Biennial recertification of study area boundary data is due June 30, said an FCC Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics public notice Tuesday in docket 10-90. Incumbent LECs and state commissions that uploaded and certified new boundaries Dec. 31 to March 15 aren't required to recertify this year.
Providers participating in the FCC emergency broadband benefit program must make clear to eligible consumers that the temporary benefit is different from Lifeline, and charge households the required copay of $10-$50 toward the cost of a connected device, said an Enforcement Bureau advisory Tuesday. “Providers may be linking EBB program enrollment to implementation of technical changes necessary to retain the subscriber’s existing service or automatically enrolling subscribers that provide information needed for another purpose.” The $3.2 billion program starts Wednesday and will last until the funds run out or six months after the public health emergency ends.
The FCC Wireline Bureau OK'd Indiana Fiber Network's transfer of control request to Zayo, said a public notice Monday. Indiana Fiber Network becomes a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Zayo.
The FCC Wireline Bureau began investigating whether Core Communications' proposed tariff revisions comply with the 8YY access charge revamp order, an order said in Friday's Daily Digest. Verizon and AT&T filed a petition in April seeking such.
The Competitive Carriers Association asked the FCC to reconsider awarding Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction funding to areas "least in need of support," a letter said Thursday in docket 20-34. The group cited winning bids to serve wealthy and densely populated areas, including Chicago's central business district and Apple's headquarters. CCA estimated the FCC will "improperly send between at least $115 million and as much as $745 million" to areas already receiving 25/3 Mbps fixed. “Pervasive errors in broadband data unfortunately led to some of the nation’s wealthiest, most densely populated areas set to receive RDOF Phase I funds," said CCA CEO Steven Berry in a statement.
3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative denied Siyeh Communications' (SiyCom) claim that it submitted inaccurate form 477 filings and said the FCC should ignore the "unspecified and supported allegations to the contrary," a filing said Monday in docket 10-90. SiyCom, which bought 3 Rivers in November (see 2011170020), told staff in April that it had concerns over "funding decisions that have previously been made based on inaccurate form 477 data."
Free Press and others asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff to consider letting emergency broadband benefit program applicants use pandemic electronic benefits transfer cards for eligibility, a filing said Monday in docket 20-445. P-EBT was created in response to school closures at the beginning of the pandemic, so cardholders "are likely currently participating in an EBB-eligible program," said groups including the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Food Research & Action Center. They recommended an FCC-Department of Agriculture partnership to inform P-EBT participants about EBB.
Big inmate calling service providers denied they have ICS monopolies, in Friday California Public Utilities Commission comments. Verizon and consumer groups said inmates can’t choose. Comments in docket R.20-10-002 were on a staff proposal to temporarily adopt FCC 2013 interstate ICS rate caps for intrastate rates, or any new caps the FCC adopts, until the CPUC adopts permanent rates. "That the result of the competitive RFP process results in a sole provider is no indication that ICS providers are monopolists empowered to charge excessive rates,” Securus commented. Global Tel*Link (GTL) said that “the market arises from competition between ICS providers to supply ICS to correctional facilities via a competitive bidding process conducted by the governmental bodies that oversee these institutions.” Verizon, which no longer sells ICS service, wrote that “given that inmates have no other options in service provider, there are certainly monopolistic characteristics.” Inmates lack choice but "the nature of the specialized service in issue distinguishes it" from utility monopolies, said PayTel. “Providers compete, vigorously, for the right to provide service to inmates in confinement facilities, and, in the absence of the agreement of the facility, have no right or ability to provide service to inmates.” The Californians for Jail and Prison Phone Justice Coalition noted a “duopoly,” with Securus and GTL controlling 82% of the market. Securus and GTL said they’re committed to lowering rates. High prices at some jails reflect a provider's internal costs and requirements of "correctional agencies for revenue in the form of site commissions,” Securus said. Intrastate rates above FCC interstate caps “are a consequence of the unique needs of correctional facilities, as determined by the governmental bodies that oversee them,” GTL said. The CPUC should “accord correctional facilities, and the governmental bodies that oversee them, the ‘wide-ranging deference’ necessary to execute the unique arrangements critical to institutional efficiency and security.” The California commission should reduce rates to 5 cents per minute for intrastate voice calls, less than the staff proposal, said the CPUC Public Advocates Office. Current rates in 132 out of 214 California jails are at or below the proposal’s 21 cents interim cap, but a 5 cents cap would benefit people incarcerated in 82 facilities, it said. Incarcerated people and their families told a commission hearing last week rates are too high (see 2104290034).
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted Hargray's transfer of control request to Cable One, said a public notice Friday. It's subject to conditions adopted in the Hargray/ComSouth order because some of Hargray's subsidiaries receive cost-based USF and alternative Connect America cost model I support (see 1805110048).
Frontier emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a 6.3% decline in Q1 revenue from the year-ago quarter to $1.68 billion, the company announced Friday (see 2104230055). Frontier extended its fiber network to 100,000 locations in Q1 as part of its goal to reach 495,000 by year-end. Video subscribers declined 141,000, excluding Dish Network. Frontier expects to give investors more details about fiber expansion in August. The carrier expects to begin trading Tuesday on Nasdaq as FYBR. Incoming Executive Chairman John Stratton said that “we have a ton of opportunity right ahead." Fitch Ratings said the telco may get "the opportunity to increase investments in key strategic areas." New management (see 2104200087) "came across as confident and optimistic," said analyst Nick Del Deo of MoffettNathanson. Management "gets the sense of urgency," said New Street's Jonathan Chaplin.