Federal Communications Commission DA 26-435 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs ) ) ) ) ) ) WC Docket No. 18-89 ORDER Adopted: May 1, 2026 Released: May 1, 2026 By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau: I. INTRODUCTION 1. In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) addresses the Petitions filed by several recipients in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (Rip-and-Replace Program or Program) requesting extensions of their removal, replacement, and disposal (RRD) terms. For the reasons explained below, the Bureau grants the requests identified below, conditioned on enhanced reporting by the recipients to ensure that recipients make progress and will complete their RRD work within the extended term. 2. In light of the time that has passed since the allocation of full funding for all Priority 1 recipients in April 2025, in addition to the time that recipients have had to complete their RRD work since their initial approvals in 2022, we expect that all recipients will be able to complete their RRD work within their terms, as extended by this Order and without further extensions. When providers applied to participate in the Program and when applications to the Program were approved in July 2022, recipients were on notice that they had one year from that approval to obtain their first reimbursement and one year from the first reimbursement to finish their RRD work, subject to any extensions. See 47 CFR § 1.50004(g)(1) and (h). It has now been almost four years since the applications were approved. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Grant of Applications for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, 37 FCC Rcd 8590 (WCB 2022). While recipients faced difficulties due to the initial funding shortfall that resulted in a pro-rata allocation of 39.5% of each recipient’s approved cost estimates, See id. at 8591. that issue has been resolved for over a year. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Availability of Additional Funding for the Rip-and-Replace Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, 40 FCC Rcd 2520 (WCB 2025) (SCRP Additional Funding Public Notice). Recipients have similarly now had significant time to overcome delays associated with other previous justifications for additional time, such as unexpected weather events or labor shortages. As a result, we anticipate that recipients will be able to complete their RRD work by the end of their respective terms and that no further extensions will be necessary. See Wireline Competition Bureau Reminds Priority 1 Rip-and-Replace Program Recipients of Their May 8, 2026 Removal, Replacement, and Disposal Deadline, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA 26-14 (WCB Jan. 6, 2026); Enforcement Bureau and Wireline Competition Bureau Joint Enforcement Advisory for Rip-and-Replace Program; Including Enhanced Oversight Mechanisms, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, DA 26-252, at 2 (EB/WCB Mar. 18, 2026) (EB/WCB Enforcement Advisory); Streamlined Resolution of Requests Under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, 40 FCC Rcd 1323, 1324 (WCB 2025) (February 2025 Extension Public Notice). 3. Additionally, and to ensure recipients are making all possible progress, we require that recipients for which we grant an extension in this Order include in all future status updates See 47 CFR § 1.50004(k) (requiring recipients to file quarterly status updates with the Bureau until the recipient has filed a final certification). a timeline and detailed description of actions they have undertaken to resolve the problems identified in their granted extension requests. Recipients receiving an extension in this Order must confirm the date by which they plan to complete their RRD work and, if that expected date extends past the recipient’s RRD term, the recipient must explain what additional steps it plans to take to further prioritize and expedite its progress. This added level of detail will enable the Bureau to closely track whether each recipient receiving an extension is making satisfactory progress. 4. The Rip-and-Replace Program was established to support the critical goal of removing, replacing, and disposing of communications equipment and services in their networks that pose national security risks. Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-124, 133 Stat. 158 (2020) (codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. §§ 1601–09). In accordance with that national security goal, in granting certain extensions pursuant to the statute today, we expect that recipients will act with urgency to complete their work and fulfill their obligations under the Program. II. BACKGROUND 5. The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (Secure Networks Act) authorizes the Commission to grant individual RRD term extension requests on a case-by-case basis to Program recipients for up to six months. 47 U.S.C. § 1603(d)(6)(C). To grant an individual extension, the Commission must find that, “due to no fault of such recipient, such recipient is unable to complete the permanent removal, replacement, and disposal by the end of the term.” 47 CFR § 1.50004(h)(2). In order to ensure prompt removal, replacement, and disposal in accordance with the goals of the Secure Networks Act and the Commission’s rules, the Bureau will only grant requests for an extension where the Program recipient demonstrates the delay is due to factors beyond its control. Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Second Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 14284, 14355-56, para. 173 (2020) (2020 Supply Chain Order). 6. Term extension requests must demonstrate the specific obstacles faced by the recipient; how those obstacles, through no fault of the recipient, affected the recipient’s ability to meet its term deadline; steps taken by the recipient to mitigate the impacts of the obstacles; and how the recipient expects to meet a future deadline if an extension is granted. See, e.g., February 2025 Extension Public Notice, 40 FCC Rcd at 1324. Requests must include thorough explanations and documentary support where appropriate (e.g., documentation from a vendor as evidence of supply chain delays, details on the specific impact of adverse weather conditions, documentation of permitting delays). Id. Providing adequate explanation and support is particularly imperative to meet the required showing given that recipients were granted full funding over a year ago. Recipients also have been on notice that the Bureau must deny extension requests that do not include the necessary level of detail. EB/WCB Enforcement Advisory, DA 26-252, at 2. 