FCC Denies PRTC Petition, Grants CAF I Waiver Due to Hurricane; Carrier Welcomes Move
FCC staff granted Puerto Rico Telephone Co. a hurricane-related waiver after denying a petition for a grace period on a Connect America Fund three-year buildout deadline. "This is a common sense decision that forgives PRTC from paying back CAF Phase…
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I support that was spent on broadband equipment much of which was destroyed by hurricane Maria,” emailed PRTC counsel Tom Navin of Wiley Rein. PRTC in February 2017 asked the agency to clarify that recipients of CAF Phase I Round 2 incremental broadband-oriented subsidy support can receive the same one-year grace period for meeting buildout requirements as CAF II recipients do in certain cases, (see 1702230009). In April, PRTC suggested a waiver of a related rule. A Wireline Bureau declaratory ruling and order Tuesday in docket 10-90 denied both requests but on its own motion granted a "limited waiver of our rules such that no support will be recovered from PRTC for locations it served within a year of its Phase I incremental support deadlines." It cited devastation from hurricanes last fall: "Allowing PRTC to retain these funds will enable it to more speedily restore, improve, and expand its network to the benefit of Puerto Rico’s residents as the territory recovers from the storms."