Charter asked the FCC to waive certain of its obligations for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The provider found some overlaps in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, said Wednesday's petition in docket 19-126. A waiver would be in the public interest because it "returns a proportionate amount of RDOF support that the commission can use to support universal service," Charter said. It made a similar request last year when it asked to exclude parts of New York from RDOF funding because it already planned to expand broadband to certain census bocks (see 2004290009).

The FCC Wireline Bureau granted Community Care of West Virginia's request to review two Universal Service Administrative Co. decisions denying its request to recalculate 32 FY 2018 funding commitments, an order said Wednesday. The bureau directed USAC to revise CCWV's funding commitments because its urban rates had been publicly available.

Charter asked the FCC to waive certain of its obligations for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction. The provider found some overlaps in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin, said Wednesday's petition in docket 19-126. A waiver would be in the public interest because it "returns a proportionate amount of RDOF support that the commission can use to support universal service," Charter said. It made a similar request last year when it asked to exclude parts of New York from RDOF funding because it already planned to expand broadband to certain census bocks (see 2004290009).

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday released a draft order for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund. The draft would adopt several proposals sought by education advocates and trade groups but excludes wireless providers' bid to include smartphones (see 2104060042). Rosenworcel thanked Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr's "encouragement to share a draft with the public." Ex parte presentations on ECF are prohibited after Wednesday at 6 p.m. EDT, said a public notice in docket 21-93. Rosenworcel says commissioners will likely vote on the rules by mid-May (see 2104140041). The program would mirror existing E-rate rules for eligibility and includes tribal libraries. Schools and libraries aren't required to be existing E-rate participants to apply, but entities not eligible for E-rate support won't be eligible for ECF. The draft puts Universal Service Administrative Co. in charge of administering funds. USAC will issue funding decision commitment letters for 50% of workable applications within 60 days after the first application window closes, 70% of workable applications within 100 days. Schools that bought services and equipment during the pandemic will be given priority in the first window, with any remaining funds awarded during a second one. USAC would make public pricing data for eligible services and equipment to put applicants in a "better bargaining position." Participating providers wouldn't be required to have eligible telecom carrier designation to contract with a school or library. The draft doesn't exclude providers participating in the emergency broadband benefit program from providing services through ECF. The draft lists Wi-Fi hot spots, modems, routers, combined modem-router devices and connected devices as eligible equipment. The commission defined connected devices as "laptop computers and tablet computers that are capable of connecting to advanced telecommunications and information services." Smartphones were excluded because they "lack the full functionality students, school staff, and library patrons need." There's limited exception for network construction because "in some instances, there is simply no commercially available service for purchase available to reach students, school staff, and library patrons in their homes." The document doesn't set minimum service standards. Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen, while backing the quick turnaround in a statement, was "disappointed that the draft order does not provide schools and libraries more flexibility" and doesn't "grant SHLB's request to waive a rule to let schools and libraries extend service from their buildings to surrounding households."

Citing "extraordinary circumstances," FCC acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday released a draft order for the $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund. The draft would adopt several proposals sought by education advocates and trade groups but excludes wireless providers' bid to include smartphones (see 2104060042). Rosenworcel thanked Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr's "encouragement to share a draft with the public." Ex parte presentations on ECF are prohibited after Wednesday at 6 p.m. EDT, said a public notice in docket 21-93. Rosenworcel says commissioners will likely vote on the rules by mid-May (see 2104140041). The program would mirror existing E-rate rules for eligibility and includes tribal libraries. Schools and libraries aren't required to be existing E-rate participants to apply, but entities not eligible for E-rate support won't be eligible for ECF. The draft puts Universal Service Administrative Co. in charge of administering funds. USAC will issue funding decision commitment letters for 50% of workable applications within 60 days after the first application window closes, 70% of workable applications within 100 days. Schools that bought services and equipment during the pandemic will be given priority in the first window, with any remaining funds awarded during a second one. USAC would make public pricing data for eligible services and equipment to put applicants in a "better bargaining position." Participating providers wouldn't be required to have eligible telecom carrier designation to contract with a school or library. The draft doesn't exclude providers participating in the emergency broadband benefit program from providing services through ECF. The draft lists Wi-Fi hot spots, modems, routers, combined modem-router devices and connected devices as eligible equipment. The commission defined connected devices as "laptop computers and tablet computers that are capable of connecting to advanced telecommunications and information services." Smartphones were excluded because they "lack the full functionality students, school staff, and library patrons need." There's limited exception for network construction because "in some instances, there is simply no commercially available service for purchase available to reach students, school staff, and library patrons in their homes." The document doesn't set minimum service standards. Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition Executive Director John Windhausen, while backing the quick turnaround in a statement, was "disappointed that the draft order does not provide schools and libraries more flexibility" and doesn't "grant SHLB's request to waive a rule to let schools and libraries extend service from their buildings to surrounding households."

