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Notice2021-16125

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Drive Test Parameters and Model for Alaska Plan Participants

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Published

July 29, 2021

Issuing agencies

Federal Communications Commission

Abstract

In the document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes drive test parameters and a drive test model required of two Alaska Plan mobile-provider participants: General Communication Inc. (GCI) and Copper Valley Wireless. The Bureau seeks comment on these proposals and on any alternatives that it should consider.

Full Text

<html>
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40826-40837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16125]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[WC Docket No. 16-271; DA 21-858; FRS 39694]

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Seeks Comment on Drive Test
Parameters and Model for Alaska Plan Participants

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In the document, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
(Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes
drive test parameters and a drive test model required of two Alaska
Plan mobile-provider participants: General Communication Inc. (GCI) and
Copper Valley Wireless. The Bureau seeks comment on these proposals and
on any alternatives that it should consider.

DATES: Comments are due on or before August 12, 2021. If you anticipate
that you will be submitting comments but find it difficult to do so
within the period of time allowed by this document, you should advise
the contact listed in the following as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may file comments on or before the date
indicated above and must reference WC Docket No. 16-271. Comments may
be filed using the Commission's Electronic Filing System (ECFS) or by
filing paper copies.
<bullet> Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: <a href="http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/">http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/</a>.
<bullet> Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and one copy of each filing.
<bullet> Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by
first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary,
Federal Communications Commission.
<bullet> Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive,
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express,
and Priority mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC
20554.
<bullet> Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings.
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health

[[Page 40827]]

and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-
19.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5d3b3e3e686d691d3b3e3e733a322b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a6c69693f3a3e4a6c6969246d657c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or call the FCC's
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice).

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#6f220e1b1b070a1841380e1d010a1d2f090c0c41080019"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f527e6b6b777a6831487e6d717a6d5f797c7c31787069">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, (202) 418-2419.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Bureau's Alaska
Plan Drive Test Public Notice, adopted on July 19, 2021, and released
on July 19, 2021. The full text of this document is available for
public inspection on the Commission's website at: <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-seeks-comment-alaska-plan-drive-testing-and-model">https://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-seeks-comment-alaska-plan-drive-testing-and-model</a>.

I. Public Notice

By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
(Bureau) seeks comment on proposed drive test parameters and a model
for the drive tests required of certain mobile providers participating
in the Alaska Plan.
The Commission adopted the Alaska Plan Order in 2016 to address
both fixed and mobile voice and broadband service in high-cost areas of
the state of Alaska. Eight mobile providers chose to participate in the
Alaska Plan and submitted performance plans in which they committed to
specific deployment obligations and performance requirements sufficient
to demonstrate that Alaska Plan support would be used in the public
interest. In the performance plans, providers committed to cover a
specified number of people by five-year (December 31, 2021) and 10-year
(December 31, 2026) milestones at a specified minimum speed, broken
down by each level of wireless service offered (2G/Voice, 3G, and 4G
LTE) and each type of middle mile facility used in connection with the
deployed mobile technology. Each participant must certify that it has
met the reporting milestones, including minimum download and upload
speeds set forth in its approved performance plans.
In addition, participants that receive more than $5 million
annually in Alaska Plan support must supplement these certifications
with ``data received or used from drive tests analyzing network
coverage for mobile service covering the population for which support
was received and showing mobile transmissions to and from the . . .
network meeting or exceeding the minimum expected download and upload
speeds delineated in the approved performance plan[s].'' The Alaska
Plan Order specifies that participants may demonstrate coverage of an
area with a ``statistically significant number of tests in the vicinity
of residences being covered.'' The Alaska Plan Order further specifies
that, as with Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I, these drive tests may be
conducted by means other than in automobiles on roads due to the unique
terrain and lack of road networks in remote areas of Alaska. In the
Alaska Plan Order, the Commission delegated to the Bureau the authority
to ``effectuate plan implementation and administration,'' including by
``requir[ing] additional information . . . from individual participants
that it deems necessary to establish clear standards for determining
whether or not they meet their five- and 10-year commitments.'' Drive
test results confirming qualifying participants' performance
commitments for the five-year milestone are due by March 1, 2022.
Two participants meet the trigger for the drive test requirement:
GCI and Copper Valley Wireless. Consistent with the Alaska Plan Order's
delegation of authority, we propose drive test parameters and a drive
test model to ensure that GCI's and Copper Valley Wireless's drive
tests allow the Commission to determine whether the carriers met their
five-year commitments. Appendix A lists the data that we propose to
require the carriers to collect during the drive tests and the format
in which we propose it be reported. The parameters listed in Appendix A
are consistent with requirements the Commission has established for
mobile speed test data collected in other contexts, and we anticipate
that these categories of data will allow the Bureau to evaluate whether
GCI and Copper Valley Wireless have met their deployment benchmarks.
Appendix B sets forth a drive test model that would help to ensure that
the two carriers conduct a ``statistically significant number of tests
in the vicinity of residences being covered.'' This proposal uses
stratified random sampling to provide the carriers with locations to
test within a grid system of their reported coverage areas. A
confidence interval would be constructed around the drive test results
to verify that a provider's commitments have been met or determine the
percentage by which the carrier's coverage has failed to meet its
commitment.
We seek comment on these proposals and on any alternatives that we
should consider. Given that this Public Notice only affects two Alaska
Plan participants, both of whom have been informed of this action and
have indicated a desire to begin testing as soon as possible to
maximize their ability to conduct drive testing during less adverse
weather conditions, we find that a 14-day comment period will allow
sufficient opportunity for public input and accordingly waive the
default reply comment period.