7. The discussion of specific extension requests below focuses primarily on supply chain delays, delays in obtaining permits or other necessary approvals (e.g., zoning) from other governmental entities, delays caused by adverse weather conditions, and delays caused by difficulty obtaining access to customer premises to remove covered equipment. The Bureau has recognized that these factors can be a legitimate basis for extending an RRD deadline when delays arise from circumstances outside a recipient’s control. Supply chain delays, for example, can jeopardize RRD deadlines when recipients do not receive replacement equipment in a timely manner. See Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 38 FCC Rcd 8486, 8489-91 paras. 6-11 (WCB 2023) (Stealth Extension Order) (granting extension based on supply chain issues); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 38 FCC Rcd 9307, 9311-13, paras. 12-15 (WCB 2023) (granting extensions based on supply chain and other issues); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 38 FCC Rcd 9721, 9725-26, paras. 12-16 (WCB 2023) (granting extensions based on supply chain and other issues); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 38 FCC Rcd 11029, 11032-33, paras. 8-11 (WCB 2023) (granting extensions based on supply chain issues). See also 47 U.S.C. § 1603(d)(6)(B) (allowing the Commission to grant a general extension of the RRD term deadline to all Program recipients if “the supply of replacement communications equipment or services needed by the recipients to achieve the purposes of the Program is inadequate to meet the needs of the recipients”). 8. Regarding permitting delays, the Commission directed the Bureau to “consider delays in federal permitting as one potential factor to consider when reviewing requests for extensions of time[.]” Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Third Report and Order, 36 FCC Rcd 11958, 11997-98, para. 97 (2021) (2021 Supply Chain Order). Similarly, with respect to weather delays the Commission has “acknowledge[d] that certain locations will have challenges meeting the term deadline due to weather or other issues” falling outside a recipient’s control. Id. at 11998, para. 99. The Bureau also has recognized that difficulty obtaining access to premises to remove customer premises equipment (CPE) can be a legitimate basis for a term extension because obtaining access is ultimately outside a recipient’s control, provided the recipient makes diligent, thorough attempts to obtain access. Streamlined Resolution of Requests Under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, 39 FCC Rcd 13886, 13897-98 (WCB 2024) (granting RRD term extension based on difficulty obtaining access to customer premises to remove equipment); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, 39 FCC Rcd 7533, 7536, paras. 8-9 (WCB 2024) (same). 9. The sections below discuss the specific circumstances and delays relied on by each recipient to support its extension request. Nearly every recipient relies on grounds in addition to those discussed below. The Order focuses on the ground that provides the strongest basis for an extension for each recipient, and accordingly does not discuss the other bases raised. III. DISCUSSION 10. In order to ensure that recipients meet their commitments to remove, replace, and dispose of covered equipment and services in their network, and taking into account the obstacles that they have demonstrated through explanations and documentary support are beyond their control, we grant the following extension requests based on circumstances including delays related to supply chain, permitting, weather, and access to customer premises. A. Supply Chain Delays 1. Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. – SCRP0001177 11. Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. (Advantage) seeks an extension because the projected delivery date for “the final three pieces of equipment needed to complete [Advantage’s] project . . . has been repeatedly delayed due to manufacturing delays, nationwide ongoing memory-related shortages, and supply chain disruptions[.]” Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Apr. 13, 2026) (Advantage Petition for Extension). Advantage ordered the replacement equipment in November 2025 and its vendor originally scheduled delivery for February 2026, which Advantage says would have left ample time to finish by its RRD deadline, but the vendor then moved the projected delivery of the three pieces of equipment to March 27, 2026, then to April 2026, and most recently to May 18, 2026, Id. at 1-2 and attached emails with vendor regarding delivery dates; Advantage Response to Request for Information (RFI) on Petition for Extension (Apr. 20, 2026) (Advantage RFI Response). which is after the current RRD deadline. Once the final three pieces of equipment arrived, Advantage says it would need only a few days to install the equipment and “be ready to close out the project and notify the Commission.” Advantage Petition for Extension at 1-2. 12. Advantage has made substantial progress on its RRD work to date. It has removed all its covered equipment (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment) and needs only the final three pieces of equipment to complete its replacement work. Id. at 1-2. The Bureau also notes Advantage’s commitment to finish its RRD work within the requested extension. Advantage RFI Response. 2. Board of Trustees, Northern Michigan University – SCRP0001040 13. The Board of Trustees, Northern Michigan University’s (NMU) seeks an extension due to delays in delivery of the steel it needs to build the three remaining towers in its RRD project. NMU states that although its steel vendor originally promised delivery by December 31, 2025 for the three towers that remain to be constructed, in October 2025 the vendor told NMU that it could not deliver the steel until two or three months later (late February or early March 2026), stating that the delay was due to high, nationwide demand for monopole structures. Board of Trustees, Northern Michigan University Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 2 and Attach. 1 (email from vendor informing NMU of the delay) (filed Jan. 25, 2026). NMU attempted to find a different steel vendor, but proposed delivery dates from all those other vendors were even later. Id. at 3. According to NMU, the two- to three-month delay in steel delivery makes it “impossible to reliably predict” that NMU will finish work on the three towers at issue by its current RRD deadline. Id. Nevertheless, NMU also confirms that a “four-month extension will allow NMU to safely and fully complete all remaining removal, replacement, and disposal activities” by the extended deadline. Id. at 1. 