The Regulatory Commission of Alaska approved a telecom industry pact on intrastate access charges Friday. The Alaska Exchange Carrier Association, AT&T and GCI filed a petition in January asking the RCA to accept their stipulation on rates for July 1 through June 30, and then July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025 (see 2301100049). The parties agreed all the rates except originating non-toll-free local switching and information surcharge rate elements will remain the same as 2022 stipulated rates, said the RCA order in docket U-23-001. “We find that the public interest does not require continuation of this proceeding."
Maryland's Montgomery County alerted residents about 911 problems Friday. “Montgomery County Emergency Communications (911) is experiencing a Verizon wireless issue,” said a wireless alert from the county at around 9:30 a.m. “In case of an emergency, callers are asked to call their district stations. Verizon is aware and attempting to fix the problem.” A Verizon spokesperson said Friday morning that 911 calls were “going through for customers throughout the greater [District of Columbia] area and surrounding counties,” but there was “a remaining issue where caller ID and location information is not automatically transmitting to dispatchers in Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's Counties.” Verizon “engineers are working tirelessly to get the issue resolved but customers can continue to use 911 in case of emergency,” the spokesperson said.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska can’t guarantee it will quickly decide on an AT&T application to discontinue intrastate interexchange long-distance service in 15 communities, the commission said in a Thursday order. AT&T requested expedited consideration with a final decision by Aug. 1 so Alaska’s decision “coincides with the approximate decision date of its” similar request at the FCC, the commission said. The agency said it will try to meet that date but could commit only to an order by Dec. 4, “unless the time is extended.”
Minnesota is experiencing a surge of inadvertent 911 calls due to an update to Google’s Android mobile operating system, Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) said Thursday. The AG sent mail to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai about the problem, which permits Android’s emergency SOS feature to call 911 after five consecutive taps to the power button and gives the user a few seconds to cancel. The surge in calls is overwhelming 911 call centers and local law enforcement, said Ellison, urging Google to quickly resolve the problem. Minneapolis is receiving thousands more inadvertent calls each month, the AG said. “This problem has caused a tremendous drain on resources and the problem is only compounded by the increase in emergency calls during the summer months,” he said: “This is unacceptable.” Public reports say Google knows about the issue and is working on a fix, but the company hasn’t provided enough details, “including what the software fix entails, when it will be released or completed, and whether it will be tested with 911 centers before implementation,” said Ellison. Google didn’t comment Thursday.
AT&T won’t yet be relieved of an obligation to file automated reporting management information system (ARMIS) financial reports with the California Public Utilities Commission, the CPUC decided at a virtual meeting Thursday. The commission voted unanimously for a consent agenda that includes a draft decision denying AT&T’s 2021 petition for modification of a 2009 order about regulating large and mid-sized telecom companies (docket R.05-04-005). The CPUC will consider the issue instead as part of its service-quality rulemaking (docket R.22-03-016), said the draft. AT&T argues the ARMIS reports no longer serve a useful purpose and are too time-consuming to produce. Its petition got opposition from consumer groups and support from small carriers. Also at the meeting, California commissioners supported a draft resolution T-17793 to approve $5.1 million in local agency technical assistance applications for nine non-tribal local agency applications. The approval will exhaust $45 million available for such entities. Commissioners approved another proposed resolution T-17786 to approve $162,655 in support from the California Advanced Services Fund adoption account to two projects. “We have to build broadband infrastructure and make sure everyone is able to use it,” said Commissioner Darcie Houck. “These grants are one step in accomplishing these goals in a manner that will maximize the impact of our investment.”
A Delaware 988 funding bill will go to Gov. John Carney (D) for his signature. State senators voted 18-1 Wednesday for HB-160 after the House passed it 28-11 last week. To support the suicide and crisis lifeline, the bill would create a 60-cent monthly fee per phone line, or a one-time 60-cent fee for prepaid services, and cover wireline, VoIP and wireless technologies, said a June 19 fiscal note: It would exempt state and quasi-state government agencies, school districts and charter schools from paying the surcharge.
The North Carolina House voted 112-1 to pass a broadband bill Wednesday that would modify federal funding rules. The Senate received the bill Thursday and referred it to the Rules Committee. HB-197 would require the support to be used to expand broadband to unserved and underserved households, businesses, state facilities and anchor institutions. Existing law mentions only households. The bill would tweak how much of the initial funds from NTIA’s broadband, equity, accessibility and deployment program may be used for various purposes.
Texas showed appreciation for the federal government allocating it the most money of any state through NTIA’s broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. Texas is receiving by far the largest BEAD award, with more than $3.3 billion announced Monday (see 2306260007). “Historically, Texas has typically been a donor state, meaning our tax dollars would go to Washington and then get sent out to fund projects in other states,” Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) said Thursday. “It’s good to see our hard-earned tax dollars coming back to Texas, and you can be certain that each of those dollars will be spent wisely.” The comptroller is “encouraged that NTIA recognizes the challenges we face in Texas,” Hegar said. “And I hope as NTIA evaluates our proposal in the coming months, that it gives Texas the freedom and latitude to bridge the digital divide without needless restrictions.” BEAD funding may be "a rare opportunity for bipartisanship and cooperation as a Democratic administration works to implement a program targeted largely at areas that voted the other way," Cloudflare Director-Network Strategy Mike Conlow blogged Wednesday. About two-thirds of unserved and underserved households eligible for funding are likely Republican, he said.
National wireless groups wrote leaders of the Ohio Senate and House raising concerns about a bill limiting wireless eligibility for broadband grants (see 2306150064). “Our hardest work is yet to come as we tackle the hardest-to-reach locations that remain unserved,” said a letter to the lawmakers: “Achieving universal connectivity, now more than ever, will require an ‘all of the above’ solution that matches the right broadband technology with the project. Fortunately, there is more than one technology that can meet consumer needs and expectations for their broadband service, with fixed wireless service providing its own benefits of cost and invaluable time to delivery.” The letter was signed by the Wireless Infrastructure Association, the Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, NATE, the Rural Wireless Association and the Wireless ISP Association.
The Oregon Senate passed broadband and data broker bills. The state Senate voted 23-1 Thursday for HB-3201, which would require the Oregon Business Development Department to provide loans and grants for access, affordability and adoption. The House passed the bill March 30, but the Senate amended it May 19, so the House would have to vote again to concur. The state Senate also voted 23-1 for HB-2052 to regulate data brokers. Senators didn't amend the bill, so it goes next to Gov. Tina Kotek (D). Also Thursday, the legislature passed a comprehensive privacy bill (see 2306220059).