II. Appendix A: Mobile Speed Test Data Specification

A. Overview

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

B. Sample Data

BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

[[Page 40828]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.000

[[Page 40829]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.001

[[Page 40830]]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-C

C. 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:

1. Submission Object

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Field Data type Example Description/notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
test_id.............................. String................. 1599236609............. Unique identifier used
by the app to
differentiate tests.
timestamp............................ Datetime............... 2021-07-08T09:02:42-08: Timestamp of the time
00. at which the set of
test metrics
commenced.
--Value must match
valid ISO-8601 format
including seconds and
timezone offset, e.g.:
YYYY-MM-DD[T]hh:mm:ss<
plus-minus<ls-thn-
eq>hh:mm.
device_type.......................... Enumerated............. Android................ Type of device.
--Value must be one of
the following:
/iOS[bond]Android/Other/
;
manufacturer......................... String................. Google................. Name of the device
manufacturer.
model................................ String................. PIXEL 3................ Name of the device
model.
operating_system..................... String................. Android 11............. Name and version of the
device operating
system.
app_id............................... String................. FCC Speed Test app..... Name of the mobile
speed test app.
app_version.......................... String................. 2.0.2496............... Version of the mobile
speed test app.
provider_name........................ String................. GCI.................... Name of the mobile
service provider.
tests................................ Test Object............ ....................... Information about the
test metrics.
Note: the specification
for the Test Object is
described in Section
0.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Test Object

3. Download Test Object

[[Page 40831]]

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 0.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. 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.
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................ Measure number of bytes
per second that the
test metric
transferred.
locations............................ Array.................. ....................... List of geographic
[Location Object]...... coordinates of the
locations measured
during the speed test.
Note: the specification
for each Location
Object element is
described in Section
0.
cells................................ Array.................. ....................... List of cellular
[Cell Object].......... telephony information
measured during the
speed test.
Note: the specification
for each Cell Object
element is described
in Section 0.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. 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).

