National industry groups plan monthly webinars for states about the NTIA’s broadband equity, access and development (BEAD) program starting next week, the Fiber Broadband Association said Wednesday. The hosting associations are ACA Connects, the Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, FBA, Incompas, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, NCTA, NTCA, USTelecom and the Wireless Infrastructure Association. The first 30-minute webinar is on supply chain and will be Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. “Our primary goal is to make it as easy and efficient as possible to navigate through the BEAD program’s requirements and potential deployment challenges,” the associations said.
Industry largely backed the FCC’s Further NPRM on curbing access stimulation, in comments posted Wednesday in docket 18-155 (see 2207140055). The item proposes clarifying rules adopted in 2019 to include IP-enabled services (IPES) providers.
The broadband industry will shift attention to passing a national privacy law, after dropping a lawsuit against Maine, said telecom and cable associations Tuesday. Plaintiffs USTelecom, NCTA, CTIA and ACA Connects decided not to continue a nearly 2-year-old challenge of the state’s ISP privacy law. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey (D) said the state law’s survival is important for protecting consumers. The case’s end should encourage more states to act, said consumer privacy advocates in interviews.
The $54.2 billion Chips and Science Act, signed into law in August (see 2208090062) will be significant for how industry will look down the road, experts said Tuesday during a USTelecom webinar. The act includes $1.5 billion to spur open radio access networks. Experts also said they don’t expect big future moves from the FCC on ORAN, after a 2021 notice of inquiry.
USTelecom urged Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to sign a broadband bill to streamline the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) grant review process. The legislature last week passed AB-2749, which would set a 180-day shot clock for the California Public Utilities Commission to decide CASF applications (see 2208260050). Newsom should “sign the bill as soon as possible to ensure there is no delay in getting Californians access to broadband,” a USTelecom spokesperson said Monday. The Electronic Frontier Foundation withdrew its opposition and is now neutral on AB-2749 after it was amended earlier this month, EFF Legislative Associate Chao Jun Liu emailed Monday. EFF earlier raised concerns including that the shot clock could limit competition.
Industry continued to disagree whether the FCC should revisit its cost allocation framework for utility pole replacements or attachments, in reply comments posted Monday in docket 17-84 (see 2206280066). Central to the debate was whether pole owners directly benefit from pole replacements and how much information owners should be required to disclose to requesting attachers.
California bills to require wireless eligibility for California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) grants and to fund the 988 mental health line passed the legislature Thursday and will go to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for signature. As California legislators head into their final week, several communications bills on broadband, social media and free inmate calls await floor votes (see 2208120039).
Maine intends to move for summary judgment on all remaining counts in telecom groups’ challenge of the state’s ISP privacy law, Attorney General Aaron Frey (D) said Wednesday at the U.S. District Court of Maine. Frey asked the court to set a prefiling conference no sooner than Sept. 19 in case 1:20-cv-00055. ACA Connects, CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom challenged the Maine law.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau redesignated USTelecom as the registered consortium for the industry-led robocall traceback group, said an order Monday in docket 20-22 (see 2206060058). USTelecom is "honored that the FCC recognizes our important role in this work," said Vice President-Policy and Advocacy Josh Bercu.
Low-income and community advocates supported consumer groups' petition to require low-cost broadband plans for all Californians. The California Public Utilities Commission received responses Wednesday to an amended petition in docket R.20-02-008. As they did earlier this month on the original petition (see 2208020033), ISPs warned that the state could risk losing broadband funding if the CPUC modified an April decision on rules for the state’s $2 billion last-mile federal funding account (FFA). Granting the petition "would ensure that the families who need access to affordable and reliable internet the most would finally be able to receive it without having to choose between paying their bills, grocery shopping or paying their internet bill,” said Alliance for a Better Community, a social justice nonprofit. “It would also aid in ending preferential treatment for high income broadband users over the needs of low-income users." LA-Tech.org, a nonprofit that helps low-income people find tech internships, also supported the change: "Low Income communities could be priced out of reliable broadband internet, depriving them of equitable access to health services and remote job opportunities.” If the CPUC fails to protect affordability, “the state risks funding high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that do not result in affordable service for unserved and underserved communities,” said the Institute for Local Self-Reliance: Reject any provider arguments to “wait to study the problem or collect data.” USTelecom countered that the “amended petition is procedurally improper” because it “fails to demonstrate new facts, materially changed circumstances, or misconceptions of law or fact.” Contrary to the public interest, the consumer groups' proposed changes would delay FFA implementation and discourage participation, which would make it harder for the state to use federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, the industry group said.