The FCC has announced that the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on a number of issues tied to safeguarding the equipment supply chain within the domestic communications sector has been published in Federal Register. Accordingly, comments to the NPRM are due on or before Friday, June 1st and reply comments are due on or before Monday, July 2nd. In an FCC news release issued immediately after the vote to adopt the NPRM, the FCC stated that the “proposal is intended to ensure that USF funds are not used in a way that undermines or poses a threat to our national security.” Among other things, the rulemaking seeks input on: (1) how best to implement the proposed prohibition on the use of USF support going forward; (2) what types of equipment and services should be covered by the proposed rule; (3) how the FCC should identify, and how USF recipients can learn, which suppliers are covered by the proposed rule; (4) the costs and benefits of the proposed rule; and (5) how best to enforce the proposed rule.
