[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30108-30128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10541]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket No. 16-271; DA 22-484; FR ID 86215]


Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Adopts Drive Test Parameters 
and Model for Alaska Plan Participants

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final order; Alaska Plan.

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SUMMARY: In the document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
(Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts 
the drive test parameters and a drive test model required of two Alaska 
Plan mobile-provider participants: GCI Communication Corp (GCI) and 
Copper Valley Wireless (CVW). The Bureau also requests comment on 
requiring these mobile providers to submit new drive-test data if they 
fail to demonstrate compliance with their approved performance plan.

DATES: The Order is adopted and effective on June 17, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on this 
proceeding, contact Matthew Warner of the Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau, Competition & Infrastructure Policy Division, 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1954786d6d717c6e374e786b777c6b597f7a7a377e766f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4805293c3c202d3f661f293a262d3a082e2b2b662f273e">[email protected]</span></a>, (202) 418-2419.

[[Page 30109]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the ``Order'' portion 
of the Bureau's Alaska Plan Drive Test Order and Request for Comment, 
adopted on May 5, 2022, and released on May 5. 2022. The ``Request for 
Comments'' portion is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register. The full text of this document is available for public 
inspection on the Commission's website at: https://www.fcc.gov/document/alaska-drive-test-order-and-request-comment.

I. Introduction

    1. In the Order portion of this document, the Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) adopts a drive-test model and 
parameters for the drive tests that are required of certain mobile 
providers participating in the Alaska Plan. The Bureau will use these 
drive-test data to determine whether mobile providers that receive more 
than $5 million in annual support for the deployment of mobile voice 
and broadband service in remote areas of Alaska have met their 
performance commitments. In the Request for Comment portion of the 
document, we seek comment on a proposal to require mobile-provider 
participants subject to the drive-test requirement to submit new drive-
test data consistent with the drive-test model and parameters if they 
fail to meet a buildout milestone and later seek to cure a compliance 
gap.

II. Background

    2. Unique circumstances in Alaska make deploying communications 
infrastructure particularly challenging in that state. In the 2016 
Alaska Plan Order, the Commission adopted an Alaska-specific, 10-year 
universal service plan to address these unique circumstances. The 
Alaska Plan Order froze mobile-wireless service-provider participants' 
preexisting support at December 2014 levels (frozen support) and sought 
to have those providers commit to expand Fourth-Generation, Long-Term 
Evolution (4G LTE) service at speeds of at least 10/1 Mbps in eligible 
areas, subject to certain exceptions (such as where middle-mile 
infrastructure capability is limited). In areas with limited middle-
mile infrastructure, providers were allowed to make a lesser commitment 
until better middle-mile infrastructure became available.
    3. Provider Commitments. Eight mobile providers chose to 
participate in the Alaska Plan and submitted for Bureau approval 
performance plans in which they committed to provide mobile voice and 
broadband services to delineated populations in remote eligible areas 
of Alaska. Providers, as part of their performance plans, were required 
to identify both the last-mile mobile technology (e.g., 3G, 4G LTE) 
that they would use to serve delineated populations and the type of 
middle-mile connectivity (e.g., fiber, satellite) on which they would 
rely to provide mobile services. Where Alaska Plan participants could 
provide fiber-based 4G LTE, their speed commitments in those areas were 
greater than or equal to speed commitments with other technology 
combinations, consistent with the deployment standard set forth in the 
Alaska Plan Order (4G LTE at speeds of at least 10/1 Mbps). For those 
areas where the provider had to provide service over a performance-
limiting satellite backhaul connection, the Bureau permitted providers 
to commit to previous-generation last-mile technologies and slower 
speeds.
    4. Each participating mobile provider committed to meet buildout 
requirements at the end of year five (ending December 31, 2021) and 
year 10 (ending December 31, 2026) of the Alaska Plan and to certify 
that it met the obligations contained in the performance plan at each 
of these buildout milestones. The Commission stated that it would rely 
on participating providers' FCC Form 477 data--which report inter alia 
mobile wireless broadband coverage by technology and minimum advertised 
or expected speed--in determining whether the providers' five-year and 
10-year milestones have been met. The Commission delegated authority to 
the Bureau to require additional information necessary to establish 
clear standards for determining whether providers have met their five 
and 10-year commitments.
    5. Drive Tests. Mobile participants that receive more than $5 
million annually in Alaska Plan support must accompany their milestone 
certifications with drive-test data. The drive-test data must show 
mobile transmissions to and from the network that meet or exceed the 
minimum speeds set out in the approved performance plans in the areas 
where support was received. The Alaska Plan Order specifies that these 
participants ``may demonstrate coverage of an area with a statistically 
significant number of tests in the vicinity of residences being 
covered.'' Given the unique terrain and lack of road networks in remote 
Alaska, providers may conduct drive tests by means other than 
automobiles (such as snow-mobiles or other vehicles appropriate to 
local conditions). Two of the eight mobile participants--GCI 
Communications Corp. (GCI) and Copper Valley Wireless (CVW)--exceed the 
$5 million annual support threshold, and accordingly, they must provide 
drive-test data supporting the speed certifications consistent with 
their performance plan commitments.
    6. Alaska Drive-Test Parameters and Model. In the Alaska Drive Test 
Public Notice, the Bureau proposed a model for conducting the drive 
testing (Alaska Drive-Test Model), which included the drive-test 
information to be submitted and the format in which it should be 
submitted. The parameters proposed in the Notice included, for example, 
the submission of latitude and longitude coordinates to identify the 
location of the test, a timestamp for the time the test was taken, the 
type of device and related software used for the test, last-mile 
technology tested, and recorded download and upload speeds.
    7. The proposed Alaska Drive-Test Model was designed to ensure that 
the service providers required to conduct drive testing would obtain a 
``statistically significant number of tests in the vicinity of 
residences being covered.'' The proposed Alaska Drive-Test Model uses 
stratified random sampling to determine test locations within a grid 
system based on the service provider's reported coverage area. Under 
the proposal, the Commission would begin with the populated areas 
contained in the performance plans for each type of technology and 
backhaul and then overlay a one-square kilometer grid system to create 
a frame around the covered populated area corresponding with the 
performance commitments. Staff would then stratify the frame into sets 
of grids determined by statistical formulae based on theoretical 
population of the grid cells (e.g., lowest population grid cells would 
be in the first stratum; highest population grid cells would be in the 
highest-numbered stratum) and would select a random sample of grid 
cells for testing from each stratum within the frame. The Bureau 
proposed that, within each grid cell, a service provider would conduct 
a minimum of 20 tests, consisting of download and upload components, no 
less than 50% of which would be conducted from a vehicle while in-
motion. To be considered valid, each test would have to be conducted 
between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. within the selected grid cell, 
and the test data would have to report all relevant parameters. Staff 
would construct a confidence interval for the drive-test results that 
would be used to verify that a provider's commitments have been met or 
to determine the

[[Page 30110]]

percentage by which the provider has failed to meet its commitments.
    8. The Bureau sought comment on the parameters and proposed Alaska 
Drive-Test Model and on any alternatives that it should consider. GCI 
filed comments, and both GCI and CVW made ex parte presentations to 
staff about the proposed Alaska Drive-Test Model. No other party filed 
comments or made such presentations. Based on concerns that were 
expressed about the initial deadline, the Bureau extended the drive-
test data-submission deadline, moving it from March 1, 2022 to 
September 30, 2022. The Commission will continue to monitor the 
situation and will remain flexible where warranted.

III. Discussion

    9. We adopt the proposed parameters and the proposed Alaska Drive-
Test Model with the modifications specified below. We will use data 
derived from these parameters, combined with FCC Form 477 coverage data 
and complementary middle-mile data, to verify that covered service 
providers have met their commitments. Upon submission of the drive test 
data that we discuss in this Order, a corporate officer of the mobile-
provider participant must certify to the data's accuracy, consistent 
with the obligations of 47 CFR 54.321(a). When submitting the drive 
test data, a corporate officer of the mobile-provider participant must 
submit this certification: ``I certify that I am an officer of the 
reporting carrier; my responsibilities include ensuring the accuracy of 
certifications which are required to be reported pursuant to 47 CFR 
54.321(a). The reporting carrier certifies that the data received or 
used from drive tests analyzing network coverage for mobile service 
pursuant to 47 CFR 54.321(a) are complete, accurate, and free from 
misrepresentation.'' The Commission staff will provide details to GCI 
and CVW on how to submit the drive test data.

A. Drive-Test Parameters

    10. We adopt a modified version of the drive-test parameters 
proposed in the Alaska Drive Test Public Notice (attached as Appendix 
A). These parameters specify the categories of data to be collected as 
well as the data structure and format in which the data must be 
reported. In addition to the parameters the Bureau proposed, the Bureau 
adopts other changes to the parameters; most notably, we have altered 
the parameters in Appendix A with respect to the data to be collected 
for 2G/Voice. In the Notice, the Bureau proposed that, for 2G, a data 
rate of 22.8 kbps or higher for download and upload tests would be 
appropriate because that should be a minimally sufficient speed to 
provide a serviceable voice call. GCI expressed concern that speed-test 
data would not accurately represent the ability to place a voice call 
over a 2G network, particularly for non-GSM standards such as CDMA or 
UMTS. GCI proposed that, instead, providers demonstrate voice coverage 
by placing voice calls between five and 30 seconds in duration to a 
telephone number established for test calls.
    11. We find GCI's suggestion to be a reasonable approach, and 
therefore we will require it instead of the approach we proposed in the 
Notice. Because GCI is the only provider subject to drive testing that 
has a 2G commitment and GCI's particular 2G requirement is voice only, 
we agree with GCI that a test assessing the availability of voice 
service would be appropriate. Accordingly, GCI must use voice calls to 
demonstrate its ``Voice/2G'' coverage in areas that it is required to 
drive test, and Appendix A now includes parameters for voice-only 
testing. This change from the original proposal enables GCI to enter 
information that records a successful call completion using 2G 
technology, regardless of data rate, consistent with the voice-only 
commitment. The new fields for GCI's voice-only testing are the voice 
originating, voice terminating, rxlev, and rxqual fields. The voice 
originating field is a field for providing information for outbound 
calling and the voice terminating field is for receiving inbound calls 
for the testing. The rxlev and rxqual fields represent data elements 
that are necessary to determine the signal quality and strength and 
corresponding quality of the network for voice calls.
    12. We also adopt other modifications to the proposed data 
specifications for mobile speed tests. As set forth in more detail in 
Appendix A, we modify the proposed data specifications to add new 
drive-test parameters within existing categories--specifically, device 
Type Allocation Code (TAC), warmup duration, warmup bytes transferred, 
spectrum band, and success flag. Most of the parameters that we 
altered--device TAC, warmup duration, warmup bytes transferred, and 
spectrum band--resulted from the Bureau's experience constructing the 
Broadband Data Collection but will also aid understanding of the data 
derived from the Alaska Plan drive tests. The device TAC provides the 
type of device used in the testing and helps us better understand the 
results, particularly if results indicate a problem with a network that 
may be attributable to the type of device. The warmup bytes and 
duration are the bits recorded during the testing ramp-up time, and 
collecting ramp-up bits as a separate field is required to ensure we 
are accurately measuring the network's maximum transmission data rate. 
The spectrum band records the spectrum band or bands utilized during 
the drive test, which can affect wireless performance. Finally, because 
the drive tests need to exceed the minimum commitments in the mobile-
provider participants' performance plans, the success flag field was 
added to record where the data indicate that the tests were successful 
to that end (or not).

