FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler sought to reassure Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and other Capitol Hill Democrats of the agency’s attention to broadband access on tribal lands. Cantwell led a July 15 letter pressing for Wheeler’s completion of “comprehensive Tribal reforms” by year’s end. “To the extent that funds are available within the current universal service program, we urge you to repurpose them to accelerate investment in broadband on Tribal Lands,” the Democrats said. Wheeler discussed such tribal overhaul at his Sept. 15 Senate Commerce Committee hearing and pledged to Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., a signer of Cantwell’s letter, that he would complete such tribal-focused changes by the end of football season (see 1609150058). The FCC “has adopted initiatives to drive investment in mobile broadband on Tribal lands,” Wheeler told lawmakers in a letter released this week. “For example, in 2014 the FCC's Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I reverse auction made up to $50 million in one-time funding available to Tribal lands to accelerate mobile broadband availability. In addition, both the Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I and the general Mobility Fund Phase I made a 25 percent bidding credit available for Tribally-owned or controlled providers seeking support. As a result, 72 different Tribal Lands will benefit from both the Mobility Fund Phase I and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I auctions. In addition, staff is actively examining a mechanism to award ongoing support to Tribal lands through Mobility Fund Phase II.”

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler sought to reassure Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and other Capitol Hill Democrats of the agency’s attention to broadband access on tribal lands. Cantwell led a July 15 letter pressing for Wheeler’s completion of “comprehensive Tribal reforms” by year’s end. “To the extent that funds are available within the current universal service program, we urge you to repurpose them to accelerate investment in broadband on Tribal Lands,” the Democrats said. Wheeler discussed such tribal overhaul at his Sept. 15 Senate Commerce Committee hearing and pledged to Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., a signer of Cantwell’s letter, that he would complete such tribal-focused changes by the end of football season (see 1609150058). The FCC “has adopted initiatives to drive investment in mobile broadband on Tribal lands,” Wheeler told lawmakers in a letter released this week. “For example, in 2014 the FCC's Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I reverse auction made up to $50 million in one-time funding available to Tribal lands to accelerate mobile broadband availability. In addition, both the Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I and the general Mobility Fund Phase I made a 25 percent bidding credit available for Tribally-owned or controlled providers seeking support. As a result, 72 different Tribal Lands will benefit from both the Mobility Fund Phase I and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I auctions. In addition, staff is actively examining a mechanism to award ongoing support to Tribal lands through Mobility Fund Phase II.”

It’s too risky to increase New Mexico definitions of broadband and unserved and underserved areas in the state’s Rural USF, Public Regulation Commission staff said Monday. In comments on proposed rules taking effect Jan. 1 for the RUSF, the PRC's Telecom Bureau staff urged only conservative actions to avoid litigation. That followed industry opposition in Oregon last week to a proposal to include “access to broadband” in the definition of basic phone service.

It’s too risky to increase New Mexico definitions of broadband and unserved and underserved areas in the state’s Rural USF, Public Regulation Commission staff said Monday. In comments on proposed rules taking effect Jan. 1 for the RUSF, the PRC's Telecom Bureau staff urged only conservative actions to avoid litigation. That followed industry opposition in Oregon last week to a proposal to include “access to broadband” in the definition of basic phone service.

Rate-of-return telcos are expected to file by Oct. 1 forecasted cost and revenue data for the first six months of 2017, the FCC Wireline Bureau said in a public notice in docket 10-90 in Tuesday's Daily Digest. The information collection, subject to approval by Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act, is needed for the Universal Service Administrative Co. to implement the Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) high-cost mechanism that's replacing Interstate Common Line Support, the PN said. It said carriers are expected to use a revised Form 508 that was proposed to include data on consumer broadband-only loops in addition to the previously collected common line data. The bureau expects USAC to publish by Nov. 1 its budgetary control analysis for the first half of 2017, which will include the amount of forecasted CAF BLS each carrier will receive during that period, enabling carriers to file any needed tariff revisions. Another PN announced the weighted average broadband deployment for all rate-of-return carriers is 74 percent, along with the relevant deployment figures for individual carriers. "These broadband deployment percentages will be used to calculate the capital investment allowance for 2017 and the broadband deployment obligations that rate-of-return carriers that receive support based on legacy mechanisms will be required to fulfill over a five-year period (i.e. 2017 through 2021)," the PN said.

Rate-of-return telcos are expected to file by Oct. 1 forecasted cost and revenue data for the first six months of 2017, the FCC Wireline Bureau said in a public notice in docket 10-90 in Tuesday's Daily Digest. The information collection, subject to approval by Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act, is needed for the Universal Service Administrative Co. to implement the Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) high-cost mechanism that's replacing Interstate Common Line Support, the PN said. It said carriers are expected to use a revised Form 508 that was proposed to include data on consumer broadband-only loops in addition to the previously collected common line data. The bureau expects USAC to publish by Nov. 1 its budgetary control analysis for the first half of 2017, which will include the amount of forecasted CAF BLS each carrier will receive during that period, enabling carriers to file any needed tariff revisions. Another PN announced the weighted average broadband deployment for all rate-of-return carriers is 74 percent, along with the relevant deployment figures for individual carriers. "These broadband deployment percentages will be used to calculate the capital investment allowance for 2017 and the broadband deployment obligations that rate-of-return carriers that receive support based on legacy mechanisms will be required to fulfill over a five-year period (i.e. 2017 through 2021)," the PN said.

