FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn urged USF reform, in a speech Monday to the WTA in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Last year, the FCC adopted reforms aimed at stabilizing the high-cost program, Clyburn said, according to written remarks. “Like with any significant reform, there are choppy waters ahead that need careful navigation.” Clyburn stressed the importance of partnerships, which “have the capability to help your bottom line, and provide a benefit for your communities.” The FCC needs to tweak some of its rules for rate-of-return carriers, she said. “I hear you when you talk about affordability, and the need to have flexibility to price your services as you see fit in the market,” she said. “I am concerned, about the affordability of rates in both rural and urban areas. It is a shame that deregulation has often meant higher rates in both urban and rural areas. But I believe rural areas should not be penalized, simply because of poor legislative or regulatory judgment. That is why I would support hitting the ‘pause’ button on rate floor increases, while we figure out a path forward that does not unduly impact rural consumers or the universal service fund.” Clyburn noted, as a Democrat, she's now in the minority at the FCC. She said she got used to that when she was a South Carolina regulator. “The difference in my role and status are readily apparent,” she said. “I was in the minority as a commissioner here in South Carolina for many years. ... I always start at the 50-yard line when it comes to formulating policy with anyone who may see the world differently than I do. … I will never entertain compromising my principles.” Among those principles, “removing consumer protections and harming competition are always going to be non-starters for me,” she said. “I will continue to sit at the table, even when we are discussing issues that have practical impacts that may make me uncomfortable.”

A universal service bill moving through the Utah State Legislature could add revenue to the state USF, said a fiscal note issued Monday on SB-130. The Utah bill says telecom companies providing access lines, connections or wholesale broadband internet access service qualify for state USF distributions. It requires each provider to contribute to the USF and requires the Utah Public Service Commission to develop a method for calculating the amount of each contribution. And it makes wireless companies eligible for state Lifeline support. Enactment could “increase revenues to the Universal Public Telecommunications Service Support Fund, assuming the Public Service Commission adjusts surcharge rates to match fund disbursements,” said the fiscal note. “One aspect of the legislation, expansion of the state Lifeline Program to wireless customers, could require increased surcharge revenue to the fund of at least $1.1 million.” The bill means broadband and internet providers will face additional regulation and contribution requirements, while customers could pay increased surcharges, it said. Expanding the state Lifeline program could give $42 annually to at least 26,200 individuals, it said. The Utah Senate passed SB-130 on Feb. 27 and the bill awaits a House vote. The Utah PSC, which is considering contribution changes amid projections its fund could run out early this year, tentatively decided last July to increase its revenue-based surcharge as an interim step while the state legislature considers broader changes (see 1607150017).

Any grand infrastructure plan should go beyond public-private partnerships and tax credits and find ways to incorporate broadband, senators and witnesses said Wednesday during a Commerce Committee hearing. It followed another call Tuesday from President Donald Trump that Congress act on infrastructure. Senators repeatedly questioned what a broadband component should look like.

Any grand infrastructure plan should go beyond public-private partnerships and tax credits and find ways to incorporate broadband, senators and witnesses said Wednesday during a Commerce Committee hearing. It followed another call Tuesday from President Donald Trump that Congress act on infrastructure. Senators repeatedly questioned what a broadband component should look like.

NCTA urged Congress, in any infrastructure proposal, to identify “problem areas before spending money to fix them,” “deliver broadband to those who don’t have it,” offer “equal opportunities for all qualified broadband providers,” and accept “alternative technologies in remote areas,” in a blog post prior to a Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on infrastructure spending. Policymakers should guarantee “transparency and accountability to ensure government funds achieve intended results,” said NCTA, which isn’t testifying. The one witness at the hearing with a clear telecom focus is NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. She and USTelecom President Jonathan Spalter offered what they called a “simple road map” for the broadband spending they recommend. “Rather than reinventing the wheel, let’s put to better use initiatives and programs that have worked in the past to enable the availability and sustainability of rural broadband,” they said in a blog post for The Hill. “Serious consideration should be given, for example, to leveraging the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) programs as part of any new broadband infrastructure initiative.” They urged Congress to streamline and kill regulatory barriers in the process. ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA joined earlier this week to send a letter with recommendations (see 1702270038). Public Knowledge Vice President-Government Affairs Chris Lewis sent a letter to committee leaders urging Congress to weigh "how to ensure affordable, reliable access for all Americans, to expand economic opportunity for all." Lewis pointed to what he called market failures: "While high prices have driven robust rates of return on capital investment for broadband providers, they have not led those providers to invest those profits into deployment to rural, unserved, and underserved communities." President Donald Trump pressed for an infrastructure proposal of up to $1 trillion but didn't offer precise details. He was expected to have addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, and infrastructure is one topic slated for the speech. “I hope that the president will lay out what it is he wants to do,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday. “We don’t know exactly what approach he wants to take. From my standpoint, I’m interested obviously in how you would do any infrastructure plan that includes these private-public partnerships, or P3s as they call them, that work in more populated areas but how you would fund infrastructure in rural areas.”