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

[[Page 40832]]

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.
Note: this value may be
null if connection
status returns
unknown.
network_............................. Enumerated............. 4G..................... String representing the
generation........................... 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/NR{time}
rssi................................. Decimal (3,1).......... -57.2.................. Measured Received
Signal Strength
Indication (RSSI) in
dBm of the cell.
Note: this value is
required for all
network generations
and subtypes.
rsrp................................. Decimal (3,1).......... -92.1.................. Measured Reference
Signal Received Power
(RSRP) in dBm of the
cell.
Note: this value is
only required for LTE
and NR subtypes, and
may be null for all
other network
subtypes.
rsrq................................. Decimal (3,1).......... -12.5.................. Measured Reference
Signal Received
Quality (RSRQ) in dB
of the cell.
Note: this value is
only required for LTE
and NR subtypes, and
may be null for all
other network
subtypes.
sinr................................. Decimal (3,1).......... 21.3................... Measured Signal to
Interference and Noise
Ratio (SINR) in dB of
the cell.
Note: this value is
only required for 2G,
LTE, and 5G network
generations, and may
be null for 3G.
ec_io................................ Decimal (3,1).......... -8.3................... Measured Energy per
Chip to Interference
Power Ratio in dB of
the cell.
Note: this value is
only required for CDMA
1X, EVDO, WCDMA, HSPA,
and HSPA+ network
subtypes, and may be
null for all other
network subtypes.
rscp................................. Decimal (3,1).......... -87.2.................. Measured Received
Signal Code Power in
dBm of the cell.
Note: this 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.
Note: this field is
only required for
WCDMA, HSPA, HSPA+,
LTE, and NR network
subtypes, and may be
null for all other
network subtypes.
spectrum_bandwidth................... Numeric................ 15..................... Total amount of
spectral bandwidth
used by the cell in
MHz.
arfcn................................ Integer................ 66786.................. Absolute radio-
frequency channel
number, measured
absolute physical RF
channel number of the
cell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Appendix B: Drive Test Procedures--Technical Appendix

A. Introduction

This technical appendix provides information about the proposed
mobile certification process for Alaska Plan providers subject to drive
testing. 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, staff proposes to use stratified random sampling. When
properly implemented, this sampling methodology can achieve an optimal
balance between the statistical significance required by the Alaska
Plan and the burden on providers to conduct

[[Page 40833]]

tests from a sufficient number of locations.
The following sections describe the details of the proposed 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.

B. 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 propose creating 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, the Form 477 reported
coverage for which a provider committed to deploy subject to testing
would be merged with the eligible populated areas to create a set of
``covered populated areas.'' Third, a grid of 1 km x 1 km squares would
be overlaid onto the covered populated areas.\1\ Due to the fact that
the Alaska Population Distribution model uniformly distributes
population within the populated area of a block, the covered populated
areas of a block would 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 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 would 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, would be excluded from
the frame. This ensures that all grid cells have a reasonable testable
area, reducing burden on providers. Grid cells with smaller levels of
covered populated area were less likely to have areas that were
publicly accessible or large enough to conduct mobile testing. Figures
1-4 below detail this process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Staff proposes to use this particular type of grid because
census blocks are not of uniform geographic size, which could
require a different number of speed tests for each block, and, in
turn, could increase the testing burden on providers. Grids of
smaller sizes and shapes were less likely to provide easily
accessible areas for testing given the nature of roads and
population distribution in remote Alaska, and grids of larger sizes
and shapes would provide more heterogeneous wireless performance,
which would require more cumbersome rules for actually conducting
drive testing to ensure geographic diversity of the sample within
each grid.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 40834]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.002

For commitments that do not promise different speeds for different
middle-mile technologies, the frame would utilize the most recent Form
477 submissions from the provider, which currently is the provider's
deployment data as of December 2020. For areas served by more than one
technology, the area would only be included in the frame for the latest
generation technology. For example, if an area is covered by both 2G
and 3G, then the area would only be included in the 3G frame. As no
commitments were made for 5G service, any 5G coverage will be included
within the LTE frame. 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.
If a provider wishes to submit data that better reflects the
December 2021 Form 477 data that it is likely to submit in March 2022
than the December 2020 data that the Commission currently has, then it
should notify the Bureau within the Public Notice comment cycle and
submit the updated coverage data within 10 days of the adoption of the
Order. The Bureau will create a stratified random sample for the
provider to test within 15 days of receipt of updated data, or, in the
event of no new data submitted, 10 days of the adoption of an Order.