B. Alaska Drive-Test Model

    13. We adopt the proposed Alaska Drive-Test Model (attached as 
Appendix B), with limited clarifications and modifications. The Alaska 
Drive-Test Model uses a stratified random sample of a frame. A frame 
consists of the complete set of units within a commitment eligible to 
be sampled, which for the purposes of the Alaska Plan drive testing are 
one-square kilometer grids in which a provider has at least 100,000 
square meters of covered populated area. The construction of this frame 
is a multi-part process. First, we will create a set of ``eligible 
populated areas.'' Census blocks eligible for frozen-support funding 
would be included, and these census blocks would be merged with the 
populated areas of the Alaska Population-Distribution Model. Second, 
staff will merge the FCC Form 477 reported coverage areas (for which a 
provider committed to deploy and that are subject to testing) with the 
eligible populated areas to create a set of ``covered populated 
areas.'' Third, Commission staff will overlay a grid of 1 km x 1 km 
squares onto the covered populated areas. Lastly, any grid cell that 
contains fewer than 100,000 square meters of covered populated area, or 
10% of the grid cell, will be excluded from the frame.
    14. The frame is divided into subsets of similar characteristics, 
called strata. This methodology allows fewer grid cells to be selected 
for testing while producing a statistically equivalent level of 
accuracy as sampling the entire frame, thus reducing the burden of 
testing. We will use the cumulative square root of the frequency (CSRF) 
method to define the breaks between strata based on a scale along the 
cumulated square root of the frequency of grid cells belonging to equal 
intervals of the stratification variable. Using the CSRF method will 
help to ensure that

[[Page 30111]]

grid cells with low population are confined to a single stratum within 
each frame. The number of strata for a frame depends on the number of 
grid cells in that frame and the distribution of the populations within 
the frame. Two to eight strata are likely to be necessary per frame.
1. Commitment-Based Frames
    15. Frames are based on providers' commitments. In particular, 
Commission staff will create separate frames where a provider committed 
to different speeds based on different middle-mile or last-mile 
technologies in its Bureau-approved performance plan. CVW is subject to 
one frame because it committed to 10/3 Mbps 4G LTE in all of the areas 
where it receives Alaska Plan support. GCI is subject to five frames, 
as GCI committed to five different speeds based on various combinations 
of middle-mile and last-mile technologies:
    <bullet> Fiber-based 4G LTE at a minimum speed of 10/1 Mbps;
    <bullet> Microwave-based 4G LTE at a minimum speed of 2/.8 Mbps;
    <bullet> Satellite-based 4G LTE at a minimum speed of 1/.256 Mbps;
    <bullet> 3G or better at a minimum speed of .2/.05 Mbps; and
    <bullet> Voice/2G.
    16. GCI argues that, instead of basing frames on middle-mile and 
last-mile technologies, we should assign frames based only on the 
speeds a provider reports via its FCC Form 477 filings. GCI asserts 
that a speed-only approach better reflects the intent of the Alaska 
Plan Order and that the Commission intended to use information about 
middle-mile and last-mile technologies only to determine whether mobile 
carriers' proposed speed commitments were reasonable. Pointing to 
language in the Alaska Plan Order, which states that drive tests must 
show mobile transmissions that meet or exceed ``the speeds delineated 
in the approved performance plans,'' GCI contends that the Bureau's 
drive-test proposal ``changes the yardstick by which providers will be 
measured.''
    17. We disagree. The Alaska Drive-Test Model's integration of 
middle-mile and last-mile technologies is consistent with the Alaska 
Plan Order, the Commission's rules, the provider performance plans that 
the Bureau approved, and the policy undergirding the Alaska Plan. In 
2016, the Commission sought to advance, to the extent possible, the 
number of locations in Alaska that have access to at least 10/1 Mbps 4G 
LTE. It permitted the Bureau to approve lesser commitments ``in 
particular circumstances'' if a provider's ability to achieve 10/1 Mbps 
4G LTE was limited, for example, by a lack of access to middle-mile 
infrastructure. In areas where such limitations did not exist, 
providers were expected to extend 4G LTE service, which was the latest 
mass-market technology available at the time the Commission adopted the 
Alaska Plan. Additionally, if backhaul becomes newly available in an 
area where a provider has not committed to provide 10/1 Mbps 4G LTE, 
then that provider must submit revised commitments that take into 
account the new backhaul option. While GCI argues that the Commission 
only intended to use information about middle-mile and last-mile 
technologies to determine whether mobile providers' proposed speed 
commitments were reasonable, GCI does not address how the Commission 
could determine whether a mobile provider has met those commitments 
without also collecting information about its speeds for each specified 
technology and middle-mile facility.
    18. Contrary to GCI's assertions, we have not ``change[d] the 
yardstick by which providers will be measured.'' To implement the 
framework described above, the Commission required providers to 
identify in their performance plans the populations that they proposed 
to cover at the five- and 10-year milestones, ``broken down for each 
type of middle mile, and within each type of middle mile, for each 
level of data service offered.'' This approach is mirrored in the 
Commission's rules, which require mobile providers to build out to the 
``population covered by the specified technology, middle mile, and 
speed of service in the carrier's approved performance plan, by the 
interim milestone.'' In addition, every performance plan that providers 
submitted and the Bureau approved--including GCI's original plan and 
updated plans--identifies the providers' speed commitments based on 
available middle- and last-mile technology employed.
    19. The Alaska Drive-Test Model, by taking into account middle- and 
last-mile technologies, will allow CVW and GCI to show that they have 
met the speed commitments delineated in their approved performance 
plans. While GCI is correct that the drive-test data will demonstrate 
network throughput (i.e., speeds), the minimum speeds it is required to 
show are--and must be--``delineated'' in its approved plan in terms of 
populations covered by specific combinations of middle- and last-mile 
technologies. GCI's suggested reading of the Commission's rules, in 
contrast, would require us to ignore the rules' repeated references to 
middle- and last-mile technologies in describing how providers are 
required to identify and meet their commitments. The Commission could 
have required in the Alaska Plan Order that providers base their 
commitments solely on speed criteria, but it explicitly required the 
inclusion of middle-mile and last-mile technology for the population 
served as part of the performance plans, consistent with the 
Commission's goal of expanding Alaskans' access to 10/1 Mbps 4G LTE 
technology to the greatest extent possible, unless an exception was 
warranted.
    20. Moreover, failing to account for last-mile and middle-mile 
technologies in the Alaska Drive-Test Model could allow participants to 
skirt their commitments. For example, speed tests conducted in close 
proximity to a tower providing 3G service using microwave backhaul 
could produce test results of 10/1 Mbps or better. If that grid cell's 
population is credited toward a provider's fiber-fed 4G LTE performance 
obligation, this would offset the need for the provider to demonstrate 
10/1 Mbps 4G LTE service in another area that should otherwise receive 
this level of service based on fiber-based middle-mile facilities.
    21. Finally, we note that, under the Alaska Plan, approval of a 
provider's plan to maintain lower levels of technology ``in particular 
circumstances . . . to a subset of locations'' is limited to those 
locations; it is not a fungible token to provide lower levels of 
service anywhere in the provider's service area. In other words, a 
provider may not underperform in areas where it committed to 10/1 Mbps 
4G LTE, even if it overperforms in areas where it was allowed a lesser 
commitment due to ``unique limitations'' in those areas. To the extent 
``unique limitations'' no longer prevent a provider from achieving 10/1 
Mbps 4G LTE in an area, the appropriate course of action would be for 
the provider to update its performance plan, as required under the 
terms of the Alaska Plan Order.
2. Grid Cells With No Roads
    22. Some parts of remote Alaska lack any roads, and some large 
areas have a low population density. Nonetheless, providers committed 
to serve many of these areas, and they receive support from the Alaska 
Plan to do so. As discussed further below, we cannot ignore these areas 
when evaluating CVW's and GCI's performance commitments, and thus we 
find it necessary to include in the testing sample grid cells with no 
roads as well as grid cells with low populations,

