USDA awarded $714 million in its fourth round of ReConnect program support to 19 states, the agency said Monday (see 2210270060). NTCA said its members received more than $530 million in this latest round. “I am thrilled that so many of our members have once again received awards through the ReConnect program, and I am grateful that USDA continues to recognize their commitment and capabilities," said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield.

NTIA awarded the U.S. Virgin Islands more than $1.2 million in planning grant support for the broadband, equity, access and deployment program, said a news release Monday. The agency said all states and territories have received their BEAD and Digital Equity Act planning grant funding. "As we expand and enhance our broadband access throughout the Territory, we have put the USVI on an equal playing field with the global economy, to help our business community," said Gov. Albert Bryan (D). The latest funding "will allow us to reach some of the more isolated areas of our islands and give as many Virgin Islanders as possible affordable broadband access and all the benefits that access brings," Bryan said.

The FCC reminded recipients in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program of their obligation to file status reports every 90 days with the FCC. The last was due April 11, the next July 10, said a Monday Wireline Bureau notice.

Companies “believe in the power of the metaverse,” with only 2% of respondents to a recent poll considering it a buzzword or a fad, says a new report by Nokia and Ernst & Young released Monday. Telcos were seen as key players in the metaverse by 52% of respondents, while network and networking equipment providers were seen as key players by 48%. The U.S. and the U.K. are leading the charge, the study found -- in the U.S. 65% of respondents and in the U.K. 64% had a pilot or had fully deployed at least one industrial or enterprise metaverse use case. “On average, 80% of those who have already implemented metaverse use cases believe they will have a significant or transformational impact on the way they do business,” said a news release: “Nearly all (94%) of those who have yet to begin their metaverse journey plan to do so in the next two years.” The report was based on responses from 860 business leaders in six countries.

Slower M&A activity in the U.S. communications market over the past 12 months hasn't notably affected valuations for private communications companies, CoBank said Monday. It said the slowdown stems from concerns about the overall economy, rising interest rates and supply chain delays, and a big drop in deals for fiber transport likely has more to do with the lack of networks available for sale. It said private market valuations are often performing better than their publicly traded counterparts -- often because smaller rural providers are in less competitive markets. Private communications providers also benefit from having growth opportunities via unserved and underserved markets, it said, while fiber overbuilders benefit from having no linear video assets to manage as they target high-growth vulnerable markets. It said M&A activity should pick up once a corner is turned on economics.

The FCC released a small entity compliance guide Monday on revised 911 outage reporting rules approved by commissioners 4-0 in November (see 2211170051). Section 1 of the Communications Act charges the FCC with “promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications,” the guide says: The rules “impose more stringent reporting requirements” on covered 911 service providers “in terms of notification content, timing, means, and frequency.”

An FCC Wireline Bureau order extending the service and equipment delivery deadlines for Emergency Connectivity Fund recipients is effective Monday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the Consortium for School Networking's joint petition on the issue in May (see 2305120061).

The North American Numbering Council will meet June 28 at 2 p.m., said a public notice Thursday in docket 23-1. It's the first time the group will meet in person in the commission meeting room since the group began meeting virtually. The group will consider two reports and recommendations from the numbering administration oversight working group and a report from billing and collections agent Welch.

The FCC's final rule on information collection for the Lifeline program takes effect Wednesday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the rule in 2018 (see 1801120046).

The FCC Enforcement Bureau proposed a $1.4 million fine against PayG for failing to timely file telecom reporting worksheets with the Universal Service Administrative Co. between 2018 and 2021, said a notice of apparent liability Tuesday. The notice said PayG failed to file and pay on time for the USF, Telecom Relay Service Fund, North American numbering plan and federal regulatory fees.