Incompas General Counsel Angie Kronenberg asked members Monday to share their perspectives on proposals for the FCC on how it should address the USF contribution factor to make the program more sustainable. She spoke at the end of a policy talk at the annual Incompas show in Louisville. She said Incompas, NTCA, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and other USF stakeholders have begun discussions toward an agreement on suggestions to overhaul the USF contribution system that they will take to the FCC. Last month, state members of a federal-state joint task force on universal service sent their own proposal to the FCC, which included an assessment of residential broadband (see 1910150045). During the policy panel, Inteserra Consulting Vice President Carey Roesel predicted the USF contribution factor, already at a record high this quarter of 25 percent, could reach 40 percent within three years if the FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Co. don't make changes.

Incompas General Counsel Angie Kronenberg asked members Monday to share their perspectives on proposals for the FCC on how it should address the USF contribution factor to make the program more sustainable. She spoke at the end of a policy talk at the annual Incompas show in Louisville. She said Incompas, NTCA, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and other USF stakeholders have begun discussions toward an agreement on suggestions to overhaul the USF contribution system that they will take to the FCC. Last month, state members of a federal-state joint task force on universal service sent their own proposal to the FCC, which included an assessment of residential broadband (see 1910150045). During the policy panel, Inteserra Consulting Vice President Carey Roesel predicted the USF contribution factor, already at a record high this quarter of 25 percent, could reach 40 percent within three years if the FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Co. don't make changes.

The FCC released drafts of rules to modernize unbundling and resale requirements for LECs. Commissioners tentatively will vote at their Nov. 19 meeting. The agency proposes removing requirements for ILECs to unbundle network elements including DS1 and DS3 loops that made them available for resale to competitive LECs, in counties and study areas deemed competitive. It would exempt from the new rules DS1 loops used to provide residential broadband and voice in rural areas, says an NPRM for docket 19-308. The proposal would eliminate unbundling and resale requirements for DS0 loops in urban census blocks, narrowband voice-grade loops, and dark fiber transport in wire centers within a half-mile of alternative fiber. A three-year transition is proposed for existing customers. It asks for comments on whether to add a six-month transition to allow new orders. Incompas said protecting facilities-based broadband competitors is essential to the 5G future. "Smaller local broadband builders beat back AT&T’s forbearance petition and will fight the telecom giants’ ongoing efforts to raise prices and prevent new competitive deployment," CEO Chip Pickering emailed Tuesday. “The FCC has had an all-of-the-above approach to broadband deployment, which includes fixing the maps, USF reform and the removal of local monopoly barricades. But knocking out the bridge to broadband makes it harder to achieve these goals, as smaller local builders will be cut off from new customers." The commission says it "adjusted its unbundling and resale obligations to reflect the realities of the evolving communications marketplace and to encourage incumbent and competitive LECs alike to invest in next-generation facilities." The agency proposes to maintain existing unbundling of mass market broadband-capable loops in rural areas, acknowledging "there remains a digital divide between urban areas, which boast increasing numbers of intermodal broadband providers, and rural areas." UNE DS1 loops would remain available for residential broadband and voice service in rural census blocks, and the agency asked for confirmation that DS3 loops aren't generally used for residential consumers. The agency would seek comment on its view that "cable providers will build out to the remaining urban census blocks in the near future" and CLECs will upgrade urban networks.

FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly renewed calls to prohibit E-rate funds to schools and libraries that receive broadband service from one provider when another has already received USF dollars at the same location. "It's awful enough when the government subsidizes network builds in areas where the private sector can or does provide service, but it's a separate layer of hell when E-rate money goes to an area already being subsidized by the FCC," O'Rielly told an FCBA USF seminar. O'Rielly has corresponded with school superintendents and consortium leaders in Texas and Arizona about their plans to build self-provisioned wide-area networks that would overbuild a local incumbent's fiber facilities. "I have never been presented with credible evidence that E-Rate funded overbuilding has been anything other than wasteful for the USF," he said, citing "copious evidence of bidding matrices designed to favor a particular outcome and schools buying far more bandwidth than they use or need."

FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly renewed calls to prohibit E-rate funds to schools and libraries that receive broadband service from one provider when another has already received USF dollars at the same location. "It's awful enough when the government subsidizes network builds in areas where the private sector can or does provide service, but it's a separate layer of hell when E-rate money goes to an area already being subsidized by the FCC," O'Rielly told an FCBA USF seminar. O'Rielly has corresponded with school superintendents and consortium leaders in Texas and Arizona about their plans to build self-provisioned wide-area networks that would overbuild a local incumbent's fiber facilities. "I have never been presented with credible evidence that E-Rate funded overbuilding has been anything other than wasteful for the USF," he said, citing "copious evidence of bidding matrices designed to favor a particular outcome and schools buying far more bandwidth than they use or need."

