As more people use telehealth amid the pandemic (see 2101250026), hearing-impaired patients face obstacles communicating with their doctors, experts said in recent interviews.
The FCC directed the Universal Service Administrative Co. to administer the remainder of round 1 and all of round 2 of the COVID-19 telehealth program, a report and order said Tuesday in docket 20-89. Congress appropriated $249.95 million for the second round in December. USAC's role will be limited to program administration only; it can't make policy decisions. The commission will hear from staff about additional steps being taken on the program during its Feb. 17 meeting (see 2101270060).
As more people use telehealth amid the pandemic (see 2101250026), hearing-impaired patients face obstacles communicating with their doctors, experts said in recent interviews.
The USF contribution factor continues to shatter records. Universal Service Administrative Co. released its quarterly demand projections Friday, and the contribution factor will increase from 31.8% in Q1 to a historic 32.7% for Q2, said analyst Billy Jack Gregg. It raises several questions about the fund’s sustainability (see 2012310027). Even if demand stays at the current level, the factor will continue to rise because the contribution base continues to decline, Gregg said.
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction winners must follow through on broadband promises, NARUC Telecom Committee members said in interviews last week. NARUC plans to vote at its Feb. 4-5 and 8-11 meeting on a draft resolution urging the FCC to scrutinize RDOF long-form applications (see 2101260033). Some commissioners raised doubts about fixed wireless and said they’re unfamiliar with entities that won federal dollars.
AT&T “updated our [Connect America Fund Phase II] submissions for Mississippi in December,” a spokesperson emailed Wednesday evening. Then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai indicated in a Jan. 15 letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., that the commission is “reviewing” Mississippi Public Service Commission claims that the carrier sent false information to Universal Service Administrative Co. and will need to “correct” the record by March 1 (see 2101270074). AT&T “will report additional Mississippi locations by March, as per the FCC’s rules, and we are pleased that we met the FCC’s end of year 2020 location requirement,” the spokesperson said now.
AT&T “updated our [Connect America Fund Phase II] submissions for Mississippi in December,” a spokesperson emailed Wednesday evening. Then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai indicated in a Jan. 15 letter to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., that the commission is “reviewing” Mississippi Public Service Commission claims that the carrier sent false information to Universal Service Administrative Co. and will need to “correct” the record by March 1 (see 2101270074). AT&T “will report additional Mississippi locations by March, as per the FCC’s rules, and we are pleased that we met the FCC’s end of year 2020 location requirement,” the spokesperson said now.
Let noneligible telecom carriers access Universal Service Administrative Co. data systems so they can immediately participate in the