Pai to Seek Tribal Opex Relief for More Carriers, Including Mescalero, Sacred Wind
A coming FCC draft order would extend operations expense relief to more tribal carriers, including Mescalero Apache Telecom and Sacred Wind Communications, said Chairman Ajit Pai. He responded to Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who wrote to support the two carriers'…
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petitions to reconsider (see 1805310032) an April order that allowed tribal-oriented carriers to recover higher opex costs from USF but excluded carriers that had deployed 10/1 Mbps broadband to 90 percent or more of locations (see 1804050028). Pai agrees the relief "did not go far enough" and believes "it was inappropriate to exclude carriers" such as Mescalero and Sacred Wind, which argue their actual deployment levels are below the threshold. "I have directed staff to circulate an order in the near future to fix this mistake," he wrote, hoping colleagues will be supportive. "The letter is very encouraging" because the two carriers "need this relief" and "the sooner the better," emailed consultant Randy Tyree Friday. Tyree, who represents Mescalero and the National Tribal Telecommunications Association, said the entire New Mexico congressional delegation is supportive.