[[Page 30112]]

consistent with the Alaska Plan Order and our proposals in the Alaska 
Drive Test Public Notice. While we cannot ignore these areas when 
evaluating CVW's and GCI's performance commitments, we note that the 
Alaska Drive-Test Model includes a number of design features that 
should limit the areas without roads or with little population that the 
two providers must test, as we detail below.
    23. We acknowledge that remote Alaska has unique challenges, 
including roadless areas, and these unique challenges are the reason 
the Commission created a separate universal service support mechanism 
for Alaska. Some of the roadless remote areas, however, are in the 
vicinity of covered residences and must be tested to achieve 
statistically significant testing of each provider's coverage 
sufficient to enable the Bureau to determine whether a provider has 
satisfied its commitments. A quality communications network is all the 
more essential where the local population lacks roads, and to the 
extent that providers have received universal service support to cover 
such populated areas, they are required to demonstrate their claimed 
coverage.
    24. We also find it necessary to include in the testing sample grid 
cells with a modeled population of less than one person--including such 
grid cells with no roads--consistent with the Alaska Plan Order and our 
proposals in the Alaska Drive Test Public Notice. Providers committed 
to cover delineated eligible populations in their performance plans, 
including some areas that are sparsely populated. While providers only 
test populated areas, in some instances, the number of grid cells 
within the populated area of a census block can outnumber the people. 
Where the aggregate number of grid cells in a covered populated area 
exceed the number of people in that area, such grid cells will appear 
to have less than one person. However, to ``demonstrate coverage of an 
area with a statistically significant number of tests in the vicinity 
of residences being covered,'' these areas are necessary to test as 
part of the coverage that the provider committed to and receives 
support to provide mobile service.
    25. GCI argues that it should not be required to test sparsely 
populated grid cells, and both GCI and CVW express concern that testing 
in grid cells with no roads will be extremely difficult. But the Alaska 
Drive-Test Model has design features that should help address concerns 
about these grid cells. The model stratifies each frame using CSRF 
based on grid-level estimates of covered population. This includes 
creating a single stratum within each frame of all grid cells with a 
population of less than one person. Further, the sample is apportioned 
across a frame using Neyman allocation, a technique that draws more 
samples from more highly populated strata relative to lower populated 
strata. Accordingly, the stratum containing grid cells with a 
population of one person or more will have a greater number of grid 
cells compared to strata containing grid cells of population less than 
one, and more samples will be drawn from the higher populated strata. 
This has a compounding effect that limits the number of grid cells with 
a population less than one that will be selected for testing. In 
addition, the Alaska Population-Distribution Model distributes 
population near roadways for census blocks that contain roads, making 
it more likely that areas near roads will be covered populated areas 
and selected for testing.
    26. GCI claims that many testable grid cells are too sparsely 
populated for worthwhile testing. GCI's analysis of the Alaska Drive-
Test Model claims that 53% of the grid cells would have less than one 
person and that based on GCI's analysis, 48% of grid cells would have 
less than one person per grid cell and no roads. GCI argues that grid 
cells with less than one person should be eliminated from testing and 
grid cells with no roads should be required sparingly, given the 
burdens of conducting drive testing. Similarly, CVW notes that some 
grid cells would be inaccessible mountains or islands with no public 
access. GCI evaluated the grid cells in its coverage areas and 
determined that 59% of the grid cells would have no roads, that 49% of 
the grid cells would be more than a mile from the nearest road, and 
that 12% of the grid cells would be more than ten miles from the 
nearest road.
    27. GCI has not presented its data or the methodology underlying 
its calculations, and we were not able to reproduce it. However, for 
several reasons, we believe that GCI's calculations result in 
significant over-estimates. First, the Alaska Drive-Test Model's de 
minimis population standard has the effect of reducing the number of 
grid cells without roads that would otherwise be included in the 
testing frame. Second, as noted above, we designed the sample and 
stratification so that there would be substantially more grid cells 
that are populated compared with grid cells with population less than 
one in the sampling methodology to increase the probability that a 
populated grid cell would be selected for testing compared with a grid 
cell with population less than one. Third, because there is a high 
correlation between populated grid cells and grid cells with roads, our 
sampling methodology should not only increase the percentage of 
populated grid cells that are tested but also increase the percentage 
of tested grid cells that have roads. Accordingly, for all of these 
reasons, we believe that GCI's calculations result in over-estimates.
    28. We also disagree with GCI that the burdens of testing in these 
areas outweigh the benefits of testing in areas where GCI is receiving 
universal service support. If we excluded such grid cells in the 
sampling, GCI would continue to receive Alaska Plan support in remote 
areas of Alaska without adequate means to verify coverage, which runs 
contrary to the principles outlined in the Alaska Plan Order. Low 
population density and areas with no roads are features in many parts 
of remote Alaska--a fact of which CVW and GCI were aware when they 
elected to participate in the Alaska Plan--yet these providers 
nonetheless committed to covering these remote areas using universal 
service support. For these reasons, we decline to eliminate testing for 
grid cells with no roads, including those grid cells with a population 
of less than one. Although CVW and GCI must drive test some grid cells 
that do not have roads, the Commission foresaw this potential issue and 
accounted for it by allowing drive tests to be conducted ``by means 
other than in automobiles on roads.'' We provide further relief for the 
providers by allowing use of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), subject 
to the waivers we describe below.
a. Grid Cells With No Roads and Population of One or Greater
    29. For the reasons described above, we find it necessary to 
require testing of grid cells with no roads and population of one or 
greater. To the extent a grid cell with a population of one or greater 
does not include an accessible road, the accommodation to use off-road 
vehicles should improve testability. If there are instances where a 
mobile-provider participant claims that it cannot use on-the-ground, 
off-road vehicles to test such a grid cell, it may seek a waiver from 
the Bureau to use a UAS to test that particular grid cell. This waiver 
request should provide a statement regarding why good cause exists to 
waive the on-the-ground testing requirement for that grid cell, contain 
evidence supporting that claim, and be filed in WC Docket No. 16-271. 
UASs should mirror on-the-ground vehicles to the extent possible, 
matching on-the-

[[Page 30113]]

ground vehicle speed (for example, matching nearby speed limits) and 
flying at the lowest, safest possible elevation, to best reflect on-
the-ground usage. Additionally, UASs performing drive tests must: (1) 
At all times operate at less than 200 feet above ground in remote areas 
of Alaska where road-based testing is impractical/impossible; (2) limit 
power to the minimum necessary to accomplish testing; and (3) upon 
receipt of a complaint of interference from a co-channel licensee, 
notify the Commission and either remedy the interference or cease 
operations.
    30. To the extent that a mobile provider seeks to use UASs to 
conduct testing, it may do so if the allocation and service rules 
permit airborne use of the spectrum that will be used to provide the 
mobile service to be tested as part of the drive tests. Otherwise, the 
provider must additionally obtain a waiver from the Commission 
(pursuant to Section 1.925) of any airborne limitations.
b. Grid Cells With No Roads and Population of Less Than One
    31. For the reasons described above, we also find it necessary to 
require testing of certain grid cells with no roads and population of 
less than one. However, as an alternative to testing with an automobile 
or other terrestrial off-road vehicle (e.g., snowmobile or all-terrain 
vehicle), we will allow use of UASs for the first, and least densely 
populated, stratum without requiring the waiver that we will require 
GCI and CVW to obtain to use UASs for testing grid cells with one or 
more people. GCI and CVW both express concern with drive testing where 
no roads exist. This additional UAS option is provided to address their 
concerns. Of the two to eight strata per frame, the first stratum 
contains the grid cells with less than one person per grid cell and no 
roads. As these grid cells are likely the most logistically difficult 
to test and may contain uninhabitable or untraversable terrain, the 
added flexibility offered by a UAS without a waiver should make the 
testing easier for these areas. UAS performing drive tests must: (1) At 
all times operate at less than 200 feet above ground in remote areas of 
Alaska where road-based testing is impractical/impossible; (2) limit 
power to the minimum necessary to accomplish testing; and (3) upon 
receipt of a complaint of interference from a co-channel licensee, 
notify the Commission and either remedy the interference or cease 
operations. We note that while we will not require a waiver for use of 
UASs for testing these grid cells, we will require a waiver for use of 
any allocation or service rules that prohibit airborne use of the 
spectrum that will be used to provide the mobile service to be tested 
as part of the drive tests (consistent with the requirement we adopt 
above for use of UAS to test grid cells with no roads and a population 
of one or more people).
3. Distant Communities
    32. GCI expresses concern that the number of ``communities'' that 
it needs to travel to is the biggest driver of its testing costs. GCI 
notes that there are 205 communities within its footprint and that, 
while GCI may be able to drive to some communities, ``given the 
distances between communities and the lack of interconnected roads, 
[GCI's testing teams must] often [travel to these communities] by small 
aircraft.'' To the extent GCI has to charter a flight to many of these 
communities, this would increase the costs and complexities associated 
with drive testing all of its assigned grid cells.
    33. To help reduce the burdens of traveling to many different 
communities, we have added an optimization to the sampling process that 
will likely reduce the number of incorporated and census designated 
places where GCI and CVW would have to travel. Given that GCI did not 
provide a definition of ``communities,'' we believe incorporated and 
census designated places are the closest proxy, as there are 284 
incorporated and census designated places in GCI's footprint, and 
incorporated and census designated places are integrated into census 
data, which are used throughout this modeling. We implement these 
additional steps in direct response to GCI's concerns and describe this 
additional process in Appendix B, infra.
4. In-Motion Testing Requirement
    34. We adopt the proposal to require at least 50% of drive tests to 
be conducted while in motion. Requiring that 50% of the drive tests be 
conducted while in motion strikes a balance of ensuring that the drive 
tests are a sufficient representation of how consumers use their mobile 
devices, which is both in a stationary and in-motion environment. 
Requiring some in-motion tests also helps ensure that tests are 
conducted in multiple locations within the grid cell.
    35. We disagree with GCI that the proposed in-motion requirement is 
unnecessary. The Alaska Plan Order referred to these as ``drive 
tests,'' which suggests some degree of motion consistent with a driving 
experience. The drive testing data to be submitted is to ``show[ ] 
mobile transmissions to and from the network meeting or exceeding the 
speeds delineated in the approved performance plans.'' Mobile service, 
as defined in the Communications Act and the Commission's rules, 
supports an in-motion requirement for at least some drive tests. 
Moreover, requiring drive tests in motion is also consistent with the 
in-vehicle mobile propagation modeling that mobile broadband service 
providers must submit as part of the Broadband Data Collection, which 
providers could verify through on-the-ground data submitted in response 
to cognizable challenges and/or verification inquiries initiated by 
Commission staff. The Commission also explained for the Broadband Data 
Collection that it was important for consumers to be able to challenge 
mobile broadband service providers' coverage in both stationary and in-
vehicle (i.e., in-motion) environments. Because mobile service assumes 
a service that works with mobile stations that are designed to move and 
ordinarily do move, in-motion tests are necessary to ensure that mobile 
service is being provided.
    36. GCI contends that in-motion tests from a non-standard road or a 
trail could be hazardous with little daylight and winter weather. The 
concerns posed by drive testing during winter weather are no longer 
relevant because we have moved the deadline for the data from March 1, 
2022, to September 30, 2022. GCI further argues that an in-motion 
requirement is unnecessary because many grid cells lack roads and may 
not reasonably accommodate in-motion tests and, similarly, that many 
grid cells with roads have small populated areas, which makes it 
difficult to conduct a sufficient number of in-motion tests. As noted 
previously, where roads are insufficient, the drive test model allows 
tests to be conducted by vehicles other than automobiles on roads. 
Further, we have limited the grid cells with small testing areas by 
removing from drive testing the de minimis grid cells with less than 
100,000 square meters of covered populated area.
5. Early Upgraded Areas
    37. Mobile service providers participating in the Alaska Plan are 
free to upgrade areas early with technologies beyond what they have 
committed to, notwithstanding the commitments set out in their 
performance plans. In the Alaska Drive Test Public Notice, the Bureau 
stated, for instance, that where providers have deployed 5G-NR, it 
would be included in the ``LTE'' frame. Moreover, GCI updated its 
performance