3. Gogo Business Aviation, LLC – SCRP0001134 14. Gogo Business Aviation LLC (Gogo) seeks an extension based on delays in the essential software it needs to replace its covered equipment. Gogo provides air-to-ground (ATG) wireless service to airplanes, and states that it must “complete endtoend software validation, flight testing, cell site network deployment and optimization, FAA certification, and customer software installations” before it can make a nationwide cutover to its new network, because it is “impossible to provide service over [Gogo’s] new LTE ATG network while simultaneously operating its legacy network.” Gogo Business Aviation, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 5 (filed Apr. 14, 2026). According to Gogo, none of the listed steps can begin until Gogo “receiv[es] from its vendor the final ATG software, which is already many months overdue.” Id. Gogo states that “there have been multiple delays from its software vendor in providing iterations of the critical software required to enable its replacement network.” Id. at 6. Gogo has attempted to mitigate the problems caused by the software delays,, in several ways, Id. but nevertheless states that without the essential software it will not be able to meet the current RRD deadline. Id. at 13. 4. NE Colorado Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Viaero Wireless – SCRP0001106, SCRP0001107, SCRP0001108, SCRP0001109, SCRP0001110, SCRP0001111, SCRP0001113, SCRP0001114, SCRP0001115, SCRP0001116, SCRP0001117, SCRP0001118, SCRP0001119, SCRP0001120, SCRP0001121, SCRP0001122, SCRP0001123, SCRP0001124, SCRP0001125, SCRP0001126, SCRP0001135, and SCRP0001141 15. NE Colorado Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Viaero Wireless (Viaero) seeks an extension based on “significant supply chain delays” for antennas and Power Distribution Units (PDUs), the latter of which is “a mission-critical part of wireless deployment” that is in high demand due to the nationwide growth of data centers and other artificial intelligence architecture. NE Colorado Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Viaero Wireless Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89 at 20, 22, and n.27 (filed Mar. 11, 2026). Viaero’s Petition covers all its Applications. Viaero also has seen delivery times on circulator products grow from eight weeks to 10-12 weeks and lead time for certain antennas grow from eight weeks to more than 12 weeks. Id. at 12. Importantly, Viaero asserts that these delays cannot be considered in isolation, because “every piece of equipment must be delivered and staged at a site before a crew can commence installation,” and therefore “[d]elays in the delivery of even a few pieces of equipment can have a cascading effect across the project plan, affecting deployment at multiple sites.” Id. at 16. Regarding tower work crews, Viaero states it has had difficulty retaining a sufficient number of qualified work crews, in part due to simultaneous workforce demand by other large carriers. Id. at 14. As a result, Viaero asserts, “the lack of qualified workers has been a primary source of delay” in its RRD progress. Id. 16. Viaero states it has made significant efforts to mitigate these delays, such as pressing its vendors to obtain commitments from a base number of qualified work crews; working to have vendors accelerate delivery of equipment whenever possible, even if it causes added costs; working with vendors to adjust their warehouse processes and shipping processes to adapt to Viaero’s compressed schedule and remote sites; and working with vendors to order parts in bulk in advance so they can be ready when other equipment arrives. Id. at 16-21. In addition, Viaero commits to remove all of its Huawei equipment from its towers and network by the end of 2026, thus prioritizing the critical national security objective of the Program. Id. at 26. 5. Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. – SCRP0001084 17. Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Nemont) seeks an extension based on various supply chain delays. To begin, it asserts it has faced four-month lead times for cabling it needs to connect cell site ground equipment to radios and antennas on cell towers. Nemont Tel. Coop., Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Feb. 27, 2026). Nemont contends it worked with its vendor to try to obtain the cables from multiple alternative suppliers to mitigate delays, but was not able do so because of the specialized nature of the cables. Id. at 1-2. Nemont also asserts it has encountered delivery problems with replacement equipment. Specifically, in December 2025, Nemont had to send back an entire truck full of equipment because it was damaged during transit. Id. at 3. Proper equipment could not be delivered until January 2026. Id. 18. Nemont states it has remained diligent despite these delays, and therefore has completed limited structural analyses and service-related preparation work at sites where replacement equipment will be installed. Id. In addition, Nemont has already completed 100% of its removal and disposal work (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment) Id. at 2-3. and plans to complete all tower work for replacement equipment by June 2026, after which the remaining time will be used for drive testing, tuning, optimization, and 911 integration. Id. at 3. Nemont says it is confident it will complete all RRD work by November 2026 and includes a timeline to do so. Id. at 3 and Attach. 3. 6. New Wave Net Corp. – SCRP0001012 19. New Wave Net Corp. (New Wave) states that although it is close to finishing its RRD work, certain “final tower-related activities remain pending” and “cannot be guaranteed [to be completed] by May.” New Wave Net Corp. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Mar. 10, 2026). According to New Wave, this is because it has faced both supply chain delays and weather-related delays that prevented it from performing work on its remaining tower sites. Id. at 1; New Wave Net Response to RFI on Petition for Extension, at 1 (Apr. 29, 2026) (New Wave RFI Response). New Wave states that it placed timely orders for its remaining replacement equipment on July 11, 2025, with delivery requested by December 31, 2025, but the equipment manufacturer did not deliver all the equipment until April 8, 2026. New Wave RFI Response at 1-2 and Exh. A at 1-3. New Wave states that it was then unable to secure tower work crews due to the “unusually constrained regional market for qualified tower work crews,” particularly in New Wave’s central Illinois region, where New Wave asserts there has been “sustained, simultaneous demand for tower crews” driven by multiple federal broadband build-out programs. Id. at 2. New Wave states that it sought to mitigate these delays by performing as much work as it could when conditions allowed, but nevertheless requests a three-month extension and states that it “does not anticipate the need for any further extension beyond that date.” Id. at 2-3. 7. NfinityLink Communications, Inc. – SCRP0001173 20. NfinityLink Communications (NfinityLink) seeks a four-month extension due to several supply chain delays. Most significantly, NfinityLink asserts it has encountered delays on power generation equipment for both general and backup power systems. NfinityLink Communications Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Apr. 28, 2026) (NfinityLink Petition for Extension). According to NfinityLink, it ordered this equipment more than 16 months ago and remained in close contact with the vendor throughout that period, but the vendor continued to push back the delivery date due to global supply chain disruptions. Id. at 2. Delivery is not expected until May 6, 2026, and NfinityLink states that installation of these power generation systems is essential before certain other removal and replacement work can begin. Id. Separately, NfinityLink asserts that defects in network core equipment and customer premises equipment that it received from vendors have led to additional delays despite seeking quick resolution with its respective vendors. Id. at 2-3. 