FCC staff set a pleading cycle on requests for off-campus E-rate USF support to help students get internet access at home without creating cost-allocation complications for schools. Initial comments are due Nov. 3, replies Dec. 5, said a Wireline Bureau public notice Monday in docket 13-184. One petition filed June 7 by Microsoft, Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. and others seeks to use TV white space technology in Charlotte and Halifax counties, Virginia. The other petition filed May 16 by the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic on behalf of the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado seeks to allow nearby housing authorities to connect to the school system's self-provisioned fiber network. "The petitions request that the Commission allow E-rate subsidized broadband networks to be accessed by students at home for educational purposes, without an obligation on the E-rate applicant to cost allocate the portion of the traffic attributable to off-campus use;" said the PN. Separately, Funds for Learning met with bureau staffers to discuss analysis of funding year 2016 E-rate funding data and responses to a nationwide survey of E-rate applicants. More than 118,000 school and library sites benefited from the E-rate program affecting over 50 million K-12 students and millions of library patrons, said a filing. It said the number of gigabit or faster connections more than doubled in the past year; half of applicants who considered a self-provisioned network believe it lowered their per-megabit pricing; 22 percent expect their broadband internet connection speeds to at least double in the next three years, while just 10 percent expect their speeds to be unchanged; there's broad support for restoring E-rate discounts for phone service; and the vast majority found Universal Service Administrative Co.'s new online E-rate portal "made the application process significantly more difficult and time-consuming."

FCC staff set a pleading cycle on requests for off-campus E-rate USF support to help students get internet access at home without creating cost-allocation complications for schools. Initial comments are due Nov. 3, replies Dec. 5, said a Wireline Bureau public notice Monday in docket 13-184. One petition filed June 7 by Microsoft, Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corp. and others seeks to use TV white space technology in Charlotte and Halifax counties, Virginia. The other petition filed May 16 by the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic on behalf of the Boulder Valley School District in Colorado seeks to allow nearby housing authorities to connect to the school system's self-provisioned fiber network. "The petitions request that the Commission allow E-rate subsidized broadband networks to be accessed by students at home for educational purposes, without an obligation on the E-rate applicant to cost allocate the portion of the traffic attributable to off-campus use;" said the PN. Separately, Funds for Learning met with bureau staffers to discuss analysis of funding year 2016 E-rate funding data and responses to a nationwide survey of E-rate applicants. More than 118,000 school and library sites benefited from the E-rate program affecting over 50 million K-12 students and millions of library patrons, said a filing. It said the number of gigabit or faster connections more than doubled in the past year; half of applicants who considered a self-provisioned network believe it lowered their per-megabit pricing; 22 percent expect their broadband internet connection speeds to at least double in the next three years, while just 10 percent expect their speeds to be unchanged; there's broad support for restoring E-rate discounts for phone service; and the vast majority found Universal Service Administrative Co.'s new online E-rate portal "made the application process significantly more difficult and time-consuming."

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai Tuesday laid out a vision for tacking the digital divide, backing gigabit opportunity zones in some of the nation’s more economically challenged areas. “Significant tax incentives would be provided to spur private-sector gigabit broadband deployment,” said Pai in a speech in Cincinnati. Businesses would get incentives to create jobs through a tax credit that offsets the employer’s share of payroll taxes. Pai also urged the FCC to move forward on the second phase of a mobility fund, which was a hot topic at CTIA last week (see 1609090016). The new phase should provide” tech-neutral performance metrics,” eliminate duplicative support, maintain “support where it is needed,” and be based on current needs, he said. The FCC should also “increase the build-out obligations of wireless carriers and incentivize rural broadband investment by extending license terms up to 15 years,” he said. “Sadly, there is a real and growing digital divide in this country,” Pai said. “Although gigabit services and mobile broadband are becoming common features of wealthier, metropolitan areas, they aren’t universal. Almost 34 million Americans don’t have access to the broadband networks needed to fully participate in the digital economy.” Pai released both highlights of his proposal and the text of his speech. Pai also urged the commission, working with Congress, to take steps to speed broadband facility siting. "The FCC should use its existing authority under sections 253 and 332 of the Communications Act and section 6409 of the Spectrum Act to remove state and local barriers to deployment, such as unfair and unreasonable fees," Pai said. The agency should reform pole attachments rules and develop a model code for communities that "want to encourage broadband deployment for their citizens and to attract new businesses and startups," he said.

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai Tuesday laid out a vision for tacking the digital divide, backing gigabit opportunity zones in some of the nation’s more economically challenged areas. “Significant tax incentives would be provided to spur private-sector gigabit broadband deployment,” said Pai in a speech in Cincinnati. Businesses would get incentives to create jobs through a tax credit that offsets the employer’s share of payroll taxes. Pai also urged the FCC to move forward on the second phase of a mobility fund, which was a hot topic at CTIA last week (see 1609090016). The new phase should provide” tech-neutral performance metrics,” eliminate duplicative support, maintain “support where it is needed,” and be based on current needs, he said. The FCC should also “increase the build-out obligations of wireless carriers and incentivize rural broadband investment by extending license terms up to 15 years,” he said. “Sadly, there is a real and growing digital divide in this country,” Pai said. “Although gigabit services and mobile broadband are becoming common features of wealthier, metropolitan areas, they aren’t universal. Almost 34 million Americans don’t have access to the broadband networks needed to fully participate in the digital economy.” Pai released both highlights of his proposal and the text of his speech. Pai also urged the commission, working with Congress, to take steps to speed broadband facility siting. "The FCC should use its existing authority under sections 253 and 332 of the Communications Act and section 6409 of the Spectrum Act to remove state and local barriers to deployment, such as unfair and unreasonable fees," Pai said. The agency should reform pole attachments rules and develop a model code for communities that "want to encourage broadband deployment for their citizens and to attract new businesses and startups," he said.