[[Page 30114]]

plan twice based on commercial availability of new middle-mile 
infrastructure, consistent with the Alaska Plan Order requirements, but 
it did not commit to improve those areas by the five-year milestone 
(positioning itself to be able to upgrade those areas by the final, 10-
year milestone instead).
    38. GCI has noted that, in some areas, it ``has deployed a more 
advanced technology but does not yet provide the speed associated with 
that technology or frame. For example, ``an area served with fiber may 
have LTE technology, but the locations more distant from the tower . . 
. do not receive 10/1 Mbps.'' GCI claimed it ``never expected that pops 
served with less than 10/1 Mbps would count toward the number of pops 
served at 10/1 Mbps but also never expected the Commission to disregard 
them completely for the purpose of assessing the number of pops served 
with 2/.8 Mbps or lower speeds.'' GCI also claimed that, if it believed 
all fiber areas upgraded to 4G LTE were required to have 10/1 Mbps or 
better, it would have delayed some of its 4G LTE deployments until year 
six or later and excluded those areas as appearing on its FCC Form 477 
submission as having 4G LTE.
    39. We agree with GCI that we should not punish providers for 
deploying 4G LTE to some areas earlier than they committed to in their 
performance plan at the five-year milestone. Accordingly, where 4G LTE 
is indicated on FCC Form 477 at less than 10/1 Mbps in fiber-based 
areas, those areas will be included in the 3G frame (3G or better 
frame) and will be attributed to 3G commitments. If we were to include 
these areas (which may not yet be engineered to achieve 10/1 Mbps) in 
the fiber-based 4G LTE frame, then it could lead to higher fail rates 
in the frame. These higher fail rates would make GCI appear as if it 
had not met its commitments in places where GCI actually met (or 
exceeded) its five-year commitments. The approach we adopt will 
therefore avoid punishing GCI where it deployed 4G LTE early but was 
not ready to add those areas to its five-year commitments of 10/1 Mbps 
fiber-based LTE service. We will follow a similar approach for 4G LTE 
areas that would be included in the microwave and satellite 4G LTE 
frames. For example, if GCI deployed 4G LTE to a microwave-based area, 
as indicated by FCC Form 477 and corresponding middle-mile data, but 
GCI's FCC Form 477 filing shows minimum expected speeds as less than 
2/.8 Mbps for such areas, then those areas will be included in the 3G 
or better frame. This clarification should ensure that GCI is being 
held to its commitments while not being penalized for deploying more 
advanced technology ahead of schedule.
6. Multiple Last-Mile Technologies in a Grid Cell
    40. When multiple technologies overlap within a grid cell, 
Commission staff will attribute the overlapped area to the frame with 
the more advanced technology. For example, in grid cells where fiber-
based 4G LTE at 10/1 Mbps and 3G completely overlap in a grid cell, 
staff will attribute the grid cell to the fiber-based 4G LTE frame for 
satisfaction of the fiber-based 4G LTE commitments. Attribution to the 
more advanced technology allows the provider to receive due credit 
where it has built out consistent with its most rigorous performance 
requirements. Alternatively, in grid cells where fiber-based 4G LTE at 
10/1 Mbps only partially overlaps 3G coverage, staff will attribute the 
grid cell portion covered by fiber-based 4G LTE to the fiber-based 4G 
LTE frame and the remaining covered area of the grid cell to the 3G 
frame. In this instance, a grid cell could be contained in multiple 
frames.
    41. GCI claimed that more than half of the cells within its covered 
populated areas have multiple or overlapping technologies. GCI argued 
that, where a grid cell is both in a 4G LTE and 3G frame, once it 
passes for 4G LTE, the grid cell should be removed from the 3G frame so 
that pops in the 3G frame are not attributed as a ``fail.''
    42. We clarify that if a grid cell is selected for both 4G LTE and 
3G testing, staff would evaluate both selections from the same drive 
tests. If the drive tests show that GCI passes the 4G LTE standard for 
that grid cell, then GCI will also receive credit for that grid cell 
passing the 3G standard; thus, GCI would not receive a ``fail'' for the 
3G selection, obviating the need to remove the grid cell from the 3G 
frame. If, however, the testing threshold only passes for the 3G 
requirements, then the grid cell would be attributed as a ``pass'' to 
3G but a ``fail'' as to 4G LTE, consistent with the pass/fail approach 
described below.
7. Pass/Fail Approach
    43. We adopt the pass/fail approach to testing for the Alaska 
Drive-Test Model proposed in the Alaska Drive Test Public Notice. For 
each grid cell in the sampling frame, the results of the tests will 
establish whether the provider delivers coverage at the minimum speeds 
to which it committed. When replicated throughout all of the randomly 
selected grid cells that are required for testing, the Commission will 
evaluate the percentage of the provider's coverage area where it has 
met its commitments. To demonstrate coverage in an area with a 
statistically significant number of tests, the Alaska Drive-Test Model 
requires the tests to pass at a rate capable of ensuring that the 
provider has met its milestones.
a. Pass/Fail Testing
    44. We adopt the following pass/fail methodology for the Alaska 
Drive-Test Model: 85% of drive test results in a grid cell must show 
speeds that meet or are above the minimum committed-to speed for that 
frame in order for the service to be considered ``available'' in that 
grid cell. Successful tests measure whether a mobile-provider 
participant meets a minimum expected speed in a given grid cell, with 
``expected'' defined as being available at least 85% of the time. It 
does not mean that 85% of the population of that grid cell can expect 
to receive the tested speed 100% of the time. Although the Alaska Plan 
Order required mobile-provider participants to commit to a minimum 
download and upload speed(s), we do not expect mobile-provider 
participants to meet the minimum speed requirements on every single 
test, given that the performance of wireless networks is highly 
variable. Accordingly, we have set the pass rate at 85% to account for 
this variability.
    45. To the extent that GCI may intimate that the 85% pass rate is 
too high, we do not alter it. The 85% pass rate we adopt for the Alaska 
Plan drive tests is similar to--but more lenient than--both the 
propagation modeling standard and the on-the-ground challenge data 
threshold adopted for the Broadband Data Collection. In the Second 
Report and Order in that proceeding, the Commission defined the 
parameters that service providers must use when modeling whether 
broadband is available using technology-specific minimum download and 
upload speeds with a cell edge probability of at least 90% and assuming 
minimum 50% cell loading. Additionally, mobile providers that submit 
on-the-ground speed test data to rebut a challenge to their coverage 
data are required to meet analogous thresholds to those required of 
challengers and demonstrate that sufficient coverage exists at least 
90% of the time through a challenged area. These defined parameters in 
the Broadband Data Collection are more stringent than the propagation 
coverage relied on for the Alaska Plan drive test methodology, which 
uses the provider-defined propagation coverage from Form 477. Given 
that the provider has more discretion to set coverage parameters more 
favorably for itself in its Form 477 filings, it would have

[[Page 30115]]

