Est. 2026 · For rural broadband operatorsArchive  ·  Calendar  ·  BEAD tracker  ·  Tuesdays 06:00 CT

On the line: the rural broadband deadline calendar

Every date from the newsletter that a rural operator needs to hit or watch — comment deadlines, hearings, funding cutoffs, court clocks. National deadlines go to everyone. State deadlines — a pole-attachment fight in New Hampshire, a BEAD signing in Michigan — only matter if you operate there, so pick your state and leave the rest behind.

The list below and the subscribe buttons follow your pick. Your feed always carries the national deadlines, plus your state’s when they come up — even if your state has none yet.

For Outlook and everything else: add a calendar from the web and paste the feed address, https://theruraloperator.com/calendar/all.ics. The feed updates when we do. Filled points need action from you; hollow points are ones to watch. State items carry a two-letter tag.

October 2026
Oct 29Thu
FCC votes on a vetting proposal for new high-cost awards (tentative) No. 001
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Oct 29Thu
New Hampshire pole-rate hearing, 10 a.m., Concord NH No. 001
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November 2026
Nov 1Sun
California's deadline to accept its BEAD award agreement CA (unsigned over the Condition 50 terms dispute; per Broadband Breakfast / CPUC)
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Nov 5Thu
New Hampshire pole-rate comments due NH No. 001
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Nov 18Wed
Comments due — FCC further notice on NHPA section 106 / TCNS tower review (WT Docket No. 25-217) No. 002
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Nov 30Mon
Rehearing petitions due in the USAC case (our estimate) No. 001
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December 2026
Dec 3Thu
Reply comments due — FCC NHPA / TCNS further notice (WT Docket No. 25-217) No. 002
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Dec 7Mon
USAC ruling takes effect if no one seeks rehearing (our estimate) No. 001
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Dec 31Thu
Last day to spend pandemic relief funds on your builds (CPF projects without an approved extension) No. 001
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January 2027
Jan 13Wed
Supreme Court petition due in the USAC case (later if rehearing is sought) No. 001
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June 2027
Jun 30Wed
CPF broadband deadline for projects with an approved extension (Treasury guidance) No. 002
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