Sens. Burns (R-Mont.) and Allen (R-Va.) are in tight races for reelection, and if either lost it would strongly affect telecom on the Hill, according to interviews with lobbyists. Burns is in the most trouble, with Sept. 26-Oct. 2 Reuters poll data showing him down 4 points against Democrat Jon Tester. “Burns can’t be counted out because Montana is a conservative state,” website RealClear Politics said: “But Tester clearly has the edge heading into the home stretch.”
The FCC hastened reimbursement to an Alaskan telecom company for service to rural health clinics to spare the carrier money difficulties. The Wireline Bureau ordered immediate reimbursement under the Rural Health Care (RHC) universal service program, waiving rules requiring Unicom to wait until at least Nov. Unicom delivers broadband to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp. (YKHC), which runs clinics in small Alaskan villages. RHC reimbursement comes as a credit against a carrier’s Universal Service Fund contributions, so the reimbursement isn’t applied until late in the year, after the carrier’s USF contributions are calculated. But Unicom already has “a substantial credit” against its USF contributions because it paid out so much to support the RHC program, the bureau said. “Unicom would be owed millions of dollars by the time it would be reimbursed in full,” the FCC said: “Unicom is a small carrier but an active participant in the rural health care program and thus has one of the largest differentials between what it pays into and receives from the USF.” Adhering to payment rules would mean hardship for the company and put rural health care in Alaska “at risk by jeopardizing deployment of Unicom’s terrestrial broadband system,” it said. Lack of reimbursement also could put Unicom in breach of contract with the YKHC and subcontractors, the agency said.
The Senate telecom bill (HR-5252) would boost competition -- but only by “eviscerating important consumer protections,” said 3 Democrats in a long-awaited bill report filed Fri. The 5-1/2 page objection to the bill cites weak net neutrality regulation, lack of a buildout mandate for video providers and other criticisms. It was written by Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Sens. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Boxer (D-Cal.).
The S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff asked the PSC to let it keep running the state universal service fund. The staff agency -- part of the PSC until made autonomous by a 2004 S.C. law - during the summer solicited bids from outside vendors to run the fund and audit telcos’ compliance with the program, in the belief that 3rd parties could save the state money. But bids were far higher than expected. The agency told the PSC its people can manage the fund and audit telco compliance for less than any outside vendor. If the PSC agrees, the only USF aspect involving outside vendors would be audits of the staff’s fund administration.
The Senate telecom bill (HR-5252) would boost competition -- but only by “eviscerating important consumer protections,” said 3 Democrats in a long-awaited bill report filed Fri. The 5-1/2 page objection to the bill cites weak net neutrality regulation, lack of a buildout mandate for video providers, weakening of state consumer protection laws and preemption of state franchising laws. It was written by Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Sens. Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Boxer (D-Cal.).
Industry officials continued to battle over the Missoula Plan for reforming intercarrier compensation at an FCBA panel late Wed., with some panelists endorsing a “baby step” option as a temporary solution. Ore. PUC Comr. Ray Baum, who chaired the NARUC-sponsored task force that gave birth to the plan, said NARUC isn’t taking sides but the baby step idea is one of several options available to the industry.
The FCC Tues. approved a pilot program to connect health care providers to broadband networks, facilitating use of telemedicine to treat patients. The program will be financed by the Rural Health Care Fund (RHCF), an underutilized universal service program. The new program will be open to all nonprofit and public health providers, but will be particularly beneficial to those in rural areas, the FCC said. “People in rural and remote parts of our country… will benefit from the access to specialists and research that, until recently, was often only available in urban centers,” said FCC Comr. Tate.
The FCC Tues. approved a pilot program to connect health care providers to broadband networks, facilitating use of telemedicine to treat patients. The program will be financed by the Rural Health Care Fund (RHCF), an underutilized universal service program. The new program will be open to all nonprofit and public health providers, but will be particularly beneficial to those in rural areas, the FCC said. “People in rural and remote parts of our country… will benefit from the access to specialists and research that, until recently, was often only available in urban centers,” said FCC Comr. Tate.
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) swore he won’t section off the video franchising portion of his bill to ease its passage -- perhaps as an amendment to another bill. “We're going to deal with our bill as it is. We've got to get it to conference,” Stevens told media after a Progress & Freedom Foundation lunch. “Absolutely not,” Stevens said firmly, when a reporter asked if he'd consider attaching his bill to an appropriations bill: “This bill is going to be considered on its own merits.”
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) swore he won’t section off the video franchising portion of his bill to ease its passage -- perhaps as an amendment to another bill. “We're going to deal with our bill as it is. We've got to get it to conference,” Stevens told media after a Progress & Freedom Foundation lunch. “Absolutely not,” Stevens said firmly, when a reporter asked if he'd consider attaching his bill to an appropriations bill: “This bill is going to be considered on its own merits.”