actually been appropriate for us to adopt a higher pass rate percentage 
than the Broadband Data Collection; we nonetheless adopt the 85% pass 
rate here to eliminate all doubt about the fairness of the pass rate. 
Neither GCI nor CVW propose an alternative percentage as more 
appropriate for the pass rate as applied by the model. We find 
compelling reasons to adopt an 85% pass rate, as we proposed, for 
Alaska Plan drive test data.
    46. GCI argues that it should receive partial credit for the 
percentage of tests recorded above the minimum threshold when that 
percentage is below 85%. GCI states that ``rather than applying the 85 
percent pass rate as an `all or nothing' bar for allowing a cell to be 
deemed covered, pops could count toward the commitment levels in 
proportion to the speeds that the speed tests confirm.'' GCI provides 
the example that, ``if 50 percent of the drive tests show speeds at or 
above 10/1 Mbps and 50 percent of the tests show speeds of .2/.05 Mbps, 
then 50 percent of the pops associated with that cell would count 
toward compliance with the 10/1 Mbps commitments, and 50 percent of the 
pops would count toward compliance with the <.2/.05 Mbps commitments.''
    47. We do not find GCI's arguments persuasive. Our statistical 
framework is designed around grid cells being the smallest unit of 
testing and is not designed to measure partial grid cells. GCI's 
example of counting a 50% pass rate as indicative of 50% of the 
population receiving service is an incorrect interpretation of what 
testing represents--rather, a 50% pass rate indicates that service is 
available 50% of the time. Further, GCI's proposal to count failed 
tests toward a lesser standard is incompatible with random sampling as 
it would apply results to a standard that was not selected for testing 
in a given grid cell. This would mean that results are no longer 
random.
    48. Moreover, GCI and CVW committed to provide ``minimum expected 
upload/download speeds'' in their performance plans. In addition, GCI 
was the only provider to emphasize in its performance plans that it 
would be responsible for this minimum speed throughout all of its 
committed-to coverage area to the edge. Thus, GCI's own commitments 
emphasize that it needs to provide the minimum speeds throughout the 
coverage area of the specified commitment and should not receive 
partial credit to the extent it did not provide its minimum committed-
to speed to the edge of such coverage.
    49. In addition, GCI's suggested ``partial credit'' approach would 
require an alternative drive-test methodology with a corresponding 
assessment regarding how that methodology would be ``statistically 
significant.'' But GCI does not provide a usable alternative 
methodology to replace the proposed drive test model. GCI's edit to the 
proposed drive-test methodology lacks a statistical basis from which, 
based on a limited set of tests, we could infer whether GCI had met its 
commitments. Partial credit also is inconsistent with the approach 
adopted in the Broadband Data Collection proceeding.
    50. Finally, while we acknowledge that service declines farther 
away from the cell site, this service quality deterioration can be 
addressed in a number of ways, including adding more cell sites. GCI 
receives support to meet its commitments, and if it does not meet them 
initially, the drive tests can help it understand where improvements 
are needed in its network, which will help it deliver the services it 
committed to Alaskans.
b. No Lower Speed Tier Credit for Failed Grid Cells
    51. The Alaska Drive-Test Model's use of frames will allow 
providers to separately test the areas where they committed to 
different minimum speeds based on middle-mile availability and last-
mile technology used, consistent with how the providers delineated 
these speeds in their performance plans. In doing so, the Alaska Drive-
Test Model will ensure that the drive tests yield data that allow 
Commission staff to assess whether the providers have met their 
commitments.
    52. GCI expressed concern that the Alaska Drive-Test Model 
disregards data that show improvement, if fewer than 85% of tests in a 
grid cell are below the minimum speed threshold for a frame. GCI 
provided the example that, ``if 80 percent of tests in a cell reflect 
speeds of 10/1 Mbps, and 20 percent of tests reflect speeds of 9/1 
Mbps, the cell is deemed unserved at any speed--even though all tests 
reported far faster speeds than required in the next lower speed tier 
(2/.8 Mbps.).'' Where GCI fails a 4G LTE/3G grid cell for 4G LTE, GCI 
argued that, if the speeds are sufficiently above the 3G commitment, 
the grid cell should be a ``pass'' for the 3G frame.
    53. Where a grid cell is selected for only 4G LTE testing, we 
cannot credit the grid cell to 3G if it fails the 4G LTE speed tier. 
This suggestion, if adopted, would result in an under-sampling for the 
4G LTE frame and an oversampling for the 3G frame. Further, this would 
have the effect of removing population from one frame and adding it to 
a different frame, thereby disturbing the original distribution of the 
grid cells across stratum as calculated prior to testing. For example, 
suppose there is a grid cell for which one of the providers has claimed 
100 people are covered by 4G LTE, but for which testing shows only 80% 
of the results exceed the minimum performance threshold. GCI's proposal 
would reallocate the population from the 4G LTE frame (and the stratum 
within the 4G LTE frame to which that grid cell is assigned) to a 
different frame and stratum for which the testing would show that the 
performance benchmarks have been met (in this case, the 3G frame). 
However, as the stratification and sample allocation processes 
primarily consider population, this would mean that, after testing was 
completed, the total populations of the strata would have changed and, 
accordingly, the strata within each frame would no longer have the 
correct distribution of grid cells. Additionally, the number of samples 
optimally selected in each frame would also no longer be correct. This, 
in turn, would mean that the results could no longer be measured at the 
specified 90% confidence interval the Alaska Drive-Test Model sets for 
statistical significance.
c. Waterfall Model
    54. For the reasons described above, the Alaska Drive-Test Model 
does not allow for partial credit where a mobile-provider participant 
fails a test in a higher performance tier. Frames are created based on 
the population covered at a particular minimum speed by technology from 
FCC Form 477 data set plus additional middle-mile data. If, however, 
the FCC Form 477 data show population coverage beyond what is committed 
to at the five-year mark, then the testing of that frame could show 
that the mobile-provider participant covered more people than it 
committed to in its performance plan. Where this happens, the 
commitments for the next lower tier last-mile technology will be 
accredited with the excess covered population of the higher technology 
tier.
    55. GCI suggests that it should receive partial credit for 
providing service at lower speeds if it does not meet the 85% 
successful testing standard at the sampled technology, and for support, 
it cites to the Alternative Connect America Model (ACAM) waterfall 
methodology. For the ACAM waterfall methodology, a provider must 
satisfy a particular number of locations at a particular speed tier, 
and if a provider satisfies more than that, then the credit flows to 
the satisfaction of the next lower speed tier. For example, if 60 
locations need to have 25/3 Mbps performance, 10 locations must have 
10/1 Mbps

[[Page 30116]]

performance, and 30 locations must have 4/1 Mbps performance, and the 
provider supplies 80 locations with 25/3 Mbps, then the 25/3 Mbps and 
10/1 Mbps speed tier commitments would be fully satisfied, and 4/1 Mbps 
speed tier would be partially satisfied.
    56. The ACAM waterfall methodology does not, as GCI suggests, 
support allowing failed performance at higher speed tiers and receiving 
credit for those failed tests in the lower speed tiers. The ACAM 
waterfall methodology requires complete satisfaction of the higher 
performance tier, and if the provider connects locations beyond the 
minimum required in the higher performance tier, the excess coverage 
would flow down to the next level tier. If the provider does not 
completely satisfy the higher tier, then no excess is present, and no 
``waterfall'' occurs: The provider needed to deploy to more locations 
in that tier and does not receive credit in other tiers for this 
failure. GCI's proposal is thus inconsistent with the ACAM waterfall 
methodology.
    57. The Alaska Drive-Test Model, as originally proposed and adopted 
here, includes a waterfall methodology similar to the one used in ACAM 
that is tailored to the drive-test requirement. Specifically, where a 
provider has committed to multiple tiers of technology (i.e., 2G, 3G, 
and 4G LTE), any excess coverage would be applied to the next lower 
tier of technology. In the Alaska Drive Test Public Notice, the Bureau 
provided the example: ``if a provider has committed to cover 25,000 
people with 4G LTE and the upper limit of the confidence interval shows 
adequate coverage for 30,000 people, then the remaining 5,000 
[population] coverage can be applied to its 3G commitment.'' The Alaska 
Drive Test Public Notice further stated that ``[t]his process is 
iterative, so any further excess coverage can be applied to its 2G 
commitment.'' In other words, the Alaska Drive-Test Model includes a 
waterfall methodology that would credit lower tier commitments when 
there is excess performance of the higher tier commitments.

IV. Procedural Matters

A. Final Regulatory Flexibility Certification

    58. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as amended (RFA), 
requires that a regulatory flexibility analysis be prepared for notice-
and-comment rule making proceedings, unless the agency certifies that 
``the rule will not, if promulgated, have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities.'' The RFA generally defines 
the term ``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the terms 
``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small governmental 
jurisdiction.'' In addition, the term ``small business'' has the same 
meaning as the term ``small business concern'' under the Small Business 
Act. A ``small business concern'' is one which: (1) Is independently 
owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in its field of operation; and 
(3) satisfies any additional criteria established by the Small Business 
Administration (SBA).
    59. An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Certification (IRFC) was 
incorporated in the Notice in this proceeding. In the Notice, the 
Bureau observed that the drive testing proposals required by the Alaska 
Plan apply only to wireless participants receiving more than $5 million 
in annual Alaska Plan support, excluding the smaller wireless 
participants that receive less than that amount in annual support. And, 
the proposals, if adopted, would apply to only two entities, one of 
which does not qualify as a small entity. Therefore, we certify that 
the requirements of the Order will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    60. The Commission will send a copy of the Order, including a copy 
of the Final Regulatory Flexibility Certification, in a report to 
Congress pursuant to the Congressional Review Act. In addition, the 
Order and this final certification will be sent to the Chief Counsel 
for Advocacy of the SBA and will be published in the Federal Register.

B. Congressional Review Act

    61. The Commission has determined, and the Administrator of the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, concurs, that this rule is ``non-major'' under the 
Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 804(2). The Commission will send a 
copy of this Order to Congress and the Government Accountability Office 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).

V. Ordering Clauses

    62. Accordingly, it is ordered, pursuant to the authority contained 
in Sections 1 through 4, 201, 254, 301, 303, 307, 309, 332 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151 through 154, 201, 
254, 301, 303, 307, 309, 332 and Sections 0.91, 0.131, 0.291, 0.311, 
54.317, 54.320, and 54.321 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.91, 
0.131, 0.291, 0.311, 54.317, 54.320, and 54.321, and the delegated 
authority contained in the Alaska Plan Order, 31 FCC Rcd 10139, 10160, 
10166 through 67, paras. 67, 85, this Order is adopted, effective 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register, except that the 
deadline for filing updated coverage data shall be on 10 days after the 
adoption of the Order in accordance with the Public Notice.
    63. It is further ordered that the Office of the Managing Director, 
Performance Evaluation and Records Management, shall send a copy of 
this Order in a report to be sent to Congress and the Government 
Accountability Office pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, 5 
U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).
    64. It is further ordered that the Commission's Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau, Reference Information Center, shall send a 
copy of this Order and Request for Comment, including the Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Certification and the Final Regulatory 
Flexibility Certification, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the 
Small Business Administration.

Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Acting Chief of Staff Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.

Appendix A--Mobile Speed Test Data Specification

1. Overview

    The Alaska Plan requires certain plan participants to conduct 
and report speed tests of their networks, as described in this Order 
and appendices. Appendix A describes the data to be collected and 
the format in which it is to be reported.