21. NfinityLink states that it has taken proactive steps to mitigate all these delays and now has either received or expects to soon receive the replacement equipment it needs. It therefore anticipates completing all its RRD work by September 2026. Id. 8. Pasadena ISD – SCRP0001014 22. Pasadena ISD states that it is very close to finishing its RRD work. Pasadena ISD Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89 (filed Apr. 15, 2026); Pasadena ISD Response to RFI on Petition for Extension (Apr. 27, 2026) (Pasadena ISD RFI Response). Nevertheless, it states that its disposal vendor recently informed it that the vendor will not be able to complete Pasadena ISD’s disposal work for another one to two months, which will fall after the current RRD deadline. Pasadena ISD therefore seeks an extension to ensure it will be able to complete all its required work before its RRD term expires. Pasadena ISD RFI Response. 9. Pine Telephone Co. – SCRP0001034 23. Pine Telephone Co. (Pine) relies on several supply chain delays in its extension request. Most notably, Pine states that in January 2026, it began to install a new core edge router, only to learn the router its equipment vendor had specified was incompatible with Pine’s network. Pine Tel. Co. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 7 (filed Mar. 13, 2026). Pine’s vendor immediately ordered a different, compatible router, but the manufacturer is not expected to deliver it until the end of May 2026. Id. (saying delivery will occur within 10 weeks of Pine’s Petition, which was filed March 13, 2026). According to Pine, the core router must be installed before network optimization can begin, and the optimization will take an additional 10 weeks. Id. Pine asserts that the equipment vendor’s error in choosing an incompatible router set its work back at least several months. 24. According to Pine, it also faced slow delivery of other replacement equipment, as equipment ordered in February or April 2025 was not delivered until December 2025, 8-10 months later. Id. Further, Pine’s equipment vendor “has experienced equipment lead times of between 10 and 26 weeks for various electronics, microwave dishes, radios, basebands, and power supplies.” Id. at 9. As a result, Pine states that multiple types of equipment ordered in February or April 2025 did not arrive until September or December 2025. Id. at 9 and Ex. 2. Pine also states that it has faced delays due to the inability to retain enough qualified tower crews, due in part to simultaneous demand for crews from large carriers. Id. at 12-13. 25. Pine states that it has worked to mitigate all these delays by taking action and holding “weekly calls with its vendors to get status reports and urge prompt action.” Id. at 9. In addition, Pine plans to complete removal of all its covered equipment by August 2026, thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment. Id. at 13 and Ex. 1. 10. Plateau Telecommunications, Inc. – SCRP0001112 26. Plateau Telecommunications Inc. (Plateau) asserts that it has experienced several supply chain delays. Plateau first states that in early February 2026 its vendor pushed delivery of Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment back to late March 2026 or later. Plateau Telecommunications, Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 2, 5 (filed Mar. 31, 2026) (Plateau Petition for Extension). Plateau had placed its orders for the RAN equipment “the year prior,” as soon as it was ready for that equipment, and the vendor promised delivery by February 20, 2026. Id. at 2; Plateau Response to RFI on Petition for Extension (Apr. 23, 2026). At that point, Plateau states, it “was on track for completion before the April 30, 2026 projected completion date,” but the vendor did not deliver the equipment until months later on April 20, 2026. Id. Plateau contends that this late delivery “leav[es] insufficient time to complete construction, activation, and optimization of the affected sites before the May 8, 2026 RRD deadline.” Plateau Petition for Extension at 2. In particular, “[n]o site construction or activation work [could] commence for the affected portion of Plateau’s network” until it received the RAN equipment, and Plateau asserts that the work after it received the equipment will take three months, meaning it cannot finish installing the RAN equipment until at least late July 2026. Id. at 5. 27. Plateau also states that its vendor for replacement CPE stopped making the CPE or controller platform. Id. at 3, 5 and Ex. A. Plateau therefore had to find another vendor, and has so far ordered 800 of the 3,000 CPE devices it needs. Id. According to Plateau, full installation of the CPE takes 24 weeks from Plateau ordering the equipment, which means it could not be done until after the current RRD deadline. Id. at 3, 5. Plateau states that “at current lead times, CPE delivery and installation cannot be completed before late October 2026 at the earliest.” Id. at 1, 5. 28. Despite these setbacks, Plateau asserts that it has made significant progress on its RRD work See id. at 4. and states that “[e]very workstream within Plateau’s control has been completed or is actively progressing,” and that “[t]here are no outstanding issues beyond equipment delivery that would prevent Plateau from completing its Phase 2 deployment within the requested extension period.” Id. at 5. Plateau states that it will finish its RRD work with just one extension. Id. 11. Southern Ohio Communication Services, Inc. – SCRP0001019 29. Southern Ohio Communication Services, Inc. (SOCS) asserts it will not be able to meet its RRD deadline because it has faced long delays, due to factors outside its control, in disposing of its covered equipment. Specifically, it states that the disposal vendor it uses has yet to provide a cost estimate for transporting the covered equipment to be disposed of. Southern Ohio Communication Services, Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 3-4 (filed Mar. 27, 2026). To mitigate further delays, SOCS is “prepared to transport the covered equipment directly to one of [the vendor’s] decommissioning sites, if necessary and financially efficient,” but the disposal company would not be able to receive, categorize, and destroy the equipment before SOCS’s RRD deadline. Id. at 4. 30. Despite these problems, SOCS asserts that it has made significant progress on its RRD work by removing and replacing 100% of its covered equipment (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment). Id. at 2. It also expects to complete all its RRD work with only one extension. Id. at 5. 