Consumer advocacy organizations and inmate calling services (ICS) providers welcomed a draft order expanding access to telecom relay services for deaf or hard of hearing individuals and an FCC Further NPRM that would seek comment on whether the commission should amend its rules for refunds (see 2209080057). Some sought to eliminate the population threshold for facilities to require compliance with the proposed rules. ICS providers raised implementation concerns. Commissioners will consider the item Thursday.
Gabriella Novello
Gabriella Novello, Assistant Editor, is a journalist for Communications Daily covering telecommunications and the Federal Communications Commission. She joined the Warren Communications News staff in 2020, after covering election integrity and the 2020 presidential election at WhoWhatWhy. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism with a minor in health promotion at American University. You can follow Novello on Instagram and Twitter: @NOVELLOGAB.
Some winning Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction winners asked the FCC to reject or hold in abeyance SpaceX's application for review of its long-form application (see 2208100050). Viasat, which opposes SpaceX's bid, asked the FCC to open a new docket and allow "meaningful public comment," saying the company "bid well beyond its capabilities," in opposition comments posted Tuesday in docket 19-126. Others asked the FCC to do the same with LTD Broadband's request about its rejected application.
The FCC will release a notice of funding opportunity “in the coming months” for organizations seeking funding through the affordable connectivity program’s outreach grant program, said Derik Goatson, Office of Native Affairs Policy legal adviser, during a Consumer Action webinar Tuesday (see 2208050023). The grant program’s review process will “prioritize applicants who target underserved low-income households and communities with low ACP enrollment rates,” Goatson said, noting “many of these communities are often tribal communities.”
Industry groups continued to disagree whether the FCC should impose stricter requirements on certain voice service providers to curb illegal robocalls (see 2207150053). Some said the commission should extend Stir/Shaken obligations to all providers, while others sought continued flexibility and a technologically neutral approach on which industries any new rules would apply to.
It’s “really important” that states take advantage of the FCC’s new broadband maps and challenge process before NTIA allocates its funding for the broadband, equity, access and deployment program, said Technology Policy Institute President Scott Wallsten during a Fiber Broadband Association webinar Wednesday. “The purpose of the maps is for NTIA to decide how much money every state will get,” Wallsten said, but “states are not obligated to use that map.”
Industry and state regulators disagreed on whether the FCC should grant Midcontinent's petition for declaratory ruling on rules for obtaining local interconnection. Reply comments were posted Monday in docket 22-277 (see 2207200050). Midcontinent asked the FCC to affirm that, under its Time Warner and CRC Communications rulings, that any telecom carrier is "entitled to interconnection for the purpose of providing wholesale local interconnection services."
Industry largely backed the FCC’s Further NPRM on curbing access stimulation, in comments posted Wednesday in docket 18-155 (see 2207140055). The item proposes clarifying rules adopted in 2019 to include IP-enabled services (IPES) providers.
NTIA awarded Louisiana nearly $3 million in funding through the broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program and Digital Equity Act, said Special Representative for Broadband Andy Berke Wednesday during the state’s inaugural broadband summit (see 2207130047).
Industry continued to disagree whether the FCC should revisit its cost allocation framework for utility pole replacements or attachments, in reply comments posted Monday in docket 17-84 (see 2206280066). Central to the debate was whether pole owners directly benefit from pole replacements and how much information owners should be required to disclose to requesting attachers.
NTIA “hit a major milestone” in getting every state and territory committed to participating in the agency’s broadband, equity, access and deployment program and digital equity program, said Administrator Alan Davidson during a National Urban League webinar Tuesday (see 2208170031). "The hard work begins” now as states put together their plans, Davidson said. “This is an all-hands-on deck moment,” he said: “We need everybody's help.” The agency is reviewing states and territories’ applications to “be able to start to fund their state planning grants next month,” said NTIA Director-Public Engagement Mark Colon.