Regulation of Broadband and Telecommunications Providers

Keller and Heckman Telecommunications practice attorneys counsel a variety of broadband and telecommunications service providers on regulatory compliance matters.

Drawing on decades of regulatory experience, we assess each client’s services, technology, and business objectives in light of applicable federal, state, and other regulatory compliance obligations to outline and implement a comprehensive compliance strategy. This strategy often includes market entry obligations (Section 214 and state certificates of public convenience and necessity) and numerous ongoing federal and state compliance obligations, including wireless licensing issues, Universal Service Fund registration and contribution obligations, broadband service reporting, CALEA, and the various “consumer facing regulations,” which include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Communications and Video Accessibility Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Customer Proprietary Network Information, and network transparency obligations.

In addition, we counsel broadband clients on federal and state support programs for rural areas and low-income subscribers, including the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program; the Middle Mile Grant Program; the Digital Equity Act funding administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA); the FCC’s auction-based High Cost programs (such as the CAF II and RDOF auctions); the E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline and High Cost programs administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company; Rural Utilities Service (RUS) support programs, and numerous other broadband accessibility and infrastructure support programs being implemented by the states.