The end of the FCC's Keep Americans Connected (KAC) pledge -- which was to have expired Tuesday -- won't necessarily mean a universal end of ISPs offering a safety net of modified broadband subscriber terms during the pandemic, companies and consumer advocates told us. They expect a patchwork response of a rollback of some terms and more emphasis on setting up payment plans. Resumption of data caps is expected, as reported in a previous installment in this series of stories about the novel coronavirus (see 2006180002).

Rollout of a nationwide three-digit suicide prevention hotline will be given two years, not 18 months, under a draft order to be on the FCC's July 16agenda, it said Tuesday. The longer timeframe is getting acceptance from the mental health community. Some telecom interests argued the 18-month implementation in the NPRM was too short a time frame (see 2002180021) and see two years as still problematic.

As broadband bills advance in states responding to the coronavirus, former acting and possibly next FCC Chair Mignon Clyburn said states will be at the “epicenter” of recovery work. Monday at the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities virtual conference, the Democrat sought an “uplifting and all-inclusive recovery” that would include a long-awaited USF contribution revamp and increasing Lifeline’s $9.25 monthly government-funded discount.

As broadband bills advance in states responding to the coronavirus, former acting and possibly next FCC Chair Mignon Clyburn said states will be at the “epicenter” of recovery work. Monday at the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities virtual conference, the Democrat sought an “uplifting and all-inclusive recovery” that would include a long-awaited USF contribution revamp and increasing Lifeline’s $9.25 monthly government-funded discount.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden of Oregon and 12 other Communications Subcommittee Republicans urged Appropriations Committee leaders Wednesday to allocate funding in FY 2021 legislation to implement the unfunded Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act broadband mapping law. President Donald Trump signed S-1822 in March (see 2003240049). The FCC seeks $65 million for S-1822 work via COVID-19 legislation (see 2003230066). “Once this law is implemented and funded, FCC and other agencies will be able to rely on accurate broadband maps when they distribute federal funds for broadband deployment,” the legislators wrote Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and ranking member Kay Granger, R-Texas. “The FCC currently spends about $8 billion dollars per year to support universal service of advanced telecommunications services, much of which supports broadband deployment to unserved areas.” Others signing the letter included Communications ranking member Bob Latta of Ohio and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

GAO accepted a 2018 request by then-House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois and seven other Commerce Committee Democrats to review FCC work to deploy its national verifier program to determine consumer eligibility for Lifeline funds, Commerce said. Now-House Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and now-Communications Chairman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania were among the Democrats seeking the probe (see 1801230075). GAO said in a scoping document accompanying a letter also released Wednesday it plans to “review FCC planning documentation, including the Verifier plans, cost-benefit analyses, training and consumer outreach documents, and implementation guidelines. We also plan to obtain information” from “other federal agencies that own relevant data to the Verifier; state government officials responsible for overseeing Lifeline or coordinating with FCC,” Lifeline providers and “consumer advocates and representatives of front-line organizations that work with lifeline-eligible populations.” GAO plans “a survey of public utility and social services officials" to understand how” Universal Service Administrative Co. “is working with them to implement the Verifier, including the extent to which FCC has established data sharing agreements with states.” The office plans to interview providers. The auditor “will analyze data on the Verifier’s performance." GAO plans “to complete our work and send a draft” to the FCC for comment this fall. The commission didn’t comment.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Greg Walden of Oregon and 12 other Communications Subcommittee Republicans urged Appropriations Committee leaders Wednesday to allocate funding in FY 2021 legislation to implement the unfunded Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act broadband mapping law. President Donald Trump signed S-1822 in March (see 2003240049). The FCC seeks $65 million for S-1822 work via COVID-19 legislation (see 2003230066). “Once this law is implemented and funded, FCC and other agencies will be able to rely on accurate broadband maps when they distribute federal funds for broadband deployment,” the legislators wrote Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., and ranking member Kay Granger, R-Texas. “The FCC currently spends about $8 billion dollars per year to support universal service of advanced telecommunications services, much of which supports broadband deployment to unserved areas.” Others signing the letter included Communications ranking member Bob Latta of Ohio and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

GAO accepted a 2018 request by then-House Communications Subcommittee member Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois and seven other Commerce Committee Democrats to review FCC work to deploy its national verifier program to determine consumer eligibility for Lifeline funds, Commerce said. Now-House Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and now-Communications Chairman Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania were among the Democrats seeking the probe (see 1801230075). GAO said in a scoping document accompanying a letter also released Wednesday it plans to “review FCC planning documentation, including the Verifier plans, cost-benefit analyses, training and consumer outreach documents, and implementation guidelines. We also plan to obtain information” from “other federal agencies that own relevant data to the Verifier; state government officials responsible for overseeing Lifeline or coordinating with FCC,” Lifeline providers and “consumer advocates and representatives of front-line organizations that work with lifeline-eligible populations.” GAO plans “a survey of public utility and social services officials" to understand how” Universal Service Administrative Co. “is working with them to implement the Verifier, including the extent to which FCC has established data sharing agreements with states.” The office plans to interview providers. The auditor “will analyze data on the Verifier’s performance." GAO plans “to complete our work and send a draft” to the FCC for comment this fall. The commission didn’t comment.

The FCC will defer Form 470 changes on E-rate drop-down menu options until funding year 2022, citing COVID-19, said a public notice Monday. Staff told Universal Service Administrative Co. to not deny applications due to a confusing option on the menu (see 1911180012).

The FCC will defer Form 470 changes on E-rate drop-down menu options until funding year 2022, citing COVID-19, said a public notice Monday. Staff told Universal Service Administrative Co. to not deny applications due to a confusing option on the menu (see 1911180012).