GCI Seeks Clarity on Alaska Connect Fund Mobile Terms
The Alaska Connect Fund (ACF) requirement that Alaska Plan recipients provide a certain level of mobile data service in all their Alaska Plan territories ignores the realities of physics and network engineering, GCI said. In a docket 10-90 petition posted…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Friday, it said the available ACF support isn't enough to pay for the cell towers needed to meet that level of data service where they currently provide Alaska Plan-supported voice service. The problem, it said, is ACF focuses on territory, requiring 35/3 Mbps coverage across all Alaska Plan territory. However, Alaska Plan has providers building out networks that cover specific numbers of people. GCI said the record doesn't support increasing data speeds in outlying areas that don't likely have permanent residents and where voice and text for public safety is probably sufficient. Bringing 35/3 Mbps 5G everywhere that receives voice service would increase costs, it said. GCI asked the agency to clarify ACF's mobile requirements and what territories ACF will cover. It also suggested changes to the commission's ineligibility standards.