12. Velocity Communications, Inc. – SCRP0001136 31. Velocity Communications, Inc. (Velocity) asserts it has encountered several supply chain problems outside of its control that require an extension. It first states that the bulk of its remaining RRD obligations concern the procurement and deployment of three Cell on Wheels (COW) units. Velocity Communications, Inc. Response to RFI on Petition for Extension, at 1 (Apr. 21, 2026) (Velocity RFI Response); see also Velocity Communications, Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89 (filed Apr. 3, 2026) (Velocity Petition for Extension). Velocity states that it faced delays due to supply constraints for COWs that “have materially extended the overall procurement timeline.” Velocity RFI Response at 2. Specifically, “the COW units themselves are not widely available across the US market, which is “consistent with industry demand driven by overlapping, federal and state funded deployment programs.” Id. Velocity states it therefore cannot complete procurement of the COWs within the current deadline. Id. 32. Despite these obstacles, Velocity asserts that it has taken proactive steps to mitigate these delays. It explains that it has remained consistently involved with its different vendors, attempted to obtain used COWs, and held recurring configuration discussions with its vendors. Id. at 2-3. Velocity further states that it has already completed all of its removal and disposal of covered equipment (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment), and expects to complete all remaining RRD obligations with just one extension. Id. at 1-3. 13. WorldCell Solutions, LLC – SCRP0001137 33. WorldCell Solutions, LLC (WorldCell) asserts its RRD work has been materially delayed by a global shortage of computer memory chips. WorldCell Solutions LLC Response to RFI on Petition for Extension (Apr. 23, 2026) (WorldCell RFI Response); see also WorldCell Solutions, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (Apr. 21, 2026) (WorldCell Petition for Extension). WorldCell previously filed a Petition for Extension on March 23, 2026, but that request was denied without prejudice due to a lack of sufficient detail. Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs, WC Docket No. 18-89, Order, DA 26-316 (WCB Mar. 31, 2026) WorldCell then filed another extension request on April 20, 2026. WorldCell states that its RRD project requires servers, racks, and network switches “equipped with current-generation CPU and DDR5 memory – precisely the components experiencing the most severe global shortages.” Id. Further, WorldCell states that its inability to obtain the equipment that relies on these memory chips had cascading effects on its other work, which depends on the servers and other equipment being delivered first. Id. 34. Despite these setbacks, WorldCell asserts that as a result of its attempts to mitigate delays, it seeks only a four-month extension, to August 31, 2026, and projects that it will finish all its RRD work by that time. Id. at 6-7. B. Permitting Delays 1. Beamspeed, L.L.C. – SCRP0001040 35. Beamspeed, L.L.C. (Beamspeed) states it has encountered long, unforeseen delays in obtaining permits and access to facilities on Tribal lands from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Tribal Counsels that are outside its control. Beamspeed, L.L.C. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Mar. 4, 2026) (Beamspeed Petition for Extension). These include “additional review periods, documentation submissions, cultural environmental considerations, and coordination meetings[.]” Id. Beamspeed asserts it has complied with all permitting and access requirements and is working cooperatively with the Tribal authorities to obtain the necessary approvals, but that delays beyond its control have materially affected its project timeline such that it cannot meet the current RRD deadline. Id. Despite these obstacles, however, Beamspeed asserts that it “firmly believes” one six-month extension should be enough to finish its RRD work. Beamspeed Response to RFI on Petition for Extension (Apr. 16, 2026). 2. Commnet Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001026, SCRP0001027, SCRP0001028, and SCRP0001029 36. Commnet Wireless, LLC (Commnet) asserts it has encountered long delays on its RRD work because “[m]any of our sites are on tribal or federal land and require numerous layers of permitting approvals that have been slow to be granted from entities such as the Bureau of Land Management, National Park, Forestry offices, and numerous tribal permitting offices.” Commnet Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension for Application SCRP0001026, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Mar. 10, 2026). The Petitions for Commnet’s other Applications make the same statement. Similarly, it asserts that “[m]ost sites require the review and approval of each Build Plan and submission of final permitting documentation to the applicable landlord and/or easement holder(s) for each site prior to construction commencing,” and that “there have been multiple delays as . . . parties may be unresponsive, require additional investment in excess of that required by the applicable lease, or may be unreachable or unwilling to allow construction to continue.” Commnet then provides examples of both types of delays in the confidential appendices to its Petitions, and asserts that these delays are beyond its control, despite its best and timely efforts to provide all necessary information to permitting authorities and site owners. Id. at 1-2. Despite these setbacks, Commnet states that it has remained diligent, that it has removed and disposed of all covered equipment at sites where it can, that it is working with multiple vendors to secure replacement equipment while the permitting processes proceed, and that it will meet the current RRD deadline “with respect to the substantial majority of sites.” Id. at 1. 3. Country Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001017 37. Country Wireless, LLC (Country Wireless) asserts it cannot meet its RRD deadline due to delays in obtaining the necessary leases from local governments that are outside its control. Specifically, Country Wireless says it has three sites at which it still needs to retrofit towers, but it will not be able to complete that work by May 8, 2026 because of “delay[s] due to lengthy multi-step permitting processes and lease negotiations with local county officials that are not yet complete but are expected to be finalized within weeks.” Country Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 2 (filed Apr. 20, 2026). For example, it explains that at one location the necessary lease with the county is not set to be approved by local officials until April 21, 2026, and another county has been slow to respond on lease approval and is unlikely to set definitive terms until the end of May 2026, after which the necessary construction work at the site can proceed. Id. 38. Nevertheless, Country Wireless asserts that it has been diligent in making progress, and says it will complete 100% of its removal and disposal work by May 8, 2026 (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment). Id. at 1. Further, Country Wireless states that with an extension it will finish all RRD work by August 31, 2026, and seeks an extension only to that date. Id. at 3. 