The FCC’s wireless and wireline bureaus and Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force (Bureaus) have scheduled the 150-day Mobility Fund Phase II (MF2) challenge process from March 29, 2018 through August 27, 2018 and have released an initial eligible areas map that currently favors areas in the Western United States. Mobile service providers and government entities, among others, may challenge the presumptive ineligibility of areas for MF2 support as detailed in the initial eligible areas map. As detailed in the MF2 Challenge Process Public Notice, challengers will have 150 days from March 29 to prepare and submit a challenge, which must include actual outdoor speed test data showing a lack of unsubsidized, qualified 4G LTE coverage (i.e., download speeds of at least 5 Mbps at the cell edge with 80% probability and a 30% cell loading factor). This data will be validated on the basis of one square kilometer grid cells. Within 30 days of the challenge window closing, 30-day response window will open for challenged providers to provide optional responses and supporting data. The Bureaus will provide to challengers and respondents the data about their respective challenges and responses, and will make public the adjudication outcome of each challenged grid cell.
