S. 1104Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Rural Wireless Access Act of 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 3:21 PM UTC

The Rural Wireless Access Act of 2017 directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop rules for gathering information about commercial mobile phone and data service coverage. The goal is to create a reliable, consistent way to measure where these services are available, especially to support the Universal Service program that helps fund rural broadband. The FCC must issue these rules within 180 days of the law’s enactment.

Key Provisions

The FCC must publish regulations, within 180 days, that set out a methodology for collecting mobile service coverage data.
The methodology must include standard definitions for speed tiers such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE.
Data collection must be consistent, robust, and improve the validity, reliability, and efficiency of coverage information.
The collected data will be used for the Universal Service program and any similar programs aimed at expanding rural wireless access.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

May 11, 2017

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 11, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

May 11, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 11, 2017

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1104

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 11, 2017

Mr. Manchin (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Schatz, Mrs. Fischer, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Moran) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a methodology for the collection by the Commission of information about commercial mobile service and commercial mobile data service, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Rural Wireless Access Act of 2017.

Methodology for collection of mobile service coverage data

(a)

Definitions

In this section—

(1)

the term commercial mobile data service has the meaning given the term in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401);

(2)

the term commercial mobile service has the meaning given the term in section 332(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d));

(3)

the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission;

(4)

the term coverage data means, if commercial mobile service or commercial mobile data service is available, information about the service, which may include available speed tiers and performance characteristics; and

(5)

the term Universal Service program means the universal service support mechanisms established under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) and the regulations issued under that section.

(b)

Methodology established

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate regulations to establish a methodology that shall apply to the collection of coverage data by the Commission for the purposes of—

(1)

the Universal Service program; or

(2)

any other similar program.

(c)

Requirements

The methodology established under subsection (b) shall—

(1)

contain standard definitions for different speed tiers, such as the 2G, 3G, 4G, and 4G LTE tiers;

(2)

ensure that coverage data is collected in a consistent and robust way;

(3)

improve the validity and reliability of coverage data; and

(4)

increase the efficiency of coverage data collection.