2. Sample Data

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

[[Page 30117]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.005


[[Page 30118]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.006


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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.007

BILLING CODE 6712-01-C

3. Mobile Speed Test Data

    This section details the data structure common for all mobile 
speed test data in the Alaska Plan. This file contains records of 
each mobile speed test in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format 
matching the specification in the table and sections below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
submission_type......................  Enumerated.............  Alaska Plan............  Type of data
                                                                                          submission.
                                                                                         --Value must be
                                                                                          ``Alaska Plan''.
submissions..........................  Array [Submission                                 List of drive-test data
                                        Object].                                          submissions.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Submission
                                                                                          Object is described in
                                                                                          Section a.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Submission Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
test_id..............................  String.................  1599236609.............  Unique identifier used
                                                                                          by the app or entity
                                                                                          to differentiate
                                                                                          tests.
                                                                                         --Value must be unique
                                                                                          across all data
                                                                                          submitted by the same
                                                                                          entity.
device_type..........................  Enumerated.............  Android................  Type of device.
                                                                                         --Value must be one of
                                                                                          the following:
                                                                                         {iOS/Android/
                                                                                          Other{time} .
manufacturer.........................  String.................  Google.................  Name of the device
                                                                                          manufacturer.
model................................  String.................  PIXEL 6................  Name of the device
                                                                                          model.
operating_system.....................  String.................  Android 12.............  Name and version of the
                                                                                          device operating
                                                                                          system.
device_tac...........................  String.................  35142059...............  8-digit Type Allocation
                                                                                          Code of the device.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value may be null if
                                                                                          the device does not
                                                                                          return a valid value
                                                                                          or else returns a
                                                                                          value of unknown.
app_name.............................  String.................  FCC Speed Test app.....  Name of the mobile
                                                                                          speed test app.
app_version..........................  String.................  2.0.4058...............  Version of the mobile
                                                                                          speed test app.
provider_name........................  String.................  GCI....................  Name of the mobile
                                                                                          service provider.

[[Page 30120]]

 
tests................................  Test Object............                           Information about the
                                                                                          test metrics.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Test Object is
                                                                                          described in Section
                                                                                          b.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Test Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
download.............................  Download Test Object...                           Information about the
                                                                                          download test metric.
                                                                                         Note: This object is
                                                                                          only required for 3G,
                                                                                          4G LTE, and 5G-NR
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          speed tests and would
                                                                                          be omitted for 2G
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          voice tests.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Download Test
                                                                                          Object is described in
                                                                                          Section c.
upload...............................  Upload Test Object.....                           Information about the
                                                                                          upload test metric.
                                                                                         Note: This object is
                                                                                          only required for 3G,
                                                                                          4G LTE, and 5G-NR
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          speed tests and would
                                                                                          be omitted for 2G
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          voice tests.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Upload Test
                                                                                          Object is described in
                                                                                          Section d.
voice_terminating....................  Mobile Terminating                                Information about the
                                        Voice Test Object.                                mobile terminating
                                                                                          voice test metric.
                                                                                         Note: This object is
                                                                                          only required for 2G
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          voice tests and would
                                                                                          be omitted for 3G, 4G
                                                                                          LTE, and 5G-NR speed
                                                                                          tests.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Mobile
                                                                                          Terminating Voice Test
                                                                                          Object is described in
                                                                                          Section e.
voice_originating....................  Mobile Originating                                Information about the
                                        Voice Test Object.                                mobile originating
                                                                                          voice test metric.
                                                                                         Note: This object is
                                                                                          only required for 2G
                                                                                          network generation
                                                                                          voice tests and would
                                                                                          be omitted for 3G, 4G
                                                                                          LTE, and 5G-NR speed
                                                                                          tests.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for the Mobile
                                                                                          Originating Voice Test
                                                                                          Object is described in
                                                                                          Section f.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

c. Download Test Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:42-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the test
                                                                                          metric commenced.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format,
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset,
                                                                                          i.e.,: YYYY-MM-
                                                                                          DD[T]hh:mm:ss<plus-
                                                                                          minus<ls-thn-eq>hh:mm.
warmup_duration......................  Integer................  3000622................  Duration in
                                                                                          microseconds that
                                                                                          connection took to
                                                                                          stabilize (e.g., TCP
                                                                                          slow start) before the
                                                                                          test metric commenced.
warmup_bytes_transferred.............  Integer................  31900808...............  Measured total amount
                                                                                          of data in bytes that
                                                                                          were transferred
                                                                                          during the period the
                                                                                          connection took to
                                                                                          stabilize (e.g., TCP
                                                                                          slow start) before the
                                                                                          test metric commenced.
duration.............................  Integer................  4997185................  Duration that the test
                                                                                          metric took to
                                                                                          complete in
                                                                                          microseconds.
bytes_transferred....................  Integer................  97382448...............  Measured total amount
                                                                                          of data in bytes that
                                                                                          the test metric
                                                                                          transferred.
bytes_sec............................  Integer................  19487461...............  Measured number of
                                                                                          bytes per second that
                                                                                          the test metric
                                                                                          transferred.
locations............................  Array [Location Object]                           List of geographic
                                                                                          coordinates of the
                                                                                          locations measured
                                                                                          during the speed test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Location
                                                                                          Object element is
                                                                                          described in Section
                                                                                          g.

[[Page 30121]]

 
cells................................  Array [Cell Object]....                           List of cellular
                                                                                          telephony information
                                                                                          measured during the
                                                                                          speed test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Cell Object
                                                                                          element is described
                                                                                          in Section h.
success_flag.........................  Boolean................  true...................  Boolean flag indicating
                                                                                          whether the test
                                                                                          completed successfully
                                                                                          and without a change
                                                                                          in state or
                                                                                          connectivity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

d. Upload Test Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:51-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the test
                                                                                          metric commenced.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format,
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset,
                                                                                          i.e.,: YYYY-MM-
                                                                                          DD[T]hh:mm:ss<plus-
                                                                                          minus<ls-thn-eq>hh:mm.
warmup_duration......................  Integer................  3000213................  Duration in
                                                                                          microseconds that
                                                                                          connection took to
                                                                                          stabilize (e.g., TCP
                                                                                          slow start) before the
                                                                                          test metric commenced.
warmup_bytes_transferred.............  Integer................  8337402................  Measured total amount
                                                                                          of data in bytes that
                                                                                          were transferred
                                                                                          during the period the
                                                                                          connection took to
                                                                                          stabilize (e.g., TCP
                                                                                          slow start) before the
                                                                                          test metric commenced.
duration.............................  Integer................  5000085................  Duration that the test
                                                                                          metric took to
                                                                                          complete in
                                                                                          microseconds.
bytes_transferred....................  Integer................  15129062...............  Measured total amount
                                                                                          of data in bytes that
                                                                                          the test metric
                                                                                          transferred.
bytes_sec............................  Integer................  3025761................  Measured number of
                                                                                          bytes per second that
                                                                                          the test metric
                                                                                          transferred.
locations............................  Array [Location Object]                           List of geographic
                                                                                          coordinates of the
                                                                                          locations measured
                                                                                          during the speed test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Location
                                                                                          Object element is
                                                                                          described in Section
                                                                                          g.
cells................................  Array [Cell Object]....                           List of cellular
                                                                                          telephony information
                                                                                          measured during the
                                                                                          speed test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Cell Object
                                                                                          element is described
                                                                                          in Section h.
success_flag.........................  Boolean................  true...................  Boolean flag indicating
                                                                                          whether the test
                                                                                          completed successfully
                                                                                          and without a change
                                                                                          in state or
                                                                                          connectivity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

e. Mobile Terminating Voice Test Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:42-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the test
                                                                                          metric commenced.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format,
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset, i.e.:
                                                                                          YYYY-MM-DD[T]hh:mm:ss<
                                                                                          plus-minus<ls-thn-
                                                                                          eq>hh:mm.
duration.............................  Integer................  2001681................  Duration that the test
                                                                                          metric took to
                                                                                          complete in
                                                                                          microseconds.
                                                                                         --Value must be between
                                                                                          5000000 and 30000000
                                                                                          (i.e., between 5 and
                                                                                          30 seconds).
locations............................  Array [Location                                   List of geographic
                                        Objects].                                         coordinates of the
                                                                                          location(s) measured
                                                                                          during the test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Location
                                                                                          Object element is
                                                                                          described in Section
                                                                                          g.
cells................................  Array [Cell Objects]...                           List of cellular
                                                                                          telephony information
                                                                                          measured during the
                                                                                          test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Cell Object
                                                                                          element is described
                                                                                          in Section h.
success_flag.........................  Boolean................  true...................  Boolean flag indicating
                                                                                          whether the test
                                                                                          completed successfully
                                                                                          and without a change
                                                                                          in state or
                                                                                          connectivity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 30122]]

f. Mobile Originating Voice Test Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:42-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the test
                                                                                          metric commenced.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format,
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset, i.e.:
                                                                                          YYYY-MM-DD[T]hh:mm:ss<
                                                                                          plus-minus<ls-thn-
                                                                                          eq>hh:mm.
duration.............................  Integer................  2005309................  Duration that the test
                                                                                          metric took to
                                                                                          complete in
                                                                                          microseconds.
                                                                                         --Value must be between
                                                                                          5000000 and 30000000
                                                                                          (i.e., between 5 and
                                                                                          30 seconds).
locations............................  Array [Location                                   List of geographic
                                        Objects].                                         coordinates of the
                                                                                          location(s) measured
                                                                                          during the test.
                                                                                         Note: The specification
                                                                                          for each Location
                                                                                          Object element is
                                                                                          described in Section
                                                                                          g.
cells................................  Array [Cell Objects]...                           List of cellular
                                                                                          telephony information
                                                                                          measured during the
                                                                                          test.
                                                                                         Note: the specification
                                                                                          for each Cell Object
                                                                                          element is described
                                                                                          in Section h.
success_flag.........................  Boolean................  true...................  Boolean flag indicating
                                                                                          whether the test
                                                                                          completed successfully
                                                                                          and without a change
                                                                                          in state or
                                                                                          connectivity.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

