The FCC Wireline Bureau set procedures for spending $691.2 million over 10 years to support hardened fixed voice and broadband networks throughout Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in a public notice Wednesday on docket 18-143. Winning applicants must offer voice and broadband and meet performance requirements for speed and latency. "Laying out this clear, manageable, and predictable process will ensure we get the best impact possible from this investment of funds," said Wireline Bureau Chief Kris Monteith. Commissioners OK'd the funding plan in September (see 1909260032).
Three states asked the FCC to revise the draft Rural Digital Opportunity Fund order to ease letter of credit requirements for ISPs before it came up for a vote. Iowa, Kansas and Arkansas sent letters in late January, posted Monday to docket 19-126. Commissioners Thursday approved less stringent LOC obligations (see 2001300001).
To increase broadband adoption, examine costs more closely, ConnectME Authority Executive Director Peggy Schaffer told FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in a podcast released Friday. Citing data from NTIA's Broadband USA program, Schaffer said 2 percent of Maine's population has access for under $60 monthly. "We are a poor state, and our connectivity is so expensive," Schaffer said. ConnectME asks groups seeking infrastructure grants what they will charge for service, she said. Due to a grant to a local ISP, residents of Sherman, "in the middle of nowhere," has gig service availability for $49.99 monthly, she said.
Five advertising associations asked California to delay enforcing its privacy law that took effect Jan. 1. State attorney general enforcement of California Consumer Privacy Act starts July 1, but that office hasn’t finalized implementing rules. The American Association of Advertising Agencies, American Advertising Federation, Association of National Advertisers, Interactive Advertising Bureau and Network Advertising Initiative urged AG Xavier Becerra (D) Wednesday to delay enforcement until at least six months from the date rules are finalized. “Given the extraordinary complexity of the law and the wide range of open issues to be clarified from the draft guidance, there will not be sufficient time for many businesses to effectively implement the final regulations prior to the anticipated enforcement date of July 1, 2020.” The AG didn't comment. Don’t delay, countered Consumer Reports Policy Analyst Maureen Mahoney in a Wednesday interview: “The problem isn’t that there’s a threat of too much enforcement. The problem is that enforcement just isn’t strong enough and that companies aren’t incentivized enough to comply." Consumers must take affirmative action to exercise privacy rights under CCPA, “so any company that’s acting in good faith to respect consumers’ wishes doesn’t have anything to worry about with respect to enforcement,” Mahoney said. “These companies should be more focused on how to respond to consumer requests rather than trying to avoid compliance.” Companies are finding loopholes to CCPA, including by making it harder for consumers to exercise rights by burying or not clearly labeling “do not sell” links on their websites, or by forcing consumers to navigate multiple webpages to fully opt out, she said. While enforcement hasn’t started, companies should be complying now because the AG said he will look back to the law’s Jan. 1 effective date, she said. The AG or state legislature should clarify that transferring data for ad purposes falls under the definition of sale, so when consumers opt out of selling data, that also stops targeted advertising, Mahoney said. Legislators should give the AG more resources to enforce CCPA, and remove the “right to cure” that lets companies address violations within 30 days to avoid penalty, she said.
Net neutrality is in a proposed 2020-2021 New York budget bill floated Wednesday in each chamber (AB-9508, S-7458). The rules would build on a 2018 executive order, requiring ISPs to disclose practices and certify compliance. It would provide for enforcement by the Public Service Commission, state attorney general and individuals through a private right of action. ISPs would have to certify by July 1, 2021, and agencies wouldn’t be able to contract with ISPs that don’t. The PSC “shall be authorized to promulgate any rules or regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this article,” the bill said. ISPs could be liable to pay a civil penalty of at most $500 per violation plus a maximum $500 for each day. The commission declined to comment on the legislation. USTelecom referred us to its previous calls for Congress to pass a national open-internet law. Other telecom companies and associations didn’t comment. Nor did the FCC. The Assembly and Senate plan joint budget hearings on the bills Monday-Feb. 13.
New York state shouldn't be categorically excluded from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, Verizon said. The telco backed the state's request, and the company's filing posted Friday in FCC docket 19-126 (see 2001220017).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai joined House Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, for a telehealth event Thursday in Perrysburg, Ohio, Latta’s office said. Pai and Latta also visited Toledo-based national suicide prevention lifeline crisis center Rescue Mental Health and Addition Services. Pai was visiting Ohio and Michigan to promote the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (see 2001220022). “Increasing access to reliable and affordable broadband will allow us to better capture all of its benefits and ensure more people have access to the care and services they need,” Latta said in a news release. “We can also do more to ensure people can better access mental health services no matter where they call home. The need for suicide prevention services has never been greater and I appreciate the attention the FCC has placed to designate 9-8-8 as the national suicide hotline number.” The 988 hotline NPRM “would be a major boost for our nation’s suicide prevention efforts,” Pai said in the news release. “Suicidal ideation and mental health issues” have become “critical” because the U.S. suicide rate is “at its highest level since World War II.” Comments are due Feb. 14, replies March 16 (see 2001150002).
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai was to discuss the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Wednesday and Thursday in Marietta and Albany, Ohio, and Tecumseh, Michigan, the agency said. Wednesday, Pai and Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, toured wireless ISP Intelliwave in Athens County, the Wireless ISP Association said. Commissioners vote Jan. 30 on the RDOF draft order (see 2001090025). In Ohio, Pai will also attend a telehealth event in Perrysburg and visit a national suicide prevention lifeline crisis center in Toledo.
"Categorical exclusion of all New York areas" from the FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is "premature and imprudent given that certain areas of the state still lack broadband services," the New York State Broadband Program Office said in a phone call last week with Preston Wise, rural broadband adviser to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The state said FCC delays approving program awardees and complications arising from such conditions slowed deployment. Exclusion of New York from RDOF "could preclude the deployment of much-needed broadband services in the state, which would be especially inequitable given that New York has dedicated more funding than any other state in an effort to achieve universal availability," it said. The New York State Telecommunications Association said "citizens should not effectively be penalized due to the state's efforts to support broadband deployment," also posted in docket 19-126 Wednesday. It supported a Friday letter to Pai from 22 New York members of the U.S. House and a letter from the state's U.S. senators. Hudson Valley Wireless asked the FCC "to remove categorical exclusions and allow providers in New York to participate" in RDOF. New York and Alaska are excluded from the first phase of the $20 billion program, said the draft order up for a commissioners' vote Jan. 30 (see 2001140028). Broadband funding in New York comes from the New NY Broadband Program (see 1908120013), and in Alaska from the Alaska Plan (see 1912130039). The FCC voted to provide up to $170 million from the Connect America Fund to expand broadband deployment in unserved rural areas of New York in the first item the commission adopted under Pai’s leadership, a spokesperson emailed now: The state "combined this money with state funding and private investment to jump-start broadband deployment and close the digital divide across New York more quickly." The commission's "current estimate is that no areas in New York would be eligible for Phase I of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund," the spokesperson said. Phase 1 eligibility is limited to census block groups unserved by broadband.
The Rural Utilities Service is investing $11 million to support broadband projects in rural Minnesota and Iowa as part of ReConnect, it said Friday. Money goes to Harmony Telephone, Osage Municipal Utilities and Consolidated Telephone. It directs another $5.7 million to Eastern Nebraska Telephone for rural broadband.