The FCC committed nearly $54 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Wednesday. The new funding will support about 100 schools, 10 libraries and two consortiums from all three application windows, said a news release.
The FCC Wireline Bureau denied Primary Healthcare Centers' request for review of eight funding requests denied by the Universal Service Administrative Co. for FY 2016. In an order Monday in docket 02-60, the bureau agreed with USAC's decision that PHC "failed to comply" with the rural healthcare telecom program rules because "the rates for the funding requests were not calculated consistent with commission rules." The bureau also denied PHC's request for a waiver of telecom program rules that prevented it from receiving support.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel visited Isleta and Laguna pueblos in New Mexico Tuesday to discuss tribal library broadband connectivity with tribal leaders and library representatives. The visit "aims to amplify agency efforts to ensure tribal library institutions have equitable access to E-rate," said a news release. The FCC's changes to ensure tribal libraries' access to the program and tribal libraries pilot program "will provide one-on-one help to Tribal libraries throughout the sign-up and benefit process and help make participating in E-rate easier," Rosenworcel said (see 2210200046).
The Universal Service Administrative Co. projected USF Q1 revenue will be $8.75 billion, said a filing Friday in docket 06-122. That's about "$125.7 million more than the previous quarter," emailed analyst Billy Jack Gregg, noting the quarterly contribution factor will rise from 28.9% to 32.6% (see 2211030028).
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will host a series of virtual office hours to answer questions about the affordable connectivity program's outreach grants and application process, said a public notice Wednesday in docket 21-450. Office hours will be from 12-1 p.m. EST Dec. 1, Dec. 16, and Jan. 4.
Duke Energy asked the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to review an FCC November order denying its petition for reconsideration on a pole attachment rate dispute with AT&T. Parts of the order "exceed or are inconsistent with the FCC’s jurisdiction and statutory authority" and are "an abuse of discretion," the company said in a petition posted Monday in docket 22-2220 (see 2211170051). It also argued the order violated the Administrative Procedures Act. Duke asked the court to vacate parts of the order "to be designated in the time, form, and manner required by the court." The petition stems from a September 2021 Enforcement Bureau order partly granting AT&T's complaint that it was charged "unjust and unreasonable" pole attachment rates by Duke (see 2109210075). AT&T declined to comment. The FCC didn't comment.
The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition raised concerns with the FCC Broadband Data Task Force about the "accuracy of the FCC broadband data maps." The group said it's concerned that community anchor institutions (CAI) are "automatically flagged" as non-broadband serviceable locations in the broadband serviceable location fabric, per an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-195 (see 2211230063). "The assumption that all CAIs generally purchase non-mass-market services is factually incorrect," SHLB said, adding it was concerned "such locations may not be adequately considered for future broadband funding allocations." The group asked that the next iteration of the fabric identify CAIs as broadband serviceable locations "by default" with the ability to flag locations subscribing to enterprise services as non-serviceable locations.
Incompas asked the FCC to implement "a series of targeted reforms" to its pole attachment rules. The commission should establish a "presumption that pole owners receive a direct benefit when a pole replacement is required to accommodate a new attachment," the group said in separate meetings with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Nathan Simington and Geoffrey Starks, per an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 17-84. Incompas also backed Crown Castle's proposed "alternative cost allocation methodology," which would account for the "direct benefit that pole owners receive from a pole replacement," and additional transparency requirements for pole replacement negotiations (see 2208290047).
The FCC modified its cost recovery rules for video relay service and IP relay service, said a notice in Friday's Federal Register. The commission expanded the Telecom Relay Service Fund's contribution base to include intrastate and interstate end-user revenues. The rules take effect Dec. 27 and compliance will be required as of July 1.
The FCC released an order requiring all affordable connectivity program providers to submit annual data on price, plan coverage, and characteristics of their service to ACP-enrolled households Wednesday. The order, adopted Nov. 15, declined to adopt a subscriber-level data collection, citing privacy concerns and administrative burdens, and instead established an aggregate collection system. Providers will be required to submit the same pricing information as required by the broadband consumer labels and whether there are recurring or one-time equipment fees. Providers are also required to submit the number of households receiving the benefit at a zip code level. The FCC will release non-provider-specific data, aggregated at the state level, on "the average or median prices of plans in which ACP subscribers are enrolled within designated download speed tiers and data on the number of subscribers of plans within those tiers," the order said. An accompanying NPRM will seek comment on revising the data collection rules and whether the FCC should seek more granulated data on enrollment and the digital divide. The FCC "need[s] to know where we have been with this program to better understand where we need to go," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: "We are also considering proposals in a further rulemaking to see what other data points may help paint a fuller picture of how eligible households participate in this program." The data "will greatly inform our policymaking going forward," said Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, saying he hopes outreach grant recipients "look to the data we collect here to help them better serve their communities."