g. Location Objects

    Each element of the ``locations'' array contains the geographic 
coordinates of the locations measured at the start and end of the 
speed test, as well as during the test (if measured).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:58-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the location
                                                                                          was recorded.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format,
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset, i.e.:
                                                                                          YYYY-MM-DD[T]hh:mm:ss<
                                                                                          plus-minus<ls-thn-
                                                                                          eq>hh:mm.
latitude.............................  Numeric................  63.069168..............  Unprojected (WGS-84)
                                                                                          geographic coordinate
                                                                                          latitude in decimal
                                                                                          degrees of the
                                                                                          reported location
                                                                                          where the test was
                                                                                          conducted.
                                                                                         --Value must have
                                                                                          minimum precision of 6
                                                                                          decimal places.
longitude............................  Numeric................  -153.248195............  Unprojected (WGS-84)
                                                                                          geographic coordinate
                                                                                          longitude in decimal
                                                                                          degrees of the
                                                                                          reported location
                                                                                          where the test was
                                                                                          conducted.
                                                                                         --Value must have
                                                                                          minimum precision of 6
                                                                                          decimal places.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

h. Cell Objects

    Each element of the ``cells'' array contains telephony 
information about the cell/carrier.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Field                         Data type                 Example             Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
timestamp............................  Datetime...............  2021-07-08T09:02:42-08:  Timestamp of the time
                                                                 00.                      at which the cell
                                                                                          information was
                                                                                          measured.
                                                                                         --Value must match
                                                                                          valid ISO-8601 format
                                                                                          including seconds and
                                                                                          timezone offset, i.e.:
                                                                                          YYYY-MM-DD[T]hh:mm:ss<
                                                                                          plus-minus<ls-thn-
                                                                                          eq>hh:mm.
cell_id..............................  Numeric................  32193025...............  Measured cell
                                                                                          identifier.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
physical_cell_id.....................  Integer................  192....................  Measured Physical Cell
                                                                                          Identity (PCI) of the
                                                                                          cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value is only
                                                                                          required for 4G LTE
                                                                                          and 5G-NR tests and
                                                                                          must be null for 2G or
                                                                                          3G tests.

[[Page 30123]]

 
cell_connection......................  Enumerated.............  1......................  Connection status of
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value must be one of
                                                                                          the following codes:
                                                                                            0--Not Serving.
                                                                                            1--Primary Serving.
                                                                                            2--Secondary
                                                                                             Serving.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value may be null if
                                                                                          the device does not
                                                                                          return a valid value
                                                                                          or else returns a
                                                                                          value of unknown.
network_generation...................  Enumerated.............  4G.....................  String representing the
                                                                                          network generation of
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value must be one of
                                                                                          the following:
                                                                                         {2G/3G/4G/5G/
                                                                                          Other{time}
network_subtype......................  Enumerated.............  LTE....................  String representing the
                                                                                          network subtype of the
                                                                                          cell.
                                                                                         --Value must be one of
                                                                                          the following:
                                                                                         {1X/EVDO/WCDMA/GSM/HSPA/
                                                                                          HSPA+/LTE/NRSA/
                                                                                          NRNSA{time} .
rssi.................................  Decimal................  -57.2..................  Measured Received
                                                                                          Signal Strength
                                                                                          Indication (RSSI) in
                                                                                          dBm of the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value is required for
                                                                                          all network
                                                                                          generations and
                                                                                          subtypes.
rxlev................................  Decimal................  -80.2..................  Measured Received
                                                                                          Signal Level in dBm of
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         Value is only required
                                                                                          for tests with a
                                                                                          network generation and
                                                                                          subtype of 2G--GSM,
                                                                                          and must be null for
                                                                                          all other network
                                                                                          generations or
                                                                                          subtypes.
rsrp.................................  Decimal................  -92.1..................  Measured Reference
                                                                                          Signal Received Power
                                                                                          (RSRP) in dBm of the
                                                                                          cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value must be null
                                                                                          for 2G or 3G tests.
                                                                                         --Note: This value
                                                                                          represents the
                                                                                          Synchronization Signal
                                                                                          (SS) for 5G-NR tests
                                                                                          and the Channel-
                                                                                          specific Reference
                                                                                          Signal (CRS) for 4G
                                                                                          LTE tests.
rsrq.................................  Decimal................  -12.5..................  Measured Reference
                                                                                          Signal Received
                                                                                          Quality (RSRQ) in dB
                                                                                          of the cell.
                                                                                         --Value must be null
                                                                                          for 2G or 3G tests.
                                                                                         --Note: This value
                                                                                          represents the
                                                                                          Synchronization Signal
                                                                                          (SS) for 5G-NR tests
                                                                                          and the Channel-
                                                                                          specific Reference
                                                                                          Signal (CRS) for 4G
                                                                                          LTE tests.
sinr.................................  Decimal................  21.3...................  Measured Signal to
                                                                                          Interference and Noise
                                                                                          Ratio (SINR) in dB of
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value may be null for
                                                                                          2G or 3G tests.
                                                                                         --Note: This value
                                                                                          represents the
                                                                                          Synchronization Signal
                                                                                          (SS) for 5G-NR tests
                                                                                          and the Channel-
                                                                                          specific Reference
                                                                                          Signal (CRS) for 4G
                                                                                          LTE tests.
rxqual...............................  Integer................  3......................  Measured Received
                                                                                          Signal Quality of the
                                                                                          cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value must be between
                                                                                          0 and 7.
                                                                                         --Value is only
                                                                                          required for tests
                                                                                          with a network
                                                                                          generation of 2G and
                                                                                          network subtype of
                                                                                          GSM, and must be null
                                                                                          for all other network
                                                                                          generations or network
                                                                                          subtypes.
ec_io................................  Decimal................  -8.3...................  Measured Energy per
                                                                                          Chip to Interference
                                                                                          Power Ratio in dB of
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.

[[Page 30124]]

 
                                                                                         --Value is only
                                                                                          required for CDMA 1X,
                                                                                          EVDO, WCDMA, HSPA, and
                                                                                          HSPA+ network
                                                                                          subtypes, and must be
                                                                                          null for all other
                                                                                          network subtypes.
rscp.................................  Decimal................  -87.2..................  Measured Received
                                                                                          Signal Code Power in
                                                                                          dBm of the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value is only
                                                                                          required for WCDMA,
                                                                                          HSPA, and HSPA+
                                                                                          network subtypes, and
                                                                                          may be null for all
                                                                                          other network
                                                                                          subtypes.
cqi..................................  Integer................  11.....................  Measured Channel
                                                                                          Quality Indicator
                                                                                          (CQI) of the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value is only
                                                                                          required for WCDMA,
                                                                                          HSPA, HSPA+, LTE, and
                                                                                          NR network subtypes,
                                                                                          and may be null for
                                                                                          all other network
                                                                                          subtypes.
spectrum_band........................  Integer................  66.....................  Spectrum band used by
                                                                                          the cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
                                                                                         --Value may be null for
                                                                                          2G or 3G tests.
                                                                                         --Value may be null if
                                                                                          the device does not
                                                                                          return a valid value
                                                                                          or else returns a
                                                                                          value of unknown.
                                                                                         --Note: The reported
                                                                                          band value corresponds
                                                                                          to the Operating Bands
                                                                                          tables as follows:
                                                                                         --4G LTE: 3GPP TS
                                                                                          36.101 section 5.5
                                                                                         --5G-NR: 3GPP TS 38.101
                                                                                          table 5.2-1
spectrum_bandwidth...................  Numeric................  15.....................  Total amount of
                                                                                          spectral bandwidth
                                                                                          used by the cell in
                                                                                          MHz.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
arfcn................................  Integer................  66786..................  Absolute radio-
                                                                                          frequency channel
                                                                                          number, measured
                                                                                          absolute physical RF
                                                                                          channel number of the
                                                                                          cell.
                                                                                         --Value is not
                                                                                          available on iOS and
                                                                                          may be null for these
                                                                                          device types.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix B--Drive-Test Procedures for Alaska Drive-Test Model--
Technical Appendix

I. Introduction

    This technical appendix provides the process for Alaska Plan 
mobile service providers receiving more than $5 million annually in 
support to gather drive testing data to include with its performance 
plan milestone certifications. The Alaska Plan requires such testing 
to include ``a statistically significant number of tests in the 
vicinity of residences being covered'' to demonstrate that plan 
participants have met the commitments in the performance plans 
approved by the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau).
    Remote Alaska is extraordinarily sparsely populated; virtually 
all its county-level geographies have population densities of three 
or fewer people per square mile. Accordingly, testing every location 
for a provider's coverage would be unduly burdensome, and testing a 
sample of locations is required.
    For the sampling required to implement the testing procedures 
under the Alaska Plan, the Alaska Drive-Test Model uses stratified 
random sampling. This sampling methodology balances between the 
statistical significance required by the Alaska Plan and the burden 
on providers to conduct tests from a sufficient number of locations.
    The following sections describe the details of the testing 
process. These technical details serve as a guide to both the Bureau 
and the providers doing the testing in determining:
    <bullet> Where, within the geographic boundaries of the coverage 
map, a provider should conduct testing;
    <bullet> how many locations a provider must test;
    <bullet> what speed test measurements will be accepted for staff 
analysis by the Bureau; and
    <bullet> how Bureau staff will evaluate the test data and 
adjudicate whether the provider has passed or failed the testing 
process.

II. Sample Frame Construction

    To select locations for testing, one must first construct a list 
(known as a ``sampling frame'' or ``frame'') of possible locations 
to select from. The construction of this frame is a multi-part 
process. First, we will create a set of ``eligible populated 
areas.'' Census blocks eligible for frozen-support funding would be 
included, and these census blocks would be merged with the populated 
areas of the Alaska Population-Distribution Model. Second, staff 
will merge the FCC Form 477 reported coverage areas (for which a 
provider committed to deploy and that are subject to testing) with 
the eligible populated areas to create a set of ``covered populated 
areas.'' Third, staff will overlay a grid of 1 km x 1 km squares 
onto the covered populated areas. Due to the fact that the Alaska 
Population-Distribution Model uniformly distributes population 
within the populated areas of a census block, the covered populated 
areas of a block likewise have a uniform population distribution. 
The total population of each grid cell is the sum of the populations 
of the covered populated areas contained within a given grid cell. 
For example, if a grid cell contains 25% of the covered populated 
area of a census block, that grid cell would be credited with 25% of 
that block's covered population. That same grid cell might also 
contain 100% of a second census block's covered populated area. So 
all of that census block's covered population would be credited to 
that grid cell, and the grid cell's total population will be the sum 
of these two populations. Lastly, any grid cell that contains fewer 
than 100,000 square meters of covered populated area, or 10% of the 
grid cell, will be excluded from the frame.\1\ This

[[Page 30125]]

ensures that all grid cells have a reasonable testable area, 
reducing burden on providers. Grid cells with smaller levels of 
covered populated area are less likely to have areas that are 
publicly accessible or large enough to conduct mobile testing. 
Figures 1-4 below detail this process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ For clarification, the population of grid cells with a de 
minimis populated area will be credited towards the commitments 
represented by the frames from which the respective grid cells were 
removed. For example, a grid cell that was removed from a frame 
measuring fiber-based 4G LTE at 10/1 Mbps because it had a testable 
area of less than 100,000 square meters would have its population 
credited towards that provider's fiber-based 4G LTE at 10/1 Mbps 
commitment.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.008

    For commitments that do not promise different speeds for 
different middle-mile technologies, staff will construct the frame 
based on the reported technology coverage from the provider's FCC 
Form 477 submission. For areas served by more than one technology, 
as reported on the FCC Form 477, staff will only include the latest 
generation technology in the frame for any areas covered by multiple 
technologies. For example, if an area is covered by both 2G and 3G, 
then the area will only be included in the 3G frame. As no 
commitments were made for 5G-NR service, any 5G-NR coverage would be 
included within the LTE frame.\2\ Where a provider has committed to 
different speeds in different areas due to different middle-mile 
technologies, the frame would rely on additional data submitted by 
the provider to differentiate the covered areas of a given 
technology (e.g., LTE) with multiple middle-mile types.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ If a provider's FCC Form 477 submissions show more than one 
level of speed for a given technology, then only the area of the 
submission with speeds equaling or exceeding the committed service 
will be included in that frame, with the rest of the area included 
in the frame of the lower last-mile technology. For example, if a 
provider has committed to LTE at 10/1 Mbps speeds, and shows in its 
FCC Form 477 LTE submission areas that have 10/1 Mbps LTE speeds, 
and other areas with 5/1 Mbps speeds, only the 10/1 Mbps areas would 
be included in the LTE frame, while the 5/1 Mbps areas would be 
instead included in the 3G frame, which could also be described as 
``3G or better.'' This will prevent a provider who has begun 
upgrading an area's service, but that has not yet finished the 
upgrade, from being penalized by having it tested against a standard 
of a fully upgraded service area.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Frame Stratification

    Frame stratification is the process of dividing a frame into 
subsets of similar characteristics, called strata. This methodology 
allows fewer grid cells to be selected for testing while producing 
the statistically equivalent level of accuracy as sampling the 
entire frame, thus reducing testing burden.
    The number of strata for each frame depends on the number of 
grid cells in a given frame. To create the strata, the Bureau will 
use the cumulative square root of the frequency (CSRF) method, based 
on grid-level estimates of covered population. CSRF is a standard 
stratification method used to define the breaks between strata. It 
creates equal intervals not on the scale along the stratification 
variable (in this case, covered population) scale, but rather on the 
scale along the cumulated square root of the count (frequency) of 
grid cells belonging to equal intervals of the stratification 
variable. The first stratum in each frame would contain all grid 
cells with a population of less than one.
    Based on the data staff currently have, each frame will likely 
contain between two and eight strata. Staff analysis has found that 
this stratification method produces strata of more equal sizes than 
other potential stratification methods (e.g., based on census 
tracts), which reduces the number of grid cells that need to be 
selected for testing.

[[Page 30126]]

    Further, staff will select certain grid cells with probability 1 
(grid cells that are called certainties) within each stratum. This 
ensures that grid cells that have a high population within a given 
stratum are tested; this should prevent the testing results of the 
stratum from being skewed by outlier results from low-weighted grid 
cells.

IV. Sample Size Calculation and Allocation and Sample Selection

    The Bureau will determine the number of grid cells that the 
provider has to test (that is, the sample size, n), based on two 
statistical assumptions. The first is that the variance of the 
desired estimate of average population served cannot exceed a 
specified value, V. The second is that the cost of drive testing is 
constant in every grid cell selected in the sample. Under these 
assumptions, a theoretical value for the sample size can be 
calculated as detailed below.
    Let L denote the number of strata in the frame and let the index 
h distinguish these L strata. Further, denote or define the 
following quantities:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.009

    Guided by the allocation scheme from the previous section, staff 
will use geographic information systems (GIS) tools or statistical 
software to randomly select grid cells in each stratum. Staff will 
then conduct a four-step optimization analysis, as follows.
    First, we will draw a sample according to the adopted stratified 
random design. If there are multiple frames for a provider, we will 
sample independently from each frame. These multiple samples will be 
subjected to the rest of the optimization steps together as one set. 
We will then repeat this process at least one hundred times, each 
time yielding a sample, or group of samples, that are valid under 
the design.
    Second, from this set of valid samples, we will identify the 
sample or samples with grid cells that contain the least number of 
incorporated and census-designated places.
    Third, if there are multiple samples identified in the previous 
step, we will then determine which of the remaining samples contains 
the fewest number of selected grids that are located outside of 
incorporated and census-designated places.
    Fourth, if there remains more than one sample identified in the 
previous step, we will randomly pick one.
    The optimal sample so identified likely will result in a 
significant reduction in the number of communities that have to be 
visited for the required testing. The provider subject to testing 
will be notified of the sample grid cells in which it will be 
required to conduct on-the-ground speed tests.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ If a grid cell that is in multiple frames is randomly 
selected for testing more than once, the provider only needs to 
conduct one set of tests for that grid cell. The results can be used 
for all frames for which the grid cell was selected.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Drive-Testing Data Collection

    Within each selected grid cell, a carrier must conduct a minimum 
of 20 tests, no less than 50% of which are to be conducted while in 
motion from a vehicle. This is the minimum number of tests to 
support the use of the binomial distribution to approximate the 
normal distribution that is needed in calculating the gap in 
coverage based on a one-sided 90% confidence interval, as discussed 
later in Section VII. To be considered valid, each test must be 
conducted between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10 p.m. local time, 
within the selected grid cell, and report all relevant parameters 
defined in Appendix A. Each component of a test (i.e., download and 
upload speeds) should have a duration between 5 and 30 seconds. 
Mobile tests are considered to be located within the grid cell 
containing the starting location, as a tester has full control over 
the starting location of a test but may not always be able to 
control the ending location of a test. Testers should, however, 
attempt to conduct a mobile test within a single grid cell as much 
as is reasonably and

[[Page 30127]]

safely possible. A mobile test should initiate when moving away from 
the location of a stationary test after having reached the speed of 
the surrounding traffic, or a safe and reasonable operating speed in 
the event no traffic is present.

VI. Statistical Analysis of Testing Results

    Upon receipt of drive-testing submissions, the Bureau will 
perform a statistical analysis of the data to estimate the desired 
total population covered. Because the sample is selected using 
stratified random sampling, estimation techniques appropriate for 
this particular sampling method must be used.
    Stratified random sampling requires an aggregate measurement 
from a sampled grid cell that will be combined with measurements 
from the other sampled grid cells to calculate stratum-level 
estimates of total covered population. These estimates will, in 
turn, be combined to produce an overall estimate of covered 
population. Drive tests conducted in a sample grid cell will be 
aggregated based on the following rule:
    Let p be the percentage of drive tests that meet or exceed the 
applicable minimum. If p is at least 85%, then the full population 
of the sample grid cell will be deemed as covered; otherwise, 0% 
will be deemed as covered.
    To calculate the stratum-level estimates and the overall 
estimate of the covered population, the Bureau will use the 
estimation method appropriate for stratified random sampling, 
described next.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.010

    Combining these stratum-level estimates, we arrive at the 
overall covered population mean, calculated as:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.011

    Finally, the overall covered population total, X, is estimated 
as X = NX.

VII. Adjudication of the Outcome of the Testing Process

    Because the estimate of the total covered population comes from 
a sample, direct comparison of X against the committed covered 
population is not appropriate. Instead, staff will construct a 
confidence interval that takes into account the variability arising 
from the estimate X and use this confidence interval to adjudicate 
the outcome of the testing process.
    Because the Alaska Plan calls for a tiered approach in levying 
penalties for providers failing the testing process, the Bureau will 
use a one-sided 90% confidence interval for X to quantify the gap in 
coverage. In particular, the Bureau will use the upper limit of this 
confidence interval, which is calculated as X + 1.28n[radic]V(x). 
This will be added to the population of grid cells with a de minimis 
populated area that had been previously removed from the tested 
frame.
    The compliance gap is then calculated as:

Gap in Coverage = Total Population Coverage Commitment - 
(1.28N[radic]V(x) + De Minimis Grid Cells).

    If the gap in coverage is no more than 5% of the total 
population of a given commitment, no penalties will apply. 
Otherwise, penalties will apply according to the tiers adopted by 
the Commission.
    Additionally, it is possible to have a negative gap in coverage 
if the upper limit of the confidence interval is greater than the 
total committed population. If a provider has committed to multiple 
tiers of technology (i.e., 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE), then any excess 
coverage, as defined by a negative gap in coverage, can be applied 
to the next lowest tier of technology. For example, if a provider 
has committed to cover 25,000 people with 4G LTE and the upper limit 
of the confidence interval shows adequate coverage for 30,000 
people, then the remaining 5,000 coverage can be applied to its 3G 
commitment. This process is iterative, so any further excess 
coverage can be applied to its 2G commitment. Accordingly, the 
formula above would be re-written as:

Gap in Coverage = Total Population Coverage Commitment - X + 
(1.28N[radic]V(x) + De Minimis Grid Cells + Excess Coverage from 
Higher Technology).

    This methodology therefore will not punish carriers for 
improving coverage beyond what they committed.

Appendix C--Current Performance Plans

I. Copper Valley Wireless

[[Page 30128]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.012

II. GCI
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR18MY22.013

[FR Doc. 2022-10541 Filed 5-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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