The National Lifeline Association asked the FCC Wireline Bureau to clarify that its and the Enforcement Bureau's authority to "suspend a participating provider's [affordable connectivity program] enrollments and hold participating provider funding based on the 'adequate evidence' standard is limited," said a petition for reconsideration and clarification posted Thursday in docket 21-450. The authority "should be a last resort to be invoked," NaLa said, asking that "minor infractions or improper payments" don't result in such a penalty. NaLa also sought reconsideration of the requirement that participating providers offering a connected device "provide price information for at least one of the analogous devices from a major retailer." It asked that providers be allowed to provide two retail prices from any retailer to substantiate their claim for market value.
The FCC Wireline Bureau extended comments until April 27, replies until May 27, on an NPRM seeking comment on a centralized bidding portal for E-rate, said an order Wednesday in docket 21-455. A coalition of groups sought the additional time, citing the original comment cycle's overlap with the current E-rate application filing window (see 2203070043).
Open a third FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund application filing window, urged the Information Technology Industry Council, Competitive Carriers Association, Incompas, USTelecom and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a letter to commissioners posted Wednesday in docket 21-93. The groups backed a similar request by the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (see 2201310071). They also backed "extending the limited waiver of the gift rule" until June 30, 2023, to coincide with the program's service delivery date.
ZP Better Together asked the FCC to extend its waiver of commission rules for video relay services requiring that communications assistants working from home have at least three years of professional interpreting experience, in a letter posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. There's "little justification" for this requirement because "the past two years have demonstrated that CAs working from home have been successful" in interpreting calls, ZP said. It noted a failure to extend the current waiver, which expires on March 31, "will upset the already challenging CA and interpreter labor market" and "harm consumers who are dependent on VRS for their communication needs."
Telecom carriers should "regularly evaluate and revise their tariffs" to ensure compliance with FCC rules and orders, said a Wireline Bureau public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. Tariff provisions deemed lawful "are subject to reevaluation and may be found to be unlawful on a prospective basis," the bureau said.
The FCC Wireline Bureau set a $4.46 billion E-rate cap for funding year 2022 and a $637.7 million cap for the rural healthcare program, said a public notice Monday in docket 02-6 (see 2103220041). The caps are a 4.2% inflation-adjusted increase from the prior year.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by April 14, replies April 29, on Rogervoice's application for certification to provide automatic speech recognition-based IP captioned telephone service supported by the Telecom Relay Service Fund, said a public notice Monday in docket 03-123. The bureau also wants comments on Rogervoice's request to waive commission rules requiring that such customers self-certify in writing that they understand live communications assistants listen to the other party on the call and provide text.
FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program Round 2 recipients have until July 31 to buy eligible devices and implement eligible services, said a public notice Friday in docket 20-89. The deadline "ensures that program funds are used in a timely fashion" and allows for an invoicing deadline, the bureau said (see 2201310054).
The FCC Wireline Bureau warned providers participating in the affordable connectivity program against engaging in “improper enrollment tactics” identified by the Office of Inspector General in its March advisory on ACP and Lifeline-eligible consumers, said a public notice Friday in docket 21-450. Providers "must immediately stop using deceptive language, bring their application processes into compliance, and give consumers a choice as to which program benefit or benefits they wish to apply to their broadband service," the notice said. The bureau will refer any potential violations to the Enforcement Bureau and directed the Universal Service Administrative Co. to "conduct program integrity reviews" of enrollment and onboarding practices of Lifeline providers participating in ACP.
The FCC is ready to authorize more than $640 million in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I support for bids in 26 states, it said Thursday. Letters of credit and bankruptcy code opinion letters are due March 24, said a public notice in docket 19-126. “As we approve this funding, we remain committed to making sure that this program serves areas that truly need broadband and funds carriers that can do the job, and our new Rural Broadband Accountability Plan will ensure just that," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2201280048). Aristotle United Communications, Centranet, Frontier, Luminate Fiber, United Services, and Windstream were among those ready to be authorized. The FCC also listed Bright House Networks Information Services, Charter, Gtek Computers & Wireless and Time Warner with bids in default.