4. NTUA Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001024 and SCRP0001025 39. NTUA Wireless, LLC (NTUA) asserts it has encountered long delays on its RRD work because “[m]any of our sites are on tribal or federal land and require numerous layers of permitting approvals that have been slow to be granted from governmental entities and numerous Tribal permitting offices.” NTUA Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension for Application SCRP0001024, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Mar. 10, 2026). NTUA’s Petition for its other Application (SCRP0001025) makes the same statement. Similarly, it asserts that “[m]ost sites require the review and approval of each Build Plan and submission of final permitting documentation to the applicable landlord and/or easement holder(s) for each site prior to construction commencing,” and that “there have been multiple delays as such parties may be unresponsive, require additional investment in excess of that required by the applicable lease, or may be unreachable or unwilling to allow construction to continue.” NTUA provides examples of both types of delays in the confidential appendices to its Petitions, and asserts that these delays are beyond its control, despite its best and timely efforts to provide all necessary information to permitting authorities and site owners. Id. at 1-2. Despite these setbacks, NTUA states that it has remained diligent, that it has removed and disposed of all covered equipment at sites where it can, and that it is working with multiple vendors to secure replacement equipment while the permitting processes proceed, and that it will met the current RRD deadline “with respect to the substantial majority of sites.” Id. at 1. 40. NTUA asserts that it has attempted to mitigate these delays by working closely with Tribal and federal authorities, and has made good progress overall, particularly on the critical task of removing and disposing of covered equipment. Specifically, NTUA has completed 95% of its removal work and 79% of its disposal work for Application SCRP0001024 and 83% of its removal work and 78% of its disposal work for Application SCRP0001025 (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment). NTUA Petition for Extension for Application SCRP0001024, at 4. 5. Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. – SCRP0001038 41. Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. (Pine Belt) seeks an extension based on several factors, including zoning delays, environmental restrictions regarding nesting birds, and an unanticipated and unforeseeable equipment malfunction. Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89 (filed Apr. 13, 2026) (Pine Belt Petition for Extension). Pine Belt states that it has encountered long delays with zoning approvals for one of its new towers, Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. Response to RFI Regarding Petition for Extension, at 1 (Apr. 23, 2027) (Pine Belt RFI Response). and that it has faced difficulties engaging with tower owners for sites where it needs to do RRD work. Id. at 2. At another tower site, Pine Belt’s work has been delayed due to environmental regulations that prohibit work due to a migratory bird nest. Id. at 2-3. The tower owner has informed Pine Belt that it is acting to remove the nest consistent with environmental regulations, but that removal will not happen until September 2026, meaning Pine Belt will not be able to remove the covered equipment on that tower until October at the earliest. Id. at 2-3. 42. Finally, Pine Belt states that certain key equipment suffered a “highly disruptive malfunction” in November 2025 that required a premature turn-down of power in some parts of its network. Pine Belt states that its efforts to resolve the malfunction led to “unplanned, out of order activities“ that, in turn, “caused unavoidable disruptions of the normal work cadence and imputed delays into the overall process.” Id. at 5. Consequently, Pine Belt asserts that although it “has made good faith efforts at fulfilling its RRD performance obligations and has achieved significant progress,” it cannot meet the current RRD deadline. Id. It does state that it “is no longer running any covered equipment” in its network. Id. 6. Stealth Communications – SCRP0001138 43. Stealth Communications (Stealth) asserts it has faced delays beyond its control arising from the complexity of working through permitting processes in a metropolitan area, including for underground work. Stealth Communications Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Apr. 1, 2026) (Stealth Petition for Extension). Stealth states that migrating customers and circuits requires coordination and approval with government officials, as “[e]ach migration requires pre-coordinated maintenance windows approved by the respective agency or customer” and that “[s]cheduling must align across multiple stakeholders, including city agencies and third parties.” Stealth Response to RFI on Petition for Extension, at 4 (Apr. 28, 2026). According to Stealth, the speed of migrating circuits and removing covered circuits is slowed down by the requirements for constant close coordination with these other groups. Id. at 4, 6. In addition, Stealth states that removing underground fiber in its metropolitan service area is subject to strict regulatory constraints, such as obtaining street opening permits and working around seasonal embargoes on construction. Id. at 6. Stealth states that these constraints all cause delays that are ultimately beyond its control, despite its various efforts to mitigate them. Id. at 8. 7. Union Tel. Co. – SCRP0001087, SCRP0001089, SCRP0001090, SCRP0001092, SCRP0001096, SCRP0001098 44. Union Telephone Co. (Union) seeks an extension based on delays in obtaining permits to perform work on land owned by governmental entities and Tribal authorities that are outside of its control. Union Tel. Co. Petition for Extension for Application SCRP0001089, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 3 (filed Apr. 10, 2026). Union filed identical extension requests for each of its Applications. Union asserts that it has 115 sites on such lands where it cannot perform work without proper permits or authorizations, but the permitting process has been inconsistent and varies by office, which makes timely and coordinated work difficult, and federal permits often impose restrictions that limit SCRP work to three months or less per year. Id. According to Union, a typical permitting timeline for federal and Tribal agencies is 15 months, but Union also has faced delays of 30 or even 51 months at various locations, and that does not account for wildlife restrictions that could cause another five months’ delay. Id. at 4. 