NTIA approved more than $9.5 million in additional Digital Equity Act funding for Maine and Washington, D.C., the agency said Friday (see 2412050031). Maine received in excess of $5.7 million and D.C. more than $3.8 million to implement their digital equity plans.
California Public Utilities Commission members Thursday supported regulating interconnected VoIP. Commissioners at the livestreamed meeting backed the controversial order as part of a unanimous vote on a consent agenda. Also at the meeting, the CPUC waived penalties for Verizon related to migrating Tracfone customers and approved nearly $160 million in last-mile broadband grants from the agency’s federal funding account and $50 million from the broadband loan loss reserve program.
With Congress back for a three-week sprint before Election Day, Competitive Carriers Association CEO Tim Donovan remains convinced lawmakers will fully fund a program that removes unsecure gear from U.S. networks. In an interview, Donovan also said he expects at least some groups will seek reconsideration of the FCC’s recent order creating a 5G Fund.
Cash-strapped California has many challenges ahead as it seeks to connect everyone to broadband, said state, local and industry officials Wednesday at the livestreamed California Broadband Summit. Assembly Communications Committee Chair Tasha Boerner (D) said she has several concerns with state broadband policy, including that the California Public Utilities Commission is taking too long to distribute last-mile grants.
House Innovation Subcommittee members appeared overwhelmingly supportive of a revised draft version of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act during a Tuesday hearing, though some expressed reservations about imposing a mandate on automakers. The revised draft and earlier version HR-3413/S-1669 would require DOT to mandate AM radio's inclusion in future electric vehicles. S-1669 lead sponsors earlier that day announced a filibuster-proof Senate majority formally back the measure.
It isn’t possible to eliminate the interference to electric vehicles from AM radio, said Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella in a blog post Monday. The techniques for shielding EVs from AM interference add weight to the cars, reduce their range and increase costs to consumers, said the blog post. According to an October Center for Automotive Research report, reducing interference would cost $3.8 billion over the next seven years. Mandating AM in vehicles is not required for public safety, not popular with consumers “and now we know: not cheap," said the post. "It is noteworthy that the impartial Congressional Budget Office estimates the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act would necessitate automakers spend a fraction of their estimate to ensure access to local AM radio stations in electric vehicles," emailed an NAB spokesperson. "We hope automakers follow Ford’s lead in reversing their decision to remove AM radio capability from their vehicles to ensure the 82 million Americans who listen to AM radio have access to this local, free service.”
Frontier will relocate its headquarters to Dallas, the company announced Wednesday. The company projected the move will "boost the local and state economy by $3.8 billion" and it will spend about $1 million weekly to "upgrade and improve its fiber-optic network in the Dallas metropolitan area." The move "makes good business sense given the city is already home to hundreds of our corporate employees and sits in the middle of one of our most important fiber markets," said CEO Nick Jeffery. Frontier noted it will still "maintain a strong presence" in Connecticut following its relocation.
Washington awarded $14.5 million in digital navigator grants, the state broadband office said Monday. Digital navigator “programs open equal opportunities for people to thrive, especially community members who may be struggling to reach their full potential,” said Washington Commerce Department Director Mike Fong. The state granted about $10.2 million to the Equity in Education Coalition, about $3.8 million to Community Health Network of Washington and nearly $431,000 to the Nisqually Indian Tribe. Commerce received 26 applications requesting more than $115 million, it said.
The FCC proposed fines of $8.8 million against 22 applicants in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction for apparently violating agency requirements by defaulting on their bids last year between May 3 and Dec. 16. Two applicants also failed to submit audited financial paperwork, resulting in additional fines. “The FCC provided clear guidance in its rules and notices on the monetary forfeitures associated with defaults in Auction 904,” the FCC said Monday: “The bid defaults prevented 2,994 census block groups in 31 states and an estimated 293,128 locations from receiving new investments in broadband infrastructure.” Leading the list, California Internet, a CLEC, faces a fine of more $3 million and Connect Everyone, a wholly owned subsidiary of Starry, a fine of more than $3.8 million. Some proposed fines were less than $10,000. “Not following the rules has consequences,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: “For those who failed to meet their obligations, today’s action shows the Commission takes seriously its commitment to hold applicants accountable and ensure the integrity of our universal service funding.”
AT&T continues to grow its subscriber base, adding a net 708,000 postpaid phone customers in Q3, the company reported Thursday. AT&T was the first of the big three wireless carriers to report. The company also said its 5G mid-band spectrum now covers 100 million POPs, with 130 million expected year-end. AT&T’s stock price rose 7.72% Thursday to close at $16.74, the company's best day on Wall Street in two years.