The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued a cease-and-desist letter to Urth Access Thursday on apparent illegal robocall traffic about student loan forgiveness (see 2211030071). The bureau ordered the company to stop originating such calls, after an investigation with YouMail and the USTelecom Industry Traceback Group identified "upwards of 40%" of related calls originated from the provider, said a news release. The bureau "opened a formal case and is investigating these calls for possible further legal action." Also Thursday, the bureau issued a public notice authorizing all providers carrying traffic originating from Urth Access to stop. Urth Access CEO Fawaz Saleem didn't comment.
A coalition of industry groups proposed allowing providers participating in the FCC's affordable connectivity program the option to provide an "average net rate charged" to households for each tier of supported services in each five-digit ZIP code as part of the program's mandatory data collection. It would allow the commission to determine "at a geographically granular level" how many households are receiving service "with no out-of-pocket expense" and the average price for households that are "subscribing to broadband services that are not fully covered by the ACP benefit," said the Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, NCTA and USTelecom in a letter posted Wednesday in docket 21-450. The mandatory collection could include a monthly rate for "each ACP-supported service tier" and the number of subscribers in a ZIP code, they said. The groups asked the FCC to disclose its data "on an aggregate basis" and within ranges for speeds or monthly data allowance to maintain providers' and consumer privacy. The groups also asked that data be aggregated to a higher geographic level if fewer than three providers are "in a geographic unit."
The FCC established a database connection with the Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Benefits Administration to improve access to the affordable connectivity program and Lifeline for veterans. It will "enable automatic eligibility verification" for veterans receiving qualifying pension benefits, said a news release Wednesday. Veterans won't need to submit additional eligibility documentation to enroll in either program if their eligibility is automatically determined by the national verifier. The initiative will "help our Veterans more easily get affordable online digital benefits that can open doors to education, health care and job opportunities,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations asked the FCC to adopt "broad interpretations" in its final rules on digital discrimination (see 2207050057). Common Cause, United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Center for Transgender Equality, MediaJustice, League of United Latin American Citizens, Next Century Cities, Common Sense, and the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council met with the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Taskforce to Prevent Digital Discrimination, Media and Wireline bureaus, and an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, per an ex parte filing Tuesday in docket 22-69. Congress gave the FCC a "broad mandate," the groups said, and its rules "must go beyond deployment discrimination and include both technical and non-technical aspects of service quality." The groups also asked the FCC to establish an Office of Civil Rights.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by Dec. 2, replies by Dec. 19, in docket 03-123 on InnoCaption's application for full certification to provide IP relay service, said a public notice Wednesday. InnoCaption sought full certification to provide IP captioned telephone service (see 2209130061).
The FCC committed nearly $183 million in additional emergency connectivity fund support Wednesday. The new funding will support 325 schools, 40 libraries and one consortium, said a news release. “We’re making progress closing the homework gap, but we need to make sure every student has after-school access to the digital tools they need for schoolwork and engaging with teachers and classmates,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
Communications Services for the Deaf asked the FCC to grant its petition to waive certain rules for the affordable connectivity program's outreach grants. The group sought a waiver to allow contractors of broadband providers to receive grants, telling an aide to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel the prohibition "fails to consider the purpose or functions of the contracts," said an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 21-450. CSD asked the FCC to also consider adopting a "more narrowly tailored rule" exempting "non-profit, disability-centered organizations that provide accessibility services to broadband providers."
The National Lifeline Association asked the FCC to revise the Lifeline program so it's "ready to support low-income households' broadband needs" before the affordable connectivity program ends. The FCC and Universal Service Administrative Co. "must also take responsibility for the National Verifier's failure" to prevent instances of waste, fraud and abuse, NaLA told Wireline Bureau staff and an aide to Commissioner Brendan Carr in separate meetings, per an ex parte filing Monday in docket 21-450. The group sought "more resources and standardized communications and escalation plans" to improve the Verifier and ensure transparency for consumers applying for the ACP benefit.
No major changes were made to the FCC's final notice of inquiry on caller ID authentication for non-IP networks and the status of the industry's transition to IP, according to our comparison of the draft. Commissioners adopted the item during the agency's October meeting (see 2210270046). The notice included a question about security concerns and the technical feasibility of ATIS' out-of-band caller authentication standard.
NTCA asked the FCC to update the Alternative Connect America Model and Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support mechanism "as soon as possible in light of impending deadlines in these programs." The group raised concerns in a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Geoffrey Starks about challenges rural providers face when "serving rural consumers across far-reaching rural geographies," said an ex parte filing Friday in docket 10-90 (see 2207190056). NTCA's proposals "would help address those challenges and spur expanded delivery of high-quality and reliable services while working in concert with other initiatives aimed at similar goals," it said.