Senate Commerce Committee members delivered the opening salvos in what’s expected to be a vigorous debate over what Congress should include in a broadband title in coming infrastructure legislation, during a Wednesday hearing, as expected (see 2103160001). Committee Republicans cited lingering concerns about the speed of federal work to improve broadband coverage data, after an FCC announcement that it believes improved broadband coverage data maps won’t be available until at least late 2022 (see 2102170052).
The FCC Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force unanimously approved an interim report Friday from the Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands Working Group. The ag task force heard an update from the commission’s new Broadband Data Task Force (see 2103110050).
Congress and the FCC should “explore how to improve” the Telecom Act as a way to revamp “our system of universal service contributions,” acting commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in letters to Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., released Friday. The GOP leaders wrote Rosenworcel in February to raise concerns about long-term funding sustainability. The current USF funding mechanism “is based on assessments to the interstate portion of carriers’ end-user telecommunications revenues” that are “born out” of the 1996 law, Rosenworcel said. The FCC recognizes its “important responsibilities as a steward” of USF and its Wireline Bureau is exploring reinterpreting statute to allow program funding to be used for remote learning (see 2102080054). “We will be mindful” of the senators’ concerns, “including how this effort could complement other sources of funding, the need to engage in reasoned analysis by experts at the agency including the Office of Economics and Analytics, how to account for school needs in light of remote learning and re-opening plans, and how to develop smart programmatic controls,” Rosenworcel said.
Providers are gearing up to offer discounted services through the FCC emergency broadband benefit program. The $3.2 billion program is expected to help millions of low-income consumers and those hit hardest by the pandemic (see 2102260058).
Providers are gearing up to offer discounted services through the FCC emergency broadband benefit program. The $3.2 billion program is expected to help millions of low-income consumers and those hit hardest by the pandemic (see 2102260058).
Providers are gearing up to offer discounted services through the FCC emergency broadband benefit program. The $3.2 billion program is expected to help millions of low-income consumers and those hit hardest by the pandemic (see 2102260058).
California could switch to connections-based USF contribution by Jan. 1. The California Public Utilities Commission said Friday it plans to vote Thursday on a proposal to open a rulemaking seeking a “straightforward and flexible" mechanism to fund California universal service public purpose programs (PPPs). The current mechanism based on a percentage of intrastate revenue “is not sustainable due to the continuing decline of intrastate revenue billing base being reported by service providers,” said the proposal. The current surcharge is about 7.75%, and the intrastate revenue base declined by more than 58% to $6.43 billion in 2020, from $15.41 billion in 2012, it said. The proposal contributes the decline partly to the FCC classifying text messaging as an information service, which stymied a 2019 CPUC plan to assess SMS (see 1901310023). The CPUC last year doubled surcharges for two USF programs. It also plans to vote Thursday on a proposal to require open access for middle-mile infrastructure funded by the California Advanced Services Fund (see 2102230018) and a $1.3 million proposed fine for Frontier Communications for 2019 service-quality failures (see 2101140058).
California could switch to connections-based USF contribution by Jan. 1. The California Public Utilities Commission said Friday it plans to vote Thursday on a proposal to open a rulemaking seeking a “straightforward and flexible" mechanism to fund California universal service public purpose programs (PPPs). The current mechanism based on a percentage of intrastate revenue “is not sustainable due to the continuing decline of intrastate revenue billing base being reported by service providers,” said the proposal. The current surcharge is about 7.75%, and the intrastate revenue base declined by more than 58% to $6.43 billion in 2020, from $15.41 billion in 2012, it said. The proposal contributes the decline partly to the FCC classifying text messaging as an information service, which stymied a 2019 CPUC plan to assess SMS (see 1901310023). The CPUC last year doubled surcharges for two USF programs. It also plans to vote Thursday on a proposal to require open access for middle-mile infrastructure funded by the California Advanced Services Fund (see 2102230018) and a $1.3 million proposed fine for Frontier Communications for 2019 service-quality failures (see 2101140058).
The FCC released rules for the $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program Friday. The order adopted several recommendations that commissioners sought, including a uniform start date for participating providers and a streamlined approval process for noneligible telecom carriers (ETCs). Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the rules Thursday (see 2102250066). Commissioner Brendan Carr's statement Friday showed he voted to approve in part and concur in part.
Democrats and Republicans appeared to be drawing battle lines before a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Wednesday over whether broadcasters, cable companies and streaming services should continue to carry conservative media outlets that critics claim deliberately disseminate disinformation. Lobbyists expect the hearing to largely be a venue to score political points, rather than a precursor to legislation. The virtual hearing begins at 12:30 p.m. EST.