Lifeline customers who violate the program’s “one per household” rule will be given 30 days notice that they have to select one telco or be dropped from the program, the FCC told the Universal Service Administrative Company. In a letter Friday, Wireline Bureau Chief Sharon Gillett said USAC will direct eligible telecommunication carriers to call Lifeline subscribers or to send a written note “where possible” when duplicative services have been uncovered. “Once the chosen ETC notifies USAC and the competing ETC of the customer’s choice, the selected ETC may seek reimbursement for the customer, while the other ETC must de-enroll the customer from its Lifeline service,” Gillett wrote. “We believe this approach will not only protect the fund against waste, fraud and abuse … but would also provide an incentive for ETCs to better educate their customers about the Lifeline program and increase their due diligence prior to initiating service to a low-income consumer.”

The digital era requires policymakers to change fundamental assumptions, Blair Levin, who headed the team that wrote the FCC’s National Broadband Plan, said in a speech last week. Levin, who spoke at the Minority Media and Telecom Council conference, said the way the Universal Service Fund is structured makes little sense now. “We'll spend $20,000 a line a year to subsidize a line to a second home but almost nothing to connect unserved homes and to help people who are digitally illiterate,” he said. “Actually, it’s worse. We assess those unserved and the digitally illiterate homes every month to pay for subsidies for areas and people far better off. … What is the economic or moral principle that justifies that?” Spectrum is allocated based on the market of 60 years ago, Levin added. “We provide educational content over the platform developed by Gutenberg-textbooks-instead of that developed by Bezos and Jobs, even though e-books are better for education and cheaper,” he said. “We provide emergency alerts on a one-way, nondynamic, location-ignorant platform that Americans are only occasionally connected to instead of the two-way, dynamic, location aware platform most Americans are next to 24/7, one that would be far more effective in an emergency.”

The digital era requires policymakers to change fundamental assumptions, Blair Levin, who headed the team that wrote the FCC’s National Broadband Plan, said in a speech last week. Levin, who spoke at the Minority Media and Telecom Council conference, said the way the Universal Service Fund is structured makes little sense now. “We'll spend $20,000 a line a year to subsidize a line to a second home but almost nothing to connect unserved homes and to help people who are digitally illiterate,” he said. “Actually, it’s worse. We assess those unserved and the digitally illiterate homes every month to pay for subsidies for areas and people far better off. … What is the economic or moral principle that justifies that?” Spectrum is allocated based on the market of 60 years ago, Levin added. “We provide educational content over the platform developed by Gutenberg-textbooks-instead of that developed by Bezos and Jobs, even though e-books are better for education and cheaper,” he said. “We provide emergency alerts on a one-way, nondynamic, location-ignorant platform that Americans are only occasionally connected to instead of the two-way, dynamic, location aware platform most Americans are next to 24/7, one that would be far more effective in an emergency.”

The FCC will consider reverse auctions as part of its overhaul of the universal service fund, two commission officials confirmed. The FCC is already structuring a pilot program that would allow reverse auctions for the mobility fund, but Chairman Julius Genachowksi’s proposed rulemaking notice sets up a separate set of reverse auctions, the officials said.

The FCC will consider reverse auctions as part of its overhaul of the universal service fund, two commission officials confirmed. The FCC is already structuring a pilot program that would allow reverse auctions for the mobility fund, but Chairman Julius Genachowski’s proposed rulemaking notice sets up a separate set of reverse auctions, the officials said.

FCC Commissioner Meredith Baker wants more attention given to satellite spectrum repurposing or incentive auctions, and less for now to broadcasters’ spectrum, she suggested in a recorded interview that was to have aired over the weekend and run again Monday. Speaking on C-SPAN’s The Communicators, she renewed her call for a comprehensive approach to spectrum policy. It must go beyond the recent conversations about redeploying TV stations’ airwaves for wireless broadband and focus on satellite and other areas, she said last week.

Broadband, public-safety spectrum and cybersecurity are priorities this year for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., he said Thursday. He said he plans “to fight to bring modern day protections for consumers and accountability to fraudsters, promote high-tech job creation and competitiveness, and keep Americans safe, secure, and on the move.” Rockefeller’s jobs agenda includes promoting broadband deployment and revamping the Universal Service Fund, he said. On homeland security, Rockefeller wants to enact comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, and give public safety the “communications resources” it needs. His consumer protection agenda includes protecting consumer information and privacy online, fighting online billing scams and stopping distracted driving. And Commerce plans to continue oversight of the FCC and other federal agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction.

Broadband, public-safety spectrum and cybersecurity are priorities this year for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., he said Thursday. He said he plans “to fight to bring modern day protections for consumers and accountability to fraudsters, promote high-tech job creation and competitiveness, and keep Americans safe, secure, and on the move.” Rockefeller’s jobs agenda includes promoting broadband deployment and revamping the Universal Service Fund, he said. On homeland security, Rockefeller wants to enact comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, and give public safety the “communications resources” it needs. His consumer protection agenda includes protecting consumer information and privacy online, fighting online billing scams and stopping distracted driving. And Commerce plans to continue oversight of the FCC and other federal agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. plans to re-introduce his spectrum bill early this Congress, said John Branscome, his counsel on the committee, during a State of the Net panel late Tuesday. Spectrum is a priority for committee Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, with a bill introduction coming in the next week or a month or so, said Brian Hendricks, committee general counsel. The incentive auction proposal has received a great deal of attention, said Hendricks: “In our view, probably too much attention.” Hutchison thinks there’s “great promise” in releasing more spectrum but there’s been “too much fixation on broadcasters’ spectrum,” he said. There are plenty of other opportunities like freeing up government spectrum and unleashing unlicensed spectrum, he said. The good news is spectrum is a very bipartisan issue, he said: “You're going to see a number of bill introductions very soon.” New spectrum legislation could take a lot of time, said Roger Sherman, chief counsel for the House Communications Subcommittee. Meanwhile, the D-Block auction remains Rockefeller’s priority, said Branscome. Online privacy concerns aren’t going away, said Neil Fried, House Commerce Committee counsel. The issue appears to be “bipartisan non-consensus,” he said. Self-regulation has largely failed, said Branscome, citing recent reports from the FTC and NTIA. There’s great interest in looking at privacy legislation in the Senate, said Hendricks. On Universal Service Fund and access revamp, it’s a good thing that the FCC is looking at the low-hanging fruit, Hendricks said. Sherman said it’s important to look at whether some subsidies are still necessary and at duplicate subsidies.

Ohio’s new telecom rules kicked in Jan. 20, replacing rules on the books since 1989. While proponents believe the new rules reflect changes in the industry and establish a level playing field, consumer advocates warned of potential rate hikes and less consumer protection, both sides said in interviews. The legislature passed the Ohio Telecom Modernization Act earlier last year.