C. 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
same 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 proposes to
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.
Based on the data staff currently has, it is expected that each
frame will 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.
Further, staff proposes to 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.

[[Page 40835]]

D. Sample Size Calculation and Allocation and Sample Selection

The Bureau proposes to decide the number of grid cells that the
provider has to test (that is, the sample size, n), based on a set of
statistical and logistical assumptions. The statistical assumption is
that the variance of the desired estimate of average population served
cannot exceed a specified value, V. The logistical assumption 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] TN29JY21.003

Guided by the allocation scheme from the previous section, staff
proposes to use geographic information systems (GIS) tools to randomly
select grid cells in each stratum, including options within these tools
that ensure geographic dispersion for selected grid cells within a
stratum. The provider subject to testing would then be notified of the
sample grid cells in which it would be required to conduct on-the-
ground speed tests.

E. Drive Testing Data Collection

We propose that, within each selected grid cell, a carrier would
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 should be conducted between the
hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10 p.m., 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.

[[Page 40836]]

Testers should, however, attempt to conduct a mobile test within a
single grid cell as much as is reasonably and 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.

F. 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.\2\ 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

\2\ For 2G tests, the applicable minimum speeds would be 22.8
kbps for both download and upload tests, as this is the minimum
equivalent data rate for voice service, accounting for the voice
codec rate and channel coding rate requirements. See ETSI, CODECs,
<a href="https://www.etsi.org/technologies/codecs">https://www.etsi.org/technologies/codecs</a> (last visited July 14,
2021).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

To calculate the stratum-level estimates and the overall estimate
of the covered population, the Bureau proposes to use the estimation
method appropriate for stratified random sampling, described next.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.004

To more accurately reflect coverage at the time of deployment and
to fulfill the Alaska Plan's requirement to evaluate a provider's
commitments based on December 2021 Form 477 coverage data, we propose
to adjust the covered population of the sample frames Nh relative to
covered population according to the December 2020 Form 477 data. For
frames where coverage would be reduced, we would proportionally reduce
population, and, for where coverage would increase, we would
proportionally increase population.
Finally, the overall covered population total, X, is estimated as
X = Nx.

G. Adjudication of the Outcome of the Testing Process

Because the estimate of the total covered population X comes from a
sample, direct comparison of X against the committed covered population
is not appropriate. Instead, staff proposes to 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
proposes to use a one-sided 90% confidence interval for X to quantify
the gap in coverage. In particular, the Bureau proposes to use the
upper limit of this confidence interval, which is calculated as
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.005

[[Page 40837]]

The gap in coverage is then calculated as:

Gap in Coverage = Total Population Coverage Commitment -
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29JY21.006

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) + Excess Coverage from Higher Technology)

9This methodology therefore will not punish carriers for improving
coverage beyond what they committed.

IV. Procedural Matters

Initial Regulatory Flexibility Certification. As required by the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Commission certifies that the proposals
in this Public Notice, if adopted, will not have a significant impact
on a substantial number of small entities. This Public Notice seeks
comment on the drive testing proposals required by the Alaska Plan for
those wireless participants receiving more than $5 million in annual
Alaska Plan support, excluding the smaller wireless participants that
receive less than that in annual support. The proposals, if adopted,
would apply to only two entities, one of which does not qualify as a
small entity.
Ex Parte Presentations. This proceeding shall be treated as a
``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the Commission's
ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy
of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral
presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a
different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Persons
making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda
summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons attending or
otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte
presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must
be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by
rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of
electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda
summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto,
must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available
for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g.,
.doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding
should familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.
Legal Basis. The Bureau is authorized to propose the drive test
parameters and model pursuant to the authority delegated in the Alaska
Plan Order, 31 FCC Rcd 10139, 10160, 10166, paras. 67, 85 (2016) and 47
CFR 54.317, 54.320-54.321.

Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Acting Chief of Staff, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2021-16125 Filed 7-27-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

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