NCTA urged Congress, in any infrastructure proposal, to identify “problem areas before spending money to fix them,” “deliver broadband to those who don’t have it,” offer “equal opportunities for all qualified broadband providers,” and accept “alternative technologies in remote areas,” in a blog post prior to a Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on infrastructure spending. Policymakers should guarantee “transparency and accountability to ensure government funds achieve intended results,” said NCTA, which isn’t testifying. The one witness at the hearing with a clear telecom focus is NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. She and USTelecom President Jonathan Spalter offered what they called a “simple road map” for the broadband spending they recommend. “Rather than reinventing the wheel, let’s put to better use initiatives and programs that have worked in the past to enable the availability and sustainability of rural broadband,” they said in a blog post for The Hill. “Serious consideration should be given, for example, to leveraging the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) programs as part of any new broadband infrastructure initiative.” They urged Congress to streamline and kill regulatory barriers in the process. ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA joined earlier this week to send a letter with recommendations (see 1702270038). Public Knowledge Vice President-Government Affairs Chris Lewis sent a letter to committee leaders urging Congress to weigh "how to ensure affordable, reliable access for all Americans, to expand economic opportunity for all." Lewis pointed to what he called market failures: "While high prices have driven robust rates of return on capital investment for broadband providers, they have not led those providers to invest those profits into deployment to rural, unserved, and underserved communities." President Donald Trump pressed for an infrastructure proposal of up to $1 trillion but didn't offer precise details. He was expected to have addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, and infrastructure is one topic slated for the speech. “I hope that the president will lay out what it is he wants to do,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters Tuesday. “We don’t know exactly what approach he wants to take. From my standpoint, I’m interested obviously in how you would do any infrastructure plan that includes these private-public partnerships, or P3s as they call them, that work in more populated areas but how you would fund infrastructure in rural areas.”

FCC staff granted NTCA and WTA waiver petitions "with slight modifications," pushing back a Wednesday deadline for certain Connect America Fund recipients to report initial geo-located broadband information and certifications through a high-cost universal service broadband (HUBB) portal. The Wireline Bureau also further clarified the duties of recipients of "Alternative Connect America Model" funding support to file "pre-existing" broadband information. "Subject to Paperwork Reduction Act approval by the Office of Management and Budget (PRA approval) of the information collection at issue, we extend the deadline for recipients of CAF Phase II support to file their first set of broadband information until July 1," or two weeks after PRA approval is announced in the Federal Register, whichever is later, said a bureau order in docket 10-90 in Monday's Daily Digest. NTCA and WTA had asked that the March 1 HUBB initial filing deadline be pushed back to Dec. 31. The bureau said CAF "Broadband Loop Support" recipients "with a defined deployment obligation must submit their first set of broadband information no later than March 1, 2018," or two weeks after FR announcement of PRA approval, whichever is later.

FCC staff granted NTCA and WTA waiver petitions "with slight modifications," pushing back a Wednesday deadline for certain Connect America Fund recipients to report initial geo-located broadband information and certifications through a high-cost universal service broadband (HUBB) portal. The Wireline Bureau also further clarified the duties of recipients of "Alternative Connect America Model" funding support to file "pre-existing" broadband information. "Subject to Paperwork Reduction Act approval by the Office of Management and Budget (PRA approval) of the information collection at issue, we extend the deadline for recipients of CAF Phase II support to file their first set of broadband information until July 1," or two weeks after PRA approval is announced in the Federal Register, whichever is later, said a bureau order in docket 10-90 in Monday's Daily Digest. NTCA and WTA had asked that the March 1 HUBB initial filing deadline be pushed back to Dec. 31. The bureau said CAF "Broadband Loop Support" recipients "with a defined deployment obligation must submit their first set of broadband information no later than March 1, 2018," or two weeks after FR announcement of PRA approval, whichever is later.

Telecom associations warned against public money going to efforts to build where the private sector is acting, in recommendations on broadband infrastructure investment to the leadership of the Senate and House Commerce committees Monday. “Any new broadband investment program must ensure sufficient resources to meet the challenges of delivering broadband to rural America” and “to truly realize universal broadband access by all Americans, in all regions of the nation, any funding should flow to areas currently lacking meaningful access to broadband services in order to establish and sustain such services,” said the letter, signed by ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA. “Adequate broadband services must meet reasonable and realistic service parameters -- e.g., with respect to speed, latency, and price -- and funding should flow to broadband investment that best meets national broadband goals regardless of the technology or technologies employed. To promote fiscal responsibility, funding should not be made available for duplicative networks that overbuild another provider’s existing broadband infrastructure.” The associations released an outline of principles. Lawmakers have been pressing President Donald Trump to make broadband part of administration infrastructure proposals (see 1702220054).

Telecom associations warned against public money going to efforts to build where the private sector is acting, in recommendations on broadband infrastructure investment to the leadership of the Senate and House Commerce committees Monday. “Any new broadband investment program must ensure sufficient resources to meet the challenges of delivering broadband to rural America” and “to truly realize universal broadband access by all Americans, in all regions of the nation, any funding should flow to areas currently lacking meaningful access to broadband services in order to establish and sustain such services,” said the letter, signed by ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA. “Adequate broadband services must meet reasonable and realistic service parameters -- e.g., with respect to speed, latency, and price -- and funding should flow to broadband investment that best meets national broadband goals regardless of the technology or technologies employed. To promote fiscal responsibility, funding should not be made available for duplicative networks that overbuild another provider’s existing broadband infrastructure.” The associations released an outline of principles. Lawmakers have been pressing President Donald Trump to make broadband part of administration infrastructure proposals (see 1702220054).