Most residential multi-tenant environments have more than one broadband provider, so the FCC should reject "baseless calls by some commenters for further regulation," NCTA replied as such filings posted through Tuesday on docket 17-142. Rules here should apply equally to all providers that service MTEs and in all parts of the MTE on a competitively and technologically neutral basis, NCTA added. "At most require that exclusive marketing agreements include a disclaimer that the agreement is not an exclusive access agreement," Verizon said. T-Mobile said the FCC should prohibit wireless carriers from signing restrictive arrangements with MTEs, and such protections should be extended anywhere "large numbers of wireless customers congregate," such as stadiums. Incompas called exclusive commercial arrangements "a pervasive problem that the commission must address."

Most residential multi-tenant environments have more than one broadband provider, so the FCC should reject "baseless calls by some commenters for further regulation," NCTA replied as such filings posted through Tuesday on docket 17-142. Rules here should apply equally to all providers that service MTEs and in all parts of the MTE on a competitively and technologically neutral basis, NCTA added. "At most require that exclusive marketing agreements include a disclaimer that the agreement is not an exclusive access agreement," Verizon said. T-Mobile said the FCC should prohibit wireless carriers from signing restrictive arrangements with MTEs, and such protections should be extended anywhere "large numbers of wireless customers congregate," such as stadiums. Incompas called exclusive commercial arrangements "a pervasive problem that the commission must address."

Rural broadband providers want the FCC to update or clarify eligibility requirements for applicants in its upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auctions to award up to $20 billion in USF dollars to companies that can deliver high-speed broadband to unserved and underserved parts of rural America (see 1908010060). In comments posted through Monday on docket 19-126, industry groups differed on whether and how to expand the pool of applicants that could receive the federal funding to deliver high-speed internet service to remote communities.

Rural broadband providers want the FCC to update or clarify eligibility requirements for applicants in its upcoming Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) auctions to award up to $20 billion in USF dollars to companies that can deliver high-speed broadband to unserved and underserved parts of rural America (see 1908010060). In comments posted through Monday on docket 19-126, industry groups differed on whether and how to expand the pool of applicants that could receive the federal funding to deliver high-speed internet service to remote communities.

Industry and others should take many steps to ensure phone customers are aware of call blocking options, an FCC advisory panel recommended. At Monday's Consumer Advisory Committee meeting, CAC members unanimously approved the recommendations to the commission (see 1909160019). Text was released Wednesday in docket 17-59. People should get "blocked call information where consumers customarily view information about the call-blocking and labeling service," such as in wireless and wireline customers' online account information, the proposal said. "Consumers should have options to manage robocall blocking preferences, such as through a customer portal, in-store, by phone, or other choices." Customer service personnel should be trained to help, the committee said. "Providers should maintain a webpage that includes information about opt-out blocking and labeling tools, clearly explaining to consumers the robocall-related services provided, which calls are blocked, and how to opt in and out. The service should be provided at no additional line-item charge." Don't forget traditional wireline service, CAC suggested. "Explore potential means to protect legacy copper line customers from illegal robocalls," it asked of telcos. "The FCC should continue to directly collaborate with consumer advocacy groups and industry to educate consumers on the options for and risks of various methods of combatting robocalls." Stakeholders should together consider "public service ad campaigns, possibly including a celebrity spokesperson, to educate and alert consumers to the efforts of government and industry to tackle the robocall epidemic, and to educate and alert consumers to the robocall-blocking options," the group said. The agency seeks default call blocking services to be free, an agency spokesperson confirmed. FCC representatives wouldn't say whether CAC wants the same. “NCTA voted in favor of the recommendation" by CAC, emailed a spokesperson for the association. "We appreciate all the hard work of the ... committee in developing it.” The Competitive Carriers Association, amid its conference in Providence, Rhode Island (see 1909180061), declined to comment. America's Communications Association backed the declaratory ruling allowing "robocall blocking, including popular third-party robocall blocking tools, on an opt-out basis," an ACA spokesperson emailed. It hopes "CAC’s recommendations will provide helpful guidance to voice providers in deploying opt-out call blocking that protects their customers from the torrent of unwanted and illegal robocalls.” Incompas declined to comment, while USTelecom said it didn't have a comment right away.