California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and state legislators expect to talk broadband, after the governor set a goal of 100 Mbps download speeds through executive order Friday, said the governor’s office and an aide to Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D) this week. Legislators are weighing two bills to raise the state standard from 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload for the California Advanced Services Fund. The executive order put legislative negotiations in flux, said Electronic Frontier Foundation Senior Legislative Counsel Ernesto Falcon.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and state legislators expect to talk broadband, after the governor set a goal of 100 Mbps download speeds through executive order Friday, said the governor’s office and an aide to Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D) this week. Legislators are weighing two bills to raise the state standard from 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload for the California Advanced Services Fund. The executive order put legislative negotiations in flux, said Electronic Frontier Foundation Senior Legislative Counsel Ernesto Falcon.

The FCC cut Sioux Falls School District 49-5, in South Dakota, a break after it saw its E-rate funding slashed for funding year 2016 because it entered the wrong dollar amount on one application line. The district “unsuccessfully made several attempts to correct the error” with Universal Service Administrative Co. and sought FCC review, said an order released Monday. The Wireline Bureau initially rejected the request. “Consistent with Commission precedent, we find good cause to waive our rules to allow Sioux Falls’ appeal of the USAC decision to be filed outside the 60-day filing deadline and to permit the correction of the clerical error,” the FCC said.

The Tanana Chiefs Conference of Fairbanks, Alaska, urged the FCC Tuesday to take “expedited action" to review a Universal Service Administrative Co. decision denying its request to file three FCC Form 466 USF Rural Health Care Program funding applications outside the FY 2016 filing window. TCC cited President Donald Trump’s Monday executive order, which made permanent for rural communities an expansion of Medicare recipients’ eligibility to receive 135 types of services via telehealth (see 2008040068). The White House “tasked” the FCC “to work with other government agencies to ‘develop and implement a strategy to improve rural health by improving the physical and communications healthcare infrastructure available to rural Americans,’” TCC counsel Ronald Quirk said in a filing in docket 02-60. “Granting TCC’s Waiver Request comports with” the EO since “failure to grant … would result in the communities served by TCC suffering serious hardships if funding for the subject health clinics is denied.”

The Tanana Chiefs Conference of Fairbanks, Alaska, urged the FCC Tuesday to take “expedited action" to review a Universal Service Administrative Co. decision denying its request to file three FCC Form 466 USF Rural Health Care Program funding applications outside the FY 2016 filing window. TCC cited President Donald Trump’s Monday executive order, which made permanent for rural communities an expansion of Medicare recipients’ eligibility to receive 135 types of services via telehealth (see 2008040068). The White House “tasked” the FCC “to work with other government agencies to ‘develop and implement a strategy to improve rural health by improving the physical and communications healthcare infrastructure available to rural Americans,’” TCC counsel Ronald Quirk said in a filing in docket 02-60. “Granting TCC’s Waiver Request comports with” the EO since “failure to grant … would result in the communities served by TCC suffering serious hardships if funding for the subject health clinics is denied.”

Network Communications International Corp. and Securus won't get USF contribution forbearance, FCC members ordered 5-0 Friday. That's "given the critical role" the fund "plays in bringing connectivity to rural and low income Americans, schools, libraries, and health care providers, and the statutory directive to collect equitable and non-discriminatory contributions from all providers of interstate telecommunications services." Both companies’ petitions were denied in an order saying inmate calling service providers must participate. "To exempt ICS providers from contributing to the Fund would undermine the broad funding base for universal service, would not be competitively neutral, and would not be in the public interest," said the order. “We’re basically taxing the people who should be benefiting from the USF,” said NCIC President Bill Pope in an interview. He was referring to those who are incarcerated and said he hasn’t decided whether he will try to challenge the FCC decision. A lawyer who has represented Securus didn't comment. NCIC wasn't expected to succeed in its request (see 2007170049).

The FCC approved a broadband mapping order and Further NPRM, as expected (see 2007140060), with changes to the draft circulated by Chairman Ajit Pai. He warned the FCC doesn't have the money to start mapping. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel partially dissented. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks concurred. Commissioners agreed to change the maximum buffers for wireline networks and will seek comment on rather than require infrastructure reporting by wireless providers. The maps are considered necessary to offering money through the 5G Fund (see 2006260057).

The FCC didn't budge on an implementation deadline that telecom interests said couldn't be met. The commission's 988 suicide prevention hotline order approved unanimously Thursday tried to mitigate some problems they face, Commissioner Mike O'Rielly said. No change to the two-year deadline was expected (see 2007150058) Telecoms argued universal implementation by that deadline is impossible (see 2006230022). Some commissioners disagreed.

Broaden the USF contribution base by including one-way VoIP services among contributors, the phone industry asked the FCC in comments posted through Tuesday in docket 06-122. "Given the rising contribution factor and the shrinking base of assessable services, the Commission should consider comprehensive USF reform that sets USF contributions on a sustainable path," USTelecom said. "While it is unlikely to make a noticeable difference to the contribution factor at this time, one way to begin addressing this issue in an incremental way is to broaden the base by including one-way VoIP services." Zoom wanted the FCC to ensure new obligations "are consistent with its long-standing commitment to fostering a regulatory environment that will invite investment in information services, including those that incorporate voice." Inaction on more comprehensive changes to USF contribution methodology threatens "the stability of USF funding and its mission to provide universal service nationwide," said the Ad Hoc Telecom Users Committee. Incompas urged comprehensive changes to contribution methodology, seeing the one-way VoIP matter as a distraction.

Broaden the USF contribution base by including one-way VoIP services among contributors, the phone industry asked the FCC in comments posted through Tuesday in docket 06-122. "Given the rising contribution factor and the shrinking base of assessable services, the Commission should consider comprehensive USF reform that sets USF contributions on a sustainable path," USTelecom said. "While it is unlikely to make a noticeable difference to the contribution factor at this time, one way to begin addressing this issue in an incremental way is to broaden the base by including one-way VoIP services." Zoom wanted the FCC to ensure new obligations "are consistent with its long-standing commitment to fostering a regulatory environment that will invite investment in information services, including those that incorporate voice." Inaction on more comprehensive changes to USF contribution methodology threatens "the stability of USF funding and its mission to provide universal service nationwide," said the Ad Hoc Telecom Users Committee. Incompas urged comprehensive changes to contribution methodology, seeing the one-way VoIP matter as a distraction.