Alaska would shift to connections-based contribution for state USF under a joint proposal by many of the state’s local exchange carriers. The Alaska attorney general’s regulatory affairs and public advocacy (RAPA) section urged the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) Monday to adopt the Friday-filed plan, which would push back an imminent sunset of the Alaska USF (AUSF) by three years to June 30, 2026. “By that time, the focus of significant federal infrastructure funding in Alaska will be better known, and the Commission will have more information that it may use to determine the best AUSF policy for the long term,” said the proposal.

CTIA stood alone fighting to keep revenue-based contribution for California USF, in comments last week at the California Public Utilities Commission. CPUC members plan to vote Oct. 6 on a proposed decision to assess state public purpose program (PPP) fees based on a carrier’s number of access lines (see 2209060048). The wireless industry continued to staunchly oppose the change, but wireline and cable companies instead sought more implementation time and wording changes.

The Universal Service Fund should be revised and the FCC should consider requiring contributions from tech companies, said a bipartisan group of current and former commissioners on a virtual panel Wednesday hosted by the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. The group, including former Chairs William Kennard and Richard Wiley, also discussed the lack of an FCC majority, the digital divide and media ownership.

Broadcasters, MVPDs, ISPs and other entities argued over the state of competition in the broadband and video marketplaces and how to address it, in comments posted at the FCC by Friday’s deadline in docket 22-203 for the agency’s biannual State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace report to Congress, due in Q4. Regulations premised on lack of competition “should be repealed,” said NCTA. The FCC “must consider the real-world consequences of imposing, in a highly competitive marketplace, a burdensome and outdated regulatory regime,” said NAB.

Broadcasters, MVPDs, ISPs and other entities argued over the state of competition in the broadband and video marketplaces and how to address it, in comments posted by Friday’s deadline in docket 22-203 for the agency’s biannual State of Competition in the Communications Marketplace report to Congress, due in Q4. Regulations premised on lack of competition “should be repealed,” said NCTA. The FCC “must consider the real-world consequences of imposing, in a highly competitive marketplace, a burdensome and outdated regulatory regime,” said NAB.

FCC commissioners and industry groups stressed the need for USF changes during Free State Foundation’s annual policy conference Friday. Panelists also urged close coordination among agencies throughout the implementation of broadband programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Citing the expanded use of telemedicine, FCC commissioners unanimously adopted a Further NPRM seeking comments on changes to the rural healthcare program’s telecom program’s rates determination rules and to the healthcare connect fund’s internal funding caps, during the agency’s monthly meeting Friday (see 2202170031). They also adopted an order requiring Aureon to submit information needed to calculate refunds to its customers, and a $45 million fine against a company that made more than 500,000 robocalls that violate Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel also said the FCC plans a notice of inquiry on receiver standards, which has been before the agency for 20 years.

California Public Utilities Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny LTD Broadband the application approval it needed to get about $187.5 million in Rural Digital Opportunities Fund (RDOF) support over 10 years. At a virtual meeting Thursday, commissioners also by unanimous consent cleared multiple California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) grants that LTD and others said partially overlapped areas where they won RDOF support (see 2112140019, 2112090011 and 2112080046). The CPUC got more comments Wednesday on a plan to shift to connections-based state USF contributions.

Oklahoma’s transition to a connections-based state USF contribution mechanism is “so far, so good,” said Brandy Wreath, the Oklahoma USF (OUSF) administrator, in an interview. Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) members ordered the interim change in August to try to stabilize the OUSF while parties work on writing recommendations for the legislature (see 2108050049). In Tuesday comments at the California Public Utilities Commission, wireless companies and consumer groups panned a staff recommendation to shift to a flat, per-line surcharge.

Senate Commerce Committee members’ treatment of Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn during her Wednesday confirmation hearing is likely to sharply divide along party lines, in sharp contrast to a potential overwhelming bipartisan panel vote to advance commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s reconfirmation to the full chamber (see 2111300064), lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson may also get some senators’ attention during the hearing but is likely to avoid harsh questioning due to expectation that Sohn will be the main focus. The hearing will immediately follow the 10:15 a.m. Senate Commerce executive meeting in 253 Russell.