Eighteen wireless carriers and stakeholders are urging Congress to fully fund the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program amid ongoing concerns about the FCC’s final estimate that lawmakers will need to appropriate an additional $3.08 billion to pay the costs of replacing the unsecure equipment (see 2207150067). Industry experts told us the outlook on whether Congress will act on the Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) or other proposals to provide additional funding is unclear, but the risk for industry and negative implications for closing the digital divide are real.
AT&T said the California Public Utilities Commission should adopt a proposed decision (PD) allowing it to discontinue residential landline service in Frontier Communications territory. The PD correctly says AT&T fully complied with CPUC mass migration guidelines and additional requirements set in the proceeding, the carrier commented Wednesday in docket A.21-05-007. "AT&T appreciates" the CPUC's "commitment to ensure that customers do not lose essential local voice service when their local service provider exits the market,” and that the PD clarifies that all comments from the public responded to erroneous concerns. The Utility Reform Network generally supports the PD but wants the CPUC to clarify that relinquishing eligible telecommunications carrier status doesn't excuse AT&T from reimbursing California LifeLine and federal Lifeline for overcollection since May 2021, said TURN. California commissioners may vote Aug. 4 (see 2207010061).
SAN DIEGO -- State utility regulators passed a resolution meant to increase affordable connectivity program (ACP) enrollment. The NARUC board adopted the resolution Wednesday after it cleared the Telecom Committee in a unanimous vote Tuesday at the association’s summer meeting. Intensifying economic factors make programs like ACP critical, said committee Chairman Tremaine Phillips in an interview.
Commenters raised concerns on a proposal by the University of Utah for an FCC waiver of citizens broadband radio service rules for its POWDER (Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven Experimental Research) platform, used for wireless research. Comments were due Monday in docket 22-257. The university asked for a waiver to use software-defined radio equipment to interact with the spectrum access system operator “within the POWDER Platform Innovation Zone” and for other exceptions to rules for the band. The university said it uses the platform as a “living laboratory that allows research in a real-world, spectrum realistic environment.”
Congress’ clash on spectrum legislation is expected to escalate just before lawmakers leave for the long August recess with a continued lack of bicameral consensus. House Commerce Committee leaders are eyeing potential floor consideration the week of July 25 of the Spectrum Innovation Act legislative package (HR-7624) the panel advanced Wednesday (see 2207130066). Senate Commerce Committee leaders haven’t signed on in support of HR-7624’s approach and are likely to hold a hearing the week of Aug. 1 on renewing the FCC’s spectrum auction authority and other matters the measure addresses. HR-7624 authorizes an FCC auction of up to 200 MHz on the 3.1-3.45 GHz band.
The FCC Wireless Bureau will host a workshop Sept. 13 on the environmental compliance and historic preservation review process for the construction of communications facilities supporting FCC licensed services, the agency said Wednesday. The workshop will be in-person in the Commission Meeting Room at FCC headquarters, starting at 10 a.m. It will also be streamed on the agency’s YouTube channel. “FCC and other federal agency subject-matter experts will provide information on a range of topics related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and the FCC’s implementing regulations and related agreements,” the bureau said.
Every state and territory applied for NTIA’s digital equity planning grant program, the agency announced Wednesday (see 2206160072). NTIA received letters of intent from "hundreds of tribal nations" to participate in the digital equity program. All states and territories also submitted a letter of intent for the $42.45 billion broadband, equity, access and deployment program by the July 18 deadline, NTIA said. Iowa and Florida were the last two states to sign on, per a tweet from NTIA Tuesday.
Phone and cable companies sought to stop California from adopting affordability metrics for the communications sector. The California Public Utilities Commission plans to vote Thursday on a June 10 proposed decision to apply an affordability framework across its regulated industries. In Friday reply comments in docket R.18-07-006, consumer advocates urged the CPUC to reject the communications industry’s due process and other concerns.
Keep things simple when weighing possible changes to the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) broadband infrastructure account, Frontier Communications cautioned the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC received replies Tuesday to last week’s comments in docket R.20-08-021 (see 2206280032). Historically CASF has been underutilized, said Frontier. “The more contingencies and complexities are attached to grant applications, the less accessible the funding will be.” The California Cable and Telecommunications Association urged the CPUC not to be swayed by consumer advocates asking to shift focus from unserved communities to “separate issues like affordability and adoption.” While important, addressing those subjects here would exceed the scope of the infrastructure account, CCTA said. The CPUC’s independent Public Advocates Office urged the commission to reject Verizon claims that providing an incentive for offering a low-income broadband plan would be rate regulation. “Participation in CASF is optional,” PAO replied. Also, the CPUC should keep a proposed $15 monthly low-income broadband plan requirement and reject Verizon’s recommendation to allow a CASF grantee to get additional funding if its subsidiary provides state or federal Lifeline services.
Alaska’s attorney general disagreed with CTIA seeking no major changes to Alaska USF. The AG’s Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy Section (RAPA) supported -- while CTIA opposed -- switching to a connections-based contribution method, in comments last month at the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (see 2206140074). CTIA’s suggestion that the RCA sunset AUSF rather than repurpose it for broadband “is counter to the long-standing federal and state communications policy goals of universal service,” RAPA replied Tuesday in docket R-21-001. RCA hasn’t found “that preservation of universal service is no longer accomplished through the AUSF” or that the fund “no longer promotes the efficiency, availability, and affordability of universal telephone service in Alaska,” it said. CTIA sees “broad opposition” to repurposing AUSF for broadband, said the wireless association. Incoming federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is “extremely relevant” to RCA’s consideration and “weighs strongly against taking action at this time.” GCI supports continuing a limited state fund, it said. “AUSF support for broadband is illegal under Alaska law and not supported by good policy,” as would be including broadband in the contribution base, said the carrier: GCI would be OK with shifting to a connections-based method or keeping the current revenue-based surcharge. Alaska Communications supported “many aspects of RAPA’s proposal, in that it would refocus support to areas with the greatest need.” The company doesn’t agree “the RCA should require AUSF recipients serving both high and low density areas to meet generalized service metrics to show they have used support for the purposes intended,” it said. Adopting RAPA’s plan to assess broadband connections “would be inviting possible future invalidation of part or all of the AUSF program either through a direct legal challenge to the Commission’s regulations or indirectly through other state or federal litigation,” warned the Matanuska Telecom Association. The Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition urged the RCA to adopt connections-based contribution and focus subsidies on remote areas not connected by roads.