Emily Guiddy Emily Guiddy

FCC Seeks Comment on State of Competition in Communications Marketplace

Comments Due: July 1, 2022
Reply Comments Due: August 1, 2022

On May 16, 2022, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comments regarding the state of competition in the communications marketplace. This input will help inform the Commission’s 2022 Communications Marketplace Report to Congress.

Specifically about accessibility, the FCC seeks comment regarding:
• The impact of innovation on device availability and usage, especially for individuals with disabilities and lower income individuals,
• The criteria or metrics that could be used to evaluate the impacts of the pandemic and the accessibility and affordability of wireless services.
• Technological developments (e.g., deployment of ATSC 3.0 service),
• Provision of video and audio programming accessible to people with disabilities, and
• Any issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the communications marketplace.

Interested parties may file comments by accessing the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings. All filings must reference GN Docket No. 22-203. People with disabilities who need assistance to file comments online at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings may request assistance by email to FCC504@fcc.gov.

Links to the Public Notice:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/comment-sought-state-competition-communications-marketplace
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-535A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-535A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-535A1.txt

For general information about the Reports, visit: https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/consolidated-communications-marketplace-reports. For questions about this Public Notice, contact Kate Matraves, Economic Analysis Division, Office of Economics and Analytics, (202) 391-6272 or Catherine.Matraves@fcc.gov, or Judith Dempsey, Economic Analysis Division, Office of Economics and Analytics, (202) 418-1861 or Judith.Dempsey@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).

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Emily Guiddy Emily Guiddy

FCC Announces 2022-2023 NDBEDP Allocations

On May 18, 2022, the FCC released a Public Notice announcing the allocations for the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP or iCanConnect) for the 2022-2023 fund year, which begins July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2023. The FCC provides up to $10 million annually for the NDBEDP.

Links to the Public Notice:
URL: https://www.fcc.gov/document/2022-2023-annual-nbdedp-allocations
Word: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-549A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-549A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-549A1.txt

For information about NDBEDP, visit http://www.fcc.gov/ndbedp. For questions about this Public Notice, contact Jackie Ellington, NDBEDP Administrator, Disability Rights Office, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at (202) 418-1153 or Jackie.Ellington@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 (videophone).

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