Sandwich Isles Parent Waimana Disputes Hawaii Agency Request for FCC Guidance
Waimana Enterprises, parent of Sandwich Isles Communications (SIC), disagreed with the Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' request for FCC guidance on whether a license granted to Waimana violates a federal mandate to remove barriers to competitive telecom entry (see…
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1702070049). More than 20 years after the license was granted in 1995, "DHHL has allegedly sought 'guidance' on whether the License violates Section 253(a) of the Communications Act," Waimana said in a reply posted Tuesday in docket 10-90. "During that entire period, DHHL has accepted the benefits of the License without objection and without asking anyone for 'guidance.' Because of the License, each and all of DHHL's homesteaders in SIC's study area are able to receive modern telecommunications service regardless of how remote their residence," Waimana said. "DHHL and the FCC know quite well that the License does not exclude competition." Waimana said it was open to allowing competitors to use SIC's lines installed under the license, but "it's speculative at this point since no one has ever even asked; perhaps because there has never been any interest from any telecommunications company in serving all of the HHL [Hawaiian Home Lands]." Albert Hee, founder of Waimana, submitted separate comments that supplemented the company's arguments.