INCOMPAS News -- September 19, 2022

Vol. 18, No. 39

September 19, 2022

Meet Top Telecom Buyers with Millions of Dollars on the Line

Where can you meet with telecom industry buyers who have millions of dollars to spend on your products and services?

Only at The 2022 INCOMPAS Show Buyers Forum, October 24-26 in Denver .

Take advantage of dedicated Buyers Forum time to discover potential new partners. Download our Buyers Forum Guide to see who you can meet in person next month.

How the Buyers Forum Works

Set up in a "speed-meeting" format, the Buyers Forum is open to all registered attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. There's no need to set up meetings in advance - you can simply walk up to the buyers you'd like to meet, introduce yourself and have an impromptu meeting.

To participate, come to the tables located in the Expo Hall, during dedicated Buyers Forum hours:

Monday, October 24 - 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Tuesday, October 25 - 11 a.m. - Noon

This Thursday: Webinar on Accelerating Broadband Deployment with ngFWA

The race is on to improve internet access across the globe, as millions of people remain unconnected or underserved. While fiber is usually the optimal choice for broadband deployments, there are circumstances where it’s not economically viable. In those cases, next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) and hybrid networks are able to deliver fiber-class broadband at a fraction of the time and cost. ngFWA creates enormous value in both rural areas with little or no broadband, as well as urban and residential areas where the introduction of healthy competition can improve affordability and subscriber experiences.

Join Tarana CEO Basil Alwan on Thursday, September 22, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m PT to learn how providers around the world, including some of the largest U.S. broadband grant recipients, are leveraging ngFWA in unlicensed or licensed spectrum to deliver reliable, high-speed internet service. He and INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering, will dive into how hybrid networks are helping close the digital divide sooner than anyone thought possible.

Advance registration is required.

INCOMPAS Calls for Regulatory Symmetry Among Providers in Robocall Proceeding Replies

INCOMPAS filed reply comments in the FCC proceeding on advanced methods to target and eliminate unlawful robocalls, urging the Commission adopt proposals that would provide cross-sector symmetry and fill gaps in the regulatory framework. INCOMPAS also noted that the FCC must recognize that the threat of illegal robocalls and should avoid placing unnecessary and anticompetitive burdens on certain classes of providers.

Applications Open for USDA Rural High-Speed Internet Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications for ReConnect Program loans and grants to expand access to high-speed internet for millions of people in rural America nationwide. The USDA is making more than $1 billion available, thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program is a critical piece of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to connect every American to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.

On September 6, USDA began accepting applications for loans, with available funds of $150 million, grants with available funds of $700 million, and combination loan/grant awards using $300 million under the ReConnect Program. These funds were appropriated under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The application deadline is November 2.

Antitrust Hearing Scheduled for September 20

The Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights will hold an oversight hearing on September 20 at 3 p.m. ET on federal enforcement of antitrust laws.

Legislation to Increase Digital Equity, Inclusion, Literacy

Last week, Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) led Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act. This legislation would establish a nonprofit foundation to leverage public and private investments to make progress closing the divide on digital equity, digital inclusion and digital literacy.

The Foundation will supplement the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the FCC work to award grants, support research, provide training and education, engage with stakeholders, collect data, and promote policies to improve digital equity outcomes. The Foundation will be run by a Board of experts specializing in the fields of digital equity, technology, and telecommunications, and will represent diverse communities throughout the U.S.

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