Arkansas extended telehealth support beyond the pandemic. Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) signed HB-1063 last week. “Arkansas modernized its healthcare system and made important strides to resolve health disparities,” said American Telemedicine Association CEO Ann Mond Johnson on Friday.
The National Treasury Employees Union found 66% of members say teleworking increased their productivity, said a news release Friday. Ninety-seven percent say teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic kept them safe, and 92% say their telework experience was successful. “Increasing telework opportunities for federal employees was an NTEU priority even before the pandemic struck and the union will use the success of maximum telework to push for legislation to protect and expand telework at federal agencies,” said the organization. The FCC’s chapter of NTEU -- Chapter 209 -- will pursue increased opportunities for agency employees to telework (see 2104140030). The NTEU survey found 24% of the 13,800 federal employees canvassed say there's no change in productivity while teleworking; 5% think productivity decreased slightly. “Maximum telework should forever be a go-to strategy during any type of public health emergency,” said President Tony Reardon.
The National Lifeline Association asked the FCC to begin a rulemaking to "substantially increase the Lifeline reimbursement" and implement changes to ensure it's the "best possible 'landing place' for low-income consumers" after the emergency broadband benefit program ends, said a filing posted Thursday in docket 11-42. NaLA asked to extend the de-enrollment waiver for Lifeline subscribers to Aug. 1 so consumers can "opt-in" to EBB "and reestablish usage of their Lifeline service without having to complete the more onerous EBB enrollment process or re-enroll in Lifeline."
The Satellite 2021 show is moving from July at the Washington Convention Center in downtown D.C. to September at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor, Maryland, said event organizer Access Intelligence Thursday. It said the relocation is due to the Washington Convention Center's use as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site. Registrations automatically transfer to the new dates, Sept. 7-10.
Education advocates asked FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks to mirror the E-rate category II funding mechanism for the emergency connectivity fund, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 21-93 (see 2104060042). The Consortium for School Networking, International Society for Technology in Education, State Educational Technology Directors Association and Software & Information Industry Association participated. Some asked the commission to consider allowing reimbursements for services since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several proposed defining broadband as 25/12 Mbps and expressed concern that "some service providers were failing to connect or providing inadequate bandwidth to student homes after internet service contracts had been signed." Commissioners may vote on ECF rules in mid-May (see 2104140041).
The FCC Wireline Bureau OK'd Verizon's request for limited waiver of emergency broadband benefit program rules, said an order Tuesday (see 2103040049). Verizon asked to waive the requirement it file reimbursement claims by the 15th of each month for new subscribers. It got a one-month delay.
Videoconferences may be “less exhausting” if participants have a sense of group belonging, reported the American Psychological Association Monday on the personal toll that virtual meetings are taking during COVID-19. Researchers originally surmised that longer meetings and appearing on video would lead factors contributing to “Zoom fatigue,” but a study of 55 employees said a connection with the group minimized fatigue. Participants received nine hourly surveys daily for five consecutive working days last year, completing more than 1,700 surveys based on five to six weekly videoconferences. Researchers’ recommendations included holding meetings in the early afternoon; allowing time for small talk before or after, along with breakout rooms where participants can talk about shared interests; establishing basic rules such as whether to keep webcams on; and taking screen breaks.
The COVID-19 telehealth program round two application filing window opens April 29 at noon EDT, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday in docket 20-89. The filing window closes May 6 (see 2103300063). “Telehealth has been at the forefront of this effort, and I’m pleased to announce that additional support is just around the corner,” said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “Today the FCC announced it will open the application process for the second half of COVID-19 telehealth program funding later this month. The FCC is dedicated to moving quickly to review and approve applications for this funding to support health care providers and patients across the country.”
CTIA doesn’t have “a back-to-the-office date,” said Nick Ludlum, chief communications officer: “We are closely monitoring vaccination rates and public health indicators, and our priority is our staff’s safety.” Plans to return to in-person work vary widely, with many waiting to make decisions (see 2104140030).
COVID-19 stay-at-home orders propelled the online video and gaming markets to $330 billion in 2020 revenue, reported ABI Research Tuesday. Streaming video subscription revenue surpassed $69 billion, and online gaming was up 22% year over year, it said. Though media consumption rates "will taper off from the peaks seen during lockdowns as the world returns to a sense of normalcy," the public's appetite for digital content and services is "expected to remain strong," said ABI analyst Michael Inouye. “The common consensus from most industry insiders is a shift in the growth curve rather than an expected dip to pre-pandemic forecasts."