be a preference under the program for projects with at least 50 percent matching funds from the private sector. The Federal Communication Commission’s Form 477 data shall be used as the starting point for an unserved or underserved determination for census blocks. The program shall provide for a process for challenging any determination regarding whether an area is served, underserved, or unserved.
Any project funded through the program shall meet the following requirements: Quality-of-service standards, as specified by the Assistant Secretary. Provide broadband with a download speed of at least 100 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second, and a latency that is sufficiently low to allow real-time, interactive applications, except for remote areas, as defined by the Assistant Secretary, which shall provide broadband with a download speed of at least 25 megabits per second, an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second, and a latency that is sufficiently low to allow real-time, interactive applications.
Not less than 20 percent matching funds from the private sector (or governmental entities for the deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 services) and a demonstration of the management and financial qualifications of any private sector partners. Any project that involves laying fiber along a roadway shall include interspersed conduct access points sufficient to encourage connected vehicles technology. For any project that is not for the deployment of broadband or connective technology to a school or library or that is not for the deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 services, the project offers a tier of service that provides broadband with the following requirements:
A download speed of at least 25 megabits per second. An upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second. Latency sufficiently low to allow real-time, interactive applications. Charges not more than $60 per month for a residential subscriber, exclusive of taxes and any other statutory fee related to the service. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall promulgate rules— to implement the requirements of this Act, including methods to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the program; and that establish network security standards sufficient to protect the security of subscribers of broadband provided with funds distributed under this program.
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary shall begin to award funds to projects in accordance with the requirements of this Act. Not later than June 30 and December 31 of each year following the awarding of the first funds under this program, the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce and the Comptroller General shall submit to the committees on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report for the previous 6 months that reviews the program established under subsection (a).
Such report shall include any recommendations to address waste, fraud, and abuse. Any State that receives funds under the program shall submit an annual report to the Assistant Secretary on how such funds were spent, along with a certification of compliance with the requirements of this section, including a description of each service provided and the number of individuals to whom the service was provided. In this section: The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
The term broadband — means broadband internet access service that is a mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or substantially all internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service; includes any service that is a functional equivalent of the service described in subparagraph (A); and does not include dial-up internet access service.
The term Next Generation 9–1–1 services has the meaning given the term in section 158(e) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act ( 47 U.S.C. 942(e) ). The term reverse auction means an auction in which bids are submitted for a particular project and the bids serving the most consumers for the lowest cost to the Federal Government that otherwise meets all the requirements of the bid proposal are selected for funding by the Assistant Secretary.
The term school has the meaning given the term elementary school or secondary school in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 7801 ). The term served means a location that is served by broadband that offers service— with a download speed of at least 100 megabits per second; with an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second; and with latency that is sufficiently low to allow real-time, interactive applications. The term State means each State of the United States, the District of Columbia, each commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, and each federally recognized Indian Tribe.
The term underserved means a location that is served by broadband that offers service— with a download speed between 25 and 99 megabits per second; with an upload speed of at least 3 megabits per second; and with latency that is sufficiently low to allow real-time, interactive applications. The term unserved means a location that is— neither served nor underserved by broadband; or served by broadband that offers service— with a download speed of less than 25 megabits per second; with an upload speed of less than 3 megabits per second; or with latency insufficient to allow real-time, interactive applications.
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Assistant Secretary $40,000,000,000 for fiscal years 2018 through 2022 to carry out the program described in subsection (a), and such amount is authorized to remain available until expended.
Connectionstraces to 2
Traces to 2 documents
Citation graph
cites case law
Cites 2Cited by 0 across 0 sources