FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he plans to circulate soon a rural high-cost USF item, which he said would explore an appropriate budget and other ways to increase program certainty. The aim is to spur broadband deployment without inviting inefficient investment or operations, he said. Pai has been making increasing noises about updating rate-of-return USF funding rules (see 1711030065 and 1712210041), but his comments in a recent letter were his most explicit yet on expected action. He responded Dec. 19 to an Oct. 30 letter from Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, who asked the FCC to address a funding "shortfall" impeding the broadband efforts of smaller rural carriers. Both letters were posted Wednesday in docket 17-18.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he plans to circulate soon a rural high-cost USF item, which he said would explore an appropriate budget and other ways to increase program certainty. The aim is to spur broadband deployment without inviting inefficient investment or operations, he said. Pai has been making increasing noises about updating rate-of-return USF funding rules (see 1711030065 and 1712210041), but his comments in a recent letter were his most explicit yet on expected action. He responded Dec. 19 to an Oct. 30 letter from Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, who asked the FCC to address a funding "shortfall" impeding the broadband efforts of smaller rural carriers. Both letters were posted Wednesday in docket 17-18.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission must do all it can to close the rural broadband gap, a member said Thursday at a livestreamed information meeting on the state’s USF high-cost support mechanism. State broadband officials said limited funding makes it tough to spread broadband. Supporting municipal broadband efforts and phasing out high-cost support for traditional phone service could be ways forward, consumer advocates said. PUC staff pointed to continued decline in USF contributions due to changing technology.
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission must do all it can to close the rural broadband gap, a member said Thursday at a livestreamed information meeting on the state’s USF high-cost support mechanism. State broadband officials said limited funding makes it tough to spread broadband. Supporting municipal broadband efforts and phasing out high-cost support for traditional phone service could be ways forward, consumer advocates said. PUC staff pointed to continued decline in USF contributions due to changing technology.
The National Hispanic Media Coalition and other public interest groups urged the FCC to do more to address the communications meltdown in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (see 1710040046). Chairman Ajit Pai, meanwhile, said he appointed a staff task force on hurricane recovery. Addressed to Pai, the letter also was signed by the Center for Media Justice, the Color of Change, Free Press and Public Knowledge.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai acted on Puerto Rico in light of the near meltdown in communications because of Hurricane Maria, but some say there’s more the agency can do. Commissioners took about a day to approve an order (see 1710030057) making up to $76.9 million immediately available for the restoration of communications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The FCC’s actions are intended to enable carriers to restore essential communications services as quickly as possible,” said a news release.
SAN DIEGO -- As states seek broadband-for-USF and funding tweaks, an FCC member was said to visit the city where state regulators are meeting, NARUC attendees told us. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly was expected to have been in San Diego on Tuesday for closed-door meetings of the federal-state joint boards on Universal Service and Jurisdictional Separations. His office didn't comment. Also at the meeting, states and electric utilities joined local governments protesting balance on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC).
SAN DIEGO -- As states seek broadband-for-USF and funding tweaks, an FCC member was said to visit the city where state regulators are meeting, NARUC attendees told us. Commissioner Mike O’Rielly was expected to have been in San Diego on Tuesday for closed-door meetings of the federal-state joint boards on Universal Service and Jurisdictional Separations. His office didn't comment. Also at the meeting, states and electric utilities joined local governments protesting balance on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC).
The latest iteration of net neutrality rules formally kicked off with a 3-2 party-line vote by FCC members in front of a standing-room-only crowd on Feb. 26, 2015. After many twists and turns in a lengthy process with millions of comments submitted, that included a significant course correction by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, the final order was released in March 2015. It reclassified broadband as a Title II telecom service subject to some common-carrier regulation under the Communications Act.
Rural telco groups said the FCC should be careful in changing rate-of-return rules for carrier cost recovery and related practices. Regulatory changes should apply prospectively only and should be targeted to provide increased clarity about allowable expenditures where helpful, said various RLEC groups in comments Thursday in docket 10-90, responding to a recent Further NPRM included in an item that overhauled rate-of-return USF mechanisms (see 1603300065 and 1603310039). Some voiced concern the FCC could make sweeping changes to throw out rules -- which they said had worked reasonably well -- based on "anecdotal" accounts of isolated problems.