FCC Makes Revised A-CAM Offers to RLECs Totaling $490 Million in Annual Support
The FCC offered newly revised Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support to rate-of-return telcos that accepted previously revised offers for a 10-year term, said a Wireline Bureau public notice Monday in docket 10-90. The 217 state-level offers incorporate additional…
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support approved by the commission in March (see 1803230025) -- funding monthly costs above $52.50 per location up to a $146.10 per location cap -- and revise broadband deployment obligations. The total amount being offered is $490.5 million in annual support for 631,389 locations (506,740 of which are fully funded and 124,649 capped), said an accompanying report. It noted 289,752 locations must get at least 25/3 Mbps, 216,988 locations must get at least 10/1 Mbps, 37,133 locations must get at least 4/1 Mbps and 87,516 locations are subject to a reasonable request standard. Telephone and Data Systems was offered about $68 million in annual support for its rate-of-return carriers in 20 states. TDS "will be carefully evaluating the offer before making a final decision. We certainly appreciate the FCC's efforts to assist us in deploying broadband in rural areas," emailed a spokeswoman, noting the revised offers would add about $3 million annually to the company's A-CAM support. Arvig Enterprises in Minnesota received the single biggest state-level offer at $22.5 million. Arvig didn't comment. Minnesota got the largest amount of offers, $58.9 million, followed by Nebraska's $33.4 million, Texas' $32.8 million and Oklahoma's $32.5 million. Carriers have until June 21 to accept the offers.