FCC Circulates Pole Attachment, USF Auction Drafts; ICS Still Possible in October
FCC draft orders on pole attachments and USF reverse auctions are circulating, agency officials said Thursday and Friday. A draft order to resolve a challenge to some CenturyLink USF support also is circulating, they said. Meanwhile, a possible draft order on inmate calling service (ICS) rates is still under consideration for the October FCC meeting, said another commission official.
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The pole attachment draft would address a cable/CLEC petition for reconsideration, the agency officials said. The petition in docket 07-245 sought changes to a cost-allocation formula the petitioners believe allows power companies to keep some pole-attachment rates too high. The draft also could address communications industry concerns that the power companies could use the commission’s reclassification of broadband under Title II of the Communications Act to raise cable pole-attachment rates toward traditionally higher telecom pole-attachment rate levels, said one official. A 2011 FCC order was intended to push the pole rates telcos pay power companies down to levels paid by cable companies, but industry parties continue to dispute the specifics in some cases. Cable and power company representatives had no comment Friday.
The USF reverse auction draft would create a framework on competitive bidding for Connect America Fund broadband-oriented subsidies in areas where price-cap telcos declined to accept CAF Phase II support, said an agency official. Under reverse auctions, the party entering the lowest subsidy bid in an area generally would receive the support, though there are potential wrinkles relating to broadband speed and service quality. The draft order is lengthy, but even if adopted, it's expected to be followed later by further commission orders to flesh out numerous details, the official said.
Another draft circulated recently on challenges to CenturyLink CAF Phase II funding in some areas, the officials said. Co-Mo Comm and United Services have asked the full commission to review a bureau decision in docket 14-93 that found more than 1,000 Census blocks were “unserved” by broadband and thus eligible for CAF II support. CenturyLink opposed the application for review. The officials didn't say how the draft order would resolve the matter. CenturyLink had no comment Friday. Meanwhile, a recent draft public notice circulated by Chairman Tom Wheeler (see 1509210029) focuses on ensuring that USF support is used only for its intended purposes, they said.
The FCC could still address inmate calling service charges at its Oct. 22 meeting, said an agency official. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn has spearheaded an FCC effort aimed at driving down the phone rates that inmates pay in prisons and jails.