45. Union further asserts that National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and local zoning delays have been significant. At one site, for example, Union’s permit requests were denied multiple times due to visual impacts, ultimately requiring full relocation of the facility and triggering additional regulatory requirements. Id. Similarly, Union states that another site had to be moved twice due to Tribal concerns, with the third location giving rise to new leasing, zoning, and regulatory requirements that will extend Union’s timeline. Id. at 5. Union asserts that it has also has faced permitting, zoning, and leasing delays with local authorities, including a nine-month delay at one site due to a new zoning ordinance that required a redesign and resubmission for approval. Id. 46. Union asserts that it has worked diligently to mitigate these delays and made substantial progress overall, Id. at 8. but nevertheless states that it will not be able to meet its current RRD deadline. C. Weather-related Delays 1. AST Telecom LLC d/b/a Bluesky – SCRP0001076 47. AST Telecom LLC d/b/a Bluesky (Bluesky) states that it is a “small, remote carrier headquartered in and serving the U.S. territory of American Samoa.” AST Telecom LLC d/b/a Bluesky Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1-2 (filed Apr. 20, 2026) (Bluesky Petition for Extension). It seeks an extension based on, among other things, delays caused by “severe weather conditions.” Id. at 2. Specifically, Bluesky states that from “December 2025 through March 2026 weather challenges impacted RAN sites and overall performance, leading to service outages across several sites on the island.” Id. This included several flash flood warnings and wind advisories during the hurricane season of 2025-2026, Bluesky Response to RFI on Petition for Extension, at 1, 3-12 (Apr. 28, 2026) (Bluesky RFI Response) (multiple flash flood warnings and wind advisories from American Samoa Government from December 2025 to March 2026). which forced Bluesky to redeploy its resources and “prioritize restoring services and recovering affected sites.” Bluesky Petition for Extension at 2; Bluesky RFI Response at 1. According to Bluesky, this redeployment correspondingly “had a negative impact on the remaining of the replacement work,” such as by delaying drive tests, which, Bluesky states, had “a ripple effect on project timelines” and “extend[ed] the overall timeline of the [SCRP] project” by at least three months. Bluesky Petition for Extension at 2. 2. Copper Valley Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001157 48. Copper Valley Wireless, LLC (Copper Valley) states that it is a small service provider in “extremely remote” “interior and coastal regions of south-central Alaska,” some of which “lack any highway access.” Copper Valley Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Apr. 7, 2026). As a result, replacement equipment or other materials must first “be shipped on a barge into a gathering location,” and, once there, “special preparations are required to deliver the materials to a tower site by helicopter.” Id. According to Copper Valley, safe helicopter flights “depend heavily on weather conditions,” and it has encountered “frequent delays and demobilizations/remobilizations” and “frequent weather-related stoppages” “during the entire course” of its RRD project. Id. at 1-2. Copper Valley asserts that these conditions have “materially constrained” its RRD work. Id. at 2. 49. Despite these obstacles, Copper Vally asserts that it has made significant progress, having completed all removal and disposal work at 41 of its 42 sites (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment). Id. at 1. It also states that “[t]he remaining work is limited in scope and is actively planned for completion during the upcoming construction season and associated vendor implementation windows.” Id. at 4. It therefore expects to finish all its RRD work with just one extension. See id. at 6-7. 3. TelAlaska Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Fastwyre Broadband – SCRP0001160 50. TelAlaska Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Fastwyre Broadband (TelAlaska) states that it is a small service provider in rural Alaska, and that construction in Alaska “presents extraordinary challenges,” one of which is that it must reserve space on barges to transport the replacement equipment to remote locations. TelAlaska Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Fastwyre Broadband Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Mar. 27, 2026). It explains that space on these barges must be reserved months in advance, and they only run during warmer weather, generally “from May through September.” Id. at 1-2. TelAlaska states that it has reserved all the necessary space on barges for its replacement equipment to be delivered in summer 2026. This schedule prevents TelAlaska from meeting its May 8, 2026 RRD deadline, as by “early to mid-May, barges will either be preparing for transit or barely underway, and construction activities at multiple sites will not yet be safely or logistically feasible,” with “transit times of up to six weeks to reach their destinations,” and “[n]o amount of diligence or acceleration can overcome these physical and environmental constraints.” Id. at 2. 51. TelAlaska asserts that it has been diligent in its work to date, and provides a detailed schedule for construction work once the replacement equipment is delivered to the sites and further states that it is “realistic and achievable” to complete its RRD work with a single six-month extension. Id. at 3-4. D. Access to CPE 1. Hotwire Communications, Ltd. – SCRP0001146, SCRP0001147, and SCRP0001148 52. Hotwire Communications, Ltd.’s (Hotwire) seeks an extension based on problems obtaining access to customer premises to remove covered equipment that it asserts are outside its control. Hotwire explains that its RRD work “involves replacement of legacy OLTs [Optical Line Terminals] and ONTs [Optical Network Terminals] at properties serving tens of thousands of individual locations, the substantial majority of which are residential dwelling units.” Hotwire Communications, Ltd. Petition for Extension for Application No. SCRP0001146, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 3 (filed Apr. 1, 2026) (Hotwire Petition for Extension). Hotwire’s extension request covers all three of its Applications. In order to do that work, Hotwire explains that it sometimes must also remove and replace covered equipment located at customer premises, such as routers and switches. Id. According to Hotwire, it uses “repeated, systematic outreach” to customers to seek access to their locations, but inevitably there is a residual group of locations where it is not able to make contact and gain access, Id. at 4-6 (discussing Hotwire’s outreach efforts, which include “advance notice, multiple rounds of email and text notifications, and, where