The Rural Wireless Association said the FCC should...
The Rural Wireless Association said the FCC should “immediately halt” the phase-down of USF support for high-cost wireless carriers because the Mobility Fund Phase II won’t be “operational” or “implemented” by June 30. “It is highly unlikely for Phase II…
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to be ‘operational’ or ‘implemented’ by June 30, 2014, given the time it has taken the FCC to disburse Phase I funding,” RWA said in a filing at the commission (http://bit.ly/1jIfJNz). “In addition, carriers are now in the second quarter of 2014. There is not enough time between now and June 30, 2014 for the Commission to adopt final Phase II rules, have them published in the Federal Register, hold an auction, authorize payments, and disburse funds before the next scheduled phase-down of legacy support.” RWA said carriers need “predictability to formulate their business decisions, and currently there is no predictability with regard to the continued availability of USF funding ... as of July 1.” U.S. Cellular told the FCC it should be concerned about keeping funding flowing and the FCC should “fully implement Mobility Fund II at the earliest possible date,” in meetings with staff for the FCC commissioners, said an ex parte filing. Both mobility fund auctions to date demonstrated the need for funding, the carrier said (http://bit.ly/1eFA3R7). “In each case, demand for support far exceeded available funding,” it said. “In Mobility Fund II, when the standard will be areas that lack 4G service, many additional areas will be eligible and the resulting demand will be even higher."