Commenters in docket 15-94 on FCC-proposed changes to wireless emergency alerts, state emergency communications committees (SECCs) and false alert reporting rules largely supported the plans. Some raised concerns about alert fatigue, confidentiality and how future “presidential” alerts should be designated to avoid public backlash. Proposed rule changes in a unanimously approved March NPRM (see 2103170070) stem from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which gives the FCC until June 30 to implement new rules.

Groups representing smaller carriers emphasized the importance of giving carriers with fewer than 2 million subscribers priority as the FCC establishes rules to pay for ripping and replacing network gear from Chinese vendors. Huawei protested any requirement that equipment be removed from networks and said the program should be voluntary. The FCC should be aware that a global shortage of chipsets (see 2104120057) could complicate replacement, USTelecom warned. Comments were posted Tuesday in docket 18-89.

Five of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's 180 centers nationwide already have the technology and staff training to handle text-to-988 and chat messages, and it's not clear whether they will need more if the FCC mandates that providers support texting 988, we're told. Kim Williams, CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, which administers Lifeline, said the Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is working on a report that would include recommendations. SAMHSA said it's partnering with the FCC and carriers on the approach to implementing three-digit functionality for Lifeline. It said the ability of call centers to accommodate text-based utilization "has been -- and will continue to be -- a focus of the hotline’s operations." The FCC will vote at its April meeting on a Further NPRM on text-to-988 requirements and a possible July 16, 2022, implementation deadline (see 2103310054).

Big wireless carriers sounded the alarm about California considering a connections-based USF contribution mechanism. Some wireline companies and consumer advocates supported the change, in Monday comments at the California Public Utilities Commission. They highlighted ways to mitigate possible regressive impacts of moving from a revenue-based mechanism for California’s public purpose programs (PPPs). Oklahoma and Nebraska commissions may soon adopt state USF contribution changes, said agency officials in those states.

Commissioners OK'd rules 4-0 for round two of the COVID-19 telehealth program, the FCC announced Tuesday. They denied an American Hospital Association petition for reconsideration to include for-profit hospitals as eligible providers. Nearly $250 million will be awarded during the second round. The commission created an application filing window rather than a rolling basis for accepting applications because "smaller providers with more limited resources may have faced difficulties quickly compiling their applications." The filing window is expected to open within 30 days. The FCC will announce this start date "very shortly," said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Round one applicants that didn't receive funding must submit a new application for round two and "will receive an increase in points in Round 2 which are not available to other Round 2 applicants," the order said. Universal Service Administrative Co. will administer funds again, prioritizing applications from the hardest-hit and low-income areas, unfunded round one applicants, tribal communities, critical access hospitals, federally qualified health centers, healthcare provider shortage areas, new round two applicants and rural counties. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said the rules give "significant weight to applications proposing to serve low-income communities" and included some of his proposed edits. Rules "strike the right balance between ensuring a wide and equitable distribution of funding and promoting the widest possible participation of health care providers," said Commissioner Brendan Carr. Commissioner Nathan Simington didn't release a statement. The FCC extended from six to 12 months the time applicants may receive funding, saying "providers will likely continue to rely on telehealth and connected care services as a critical means of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic through at least a good portion of 2022." Funds will be awarded in two phases, as expected (see 2103170047). The first $150 million goes to highest-scoring applicants. After a 10-day period, USAC will re-rank the remaining applicants and disburse the remaining funds. The commission kept in place eligibility requirements for providers from round one, and applicants needing to obtain approved eligibility determination must do so only for the "lead health care provider" listed on the application. If an applicant has multiple sites on their application, they must certify only that all sites listed are eligible. The order said its eligible services list is broad enough to provide "the flexibility needed to respond to rapidly evolving situations" and includes guidance on ineligible services.