appropriate, supplemental direct-contact measures such as phone calls, door-to-door attempts, on-site information sessions, and coordination with property management,” all starting “at least 60 days before cutover”); see also id. at Ex. 3, para. 4 (Declaration of Jonathan Bullock). and where “lawful access to those locations depends on third-party cooperation outside Hotwire’s control.” Id. at 2, 10; see also id. Ex. 3, para. 7 (Declaration of Jonathan Bullock) (“Based on Hotwire’s current records and forecasts, absent an extension Hotwire will be unable, through no fault of its own, to resolve the residential access-dependent locations by May 8, 2026.”). Hotwire therefore seeks an extension to continue all efforts to make contact and complete the work associated with those locations. Id. Hotwire states that it will continue to secure lawful access to customer locations during the extension period, and that it “expects to complete any remaining site-specific removal, replacement, and disposal work that may be required at those locations” by October 31, 2026. Id. at 8; see also id., Ex. 3, para. 7 (Declaration of Jonathan Bullock). 53. Hotwire asserts that it has made significant progress on its overall RRD project so far and expects to complete “the overwhelming majority of the work covered by [its] SCRP Applications” by the current RRD deadline of May 8, 2026, with only a small set of residual access-dependent locations left to complete. Id. at 2, 10. 2. Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC – SCRP0001128, SCRP0001129, SCRP0001130, SCRP0001131, SCRP0001132 54. Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC (Point) seeks an extension based on difficulties obtaining access to customer premises, and states that it has 1,500 customers with covered equipment at their premises, which it needs to remove. Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 3 (filed Mar. 5, 2026). According to Point, this has become a “major hurdle” to its RRD progress, as access to customer premises “remains dependent on customer availability and cooperation,” over which “Point has no control.” Id. at 2. Point explains that this difficulty has a cascading effect on the rest of Point’s RRD work because the Huawei routers at Point’s large number of operational sites cannot be removed and changed out until the customer CPE is removed. Id. at 3. 55. Point expects to complete the CPE changeouts by April or May 2026 by hiring extra contractors to facilitate scheduling and completing the changeouts and establishing a dedicated team to provide 24/7 support to customers undergoing the changeout. Id. After the CPE changeouts are complete, Point will begin changing out Huawei routers at its operational sites, and expects to remove and dispose of them all by October 2026. Id. at 3-4. Point therefore expects to finish its RRD work with just one six-month extension. Id. at 7 (“With an additional six months, [Point] anticipates further advancements in FTTH changeouts and router swaps. Point expects to meet this deadline if an extension is granted.”); Point Broadband Response to RFI on Petition for Extension (Apr. 17, 2026) (Point expects to finish RRD work with one extension provided there are no unforeseen obstacles). E. Reimbursement Holds 1. Flat Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001103 56. Flat Wireless, LLC (Flat) seeks an extension based on delays arising from a funding hold currently placed upon the recipient. Specifically, Flat states that the Commission instituted a hold on providing Program reimbursement to Flat. Flat Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1-2 (filed Apr. 10, 2026). As a result, Flat contends it has not been able to make the necessary progress on its RRD work, despite “good-faith efforts to continue its network replacement activities to the extent possible, including procuring replacement equipment and taking other steps necessary to deploy and operate portions of the new network.” Id. at 2. In addition, Flat states that it has already “decommissioned and destroyed all of its Huawei equipment” (thus serving the core Program goal of eliminating covered equipment) and, if the funding hold is lifted, “will use its absolute best efforts to” to finish installing its replacement equipment with just one extension. Id. at 1-2. 2. SI Wireless, LLC – SCRP0001013 57. SI Wireless, LLC (SIW) likewise seeks an extension based on delays arising from a funding hold. SI Wireless, LLC Petition for Extension, WC Docket No. 18-89, at 1 (filed Apr. 10, 2026). SIW states that prior to the funding hold it “was progressing toward completion in accordance with program expectations and timelines,” but the funding hold has “made it impossible for SI Wireless to complete its necessary replacement work” by the current RRD deadline. Id. According to SIW, the funding hold is the sole cause of its inability to meet the current deadline, and is a matter beyond its control. Id. Finally, SIW asserts that if reimbursements are resumed it stands fully ready to “complete its obligations[.]” Id. at 2. IV. CONCLUSION 58. Based on the justifications discussed above, the Bureau grants the extension requests for the Program recipients listed above. The new RRD term expiration date for each recipient is listed in Appendix A to this Order. 59. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that, pursuant to section 4(i)-(j) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 154(i)-(j), and sections 0.204, 0.291, and 1.50004(h)(2) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.204, 0.291, 1.50004(h)(2), the Petitions for Extension filed by the Program recipients addressed in this Order are GRANTED as conditioned herein on enhanced reporting by the recipients in their quarterly status updates. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Joseph S. Calascione Chief Wireline Competition Bureau APPENDIX A EXTENDED RRD TERM DEADLINES Recipient New RRD Term Deadline Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. 11/8/26 AST Telecom LLC d/b/a Bluesky 11/8/26 Beamspeed, L.L.C. 11/6/26 Board of Trustees, Northern Michigan University 9/8/26 Commnet Wireless, LLC (4 applications) 11/8/26 Copper Valley Wireless, LLC 8/8/26 Country Wireless, LLC 8/31/26 Flat Wireless, LLC 11/8/26 Gogo Business Aviation, LLC 11/8/26 Hotwire Comms., Ltd. (3 applications) 10/31/26 NE Colorado Cellular, Inc. (22 applications) 11/8/26 Nemont Telephone Coop., Inc. 11/8/26 New Wave Net Corp. 8/8/26 NfinityLink Comms., Inc. 9/8/26 NTUA Wireless, LLC (2 applications) 11/8/26 Pasadena ISD 11/6/26 Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. 11/8/26 Pine Tel. Co. (3 applications) 11/8/26 Plateau Telecomms., Inc. 11/4/26 Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC (5 applications) 11/8/26 SI Wireless, LLC 11/8/26 Southern Ohio Comms. Servs., Inc. 11/8/26 Stealth 11/8/26 TelAlaska Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Fastwyre Broadband 11/8/26 Union Tel. Co. (6 applications) 11/8/26 Velocity Comms., Inc. 8/6/26 WorldCell Solutions, LLC 8/31/26 2