FCC Record, Volume 28, No. 15, Pages 11617 to 12583, August 7 - August 21, 2013 Page: 11,688
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C. Coverage Requirements, Reporting Obligations, and Payment Disbursements
1. Coverage Requirements
204. Support recipients will be required to provide voice and broadband service meeting the
established minimum standards over at least 75 percent of the population associated with the eligible
blocks in each bidding area for which they receive support.355ss Because Census data does not specify how
population is distributed within a census block, the Bureaus sought comment on how to determine
whether this coverage requirement is met.356 If a provider demonstrates new coverage over the entirety of
an eligible census block, we can assume coverage of the entire population of that census block. However,
the Bureaus sought input on how to evaluate the population served by new coverage where a provider
demonstrates new coverage over part of an eligible census block. In particular, we asked whether we
should assume that census block population is evenly distributed and assess coverage on the proportion of
the geographic area covered, and we also sought comment on alternatives.3s7
205. We received a number of comments on this issue with several commenters supporting the
notion that coverage should be assessed based on the proportion of the geographic area covered,35s and
others suggesting that we provide flexibility in how winning bidders may demonstrate coverage.359
206. Having considered the comments, we conclude that support recipients will be able to
prove coverage as follows. If an awardee can prove coverage of at least 75 percent of the actual
population associated with the eligible census blocks within a winning bid area, it may provide and prove
coverage in any combination across eligible census blocks within that single bidding area, including
providing coverage to more than 75 percent of the population in one eligible census block and less than
75 percent of the population in another eligible census block in the same bidding area. In response to
comments, in the alternative we will also permit proof of coverage by relying on a geographic area safe
harbor, by which an awardee may show that it is providing coverage to at least 75 percent of the
geographic area in a census block as a proxy for providing service to at least 75 percent of the population
within that census block. Because using a geographic proxy is a safe harbor, geographic coverage must
be shown on a census-block by census-block basis, rather than within the winning bid area as a whole. In
other words, if a winning bidder relies on the geographic area safe harbor for a particular winning bid
area, it must provide and prove coverage to at least 75 percent of the geographic area of each eligible
census block within that winning bid area. We find that this approach will afford flexibility to winning
ass USF/ICC Transformation Order, 26 FCC Red at 17792-93, paras. 365, 367; 47 C.F.R. 54.1006(a)-(b),
54.1008.
356 Auction 902 Comment Public Notice, 28 FCC Rcd at 2776, para. 36.
357 Id
358 CCA Comments at 6 (advocating for proof of coverage by proof of the percentage of geographic area covered,
and arguing that requiring winning carriers to make a more granular showing would be "unduly burdensome"); RTG
Comments at 5-6 (suggesting a "geographic safe harbor" that assumes evenly distributed population).
359 See Bad River Tribe Comments at 12-13 (urging reasonableness and flexibility in coverage requirements, noting
if the applicant chooses to actually count residences and inhabitants of each partially covered census block, it should
not be faulted for its precision, but if an applicant consistently applies an average population per area model to
uncovered census blocks, that should also be deemed reasonable); see also GRIC/GRTI Comments at 9 (suggesting
that a winning bidder demonstrate coverage to 75 percent of the census block and obtain a certification from the
appropriate Tribal government that the 75 percent coverage requirement has been met); RTG Comments at 6-7
(suggesting a "site-based safe harbor" where a winning bidder is able to serve 75 percent or more of the population
of a census block with a site that covers less than 75 percent of the geographic area).11688
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United States. Federal Communications Commission. FCC Record, Volume 28, No. 15, Pages 11617 to 12583, August 7 - August 21, 2013, book, August 2013; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc272132/m1/84/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.