Title: MAP Broadband Act
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Mobile Accuracy and Precision Broadband Act of 2018 or the MAP Broadband Act
This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to extend the period of the process under which a person may challenge the initial determination that an area is ineligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support (i.e., the challenge process) until November 27, 2018. The Mobility Fund is a program within the FCC's Universal Service Fund that provides monetary support for the deployment of mobile broadband service. Phase II of the fund provides monetary support over a 10-year period for mobile voice and broadband coverage in mostly rural areas.
The FCC must: (1) publicly disclose handsets (i.e., phones) approved for use in the challenge process to assist consumers in exploring potential challenges, (2) publish online monthly updates on the number of entities that it has approved to participate in the challenge process and the percentage of the total area initially determined to be ineligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support that has been challenged, and (3) publish annual updates on whether the deployment of mobile wireless service is being expanded in rural areas due to Mobility Fund Phase II support.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2955 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2955

To reform the Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process conducted by the 
                   Federal Communications Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 24, 2018

  Mr. Wicker (for himself, Ms. Hassan, and Mr. Moran) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To reform the Mobility Fund Phase II challenge process conducted by the 
                   Federal Communications Commission.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mobile Accuracy and Precision 
Broadband Act of 2018'' or the ``MAP Broadband Act''.

SEC. 2. MOBILITY FUND PHASE II CHALLENGE PROCESS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``challenge process'' means the process 
        established by the Commission under which a person may 
        challenge the initial determination that an area is ineligible 
        for Mobility Fund Phase II support;
            (2) the term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission;
            (3) the term ``Mobility Fund Phase II'' means the second 
        phase of the proceeding to provide universal service support 
        from the Mobility Fund (WC Docket No. 10-90; WT Docket No. 10-
        208); and
            (4) the term ``Mobility Fund Phase II support'' means 
        universal service support provided under Mobility Fund Phase 
        II.
    (b) Challenge Process Window.--The Commission shall extend the 
period of the challenge process until November 27, 2018.
    (c) Public Disclosure of Approved Handsets.--The Commission shall 
publicly disclose each handset that each mobile wireless service 
provider has approved for challengers to use in the challenge process, 
in order to assist consumers in exploring potential challenges.
    (d) Challenge Process Updates.--During the period beginning on the 
date of enactment of this Act and ending on the last day of the 
challenge process, the Commission shall publish online monthly updates 
on--
            (1) the number of entities that the Commission has approved 
        to participate in the challenge process as challengers; and
            (2) the percentage of the total geographic area initially 
        determined to be ineligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support 
        that has been challenged under the challenge process.
    (e) Post-Auction Reporting.--After the Commission conducts the 
Mobility Fund Phase II reverse auction, the Commission shall publish 
online annual updates on whether the deployment of mobile wireless 
service is being expanded in rural areas due to Mobility Fund Phase II 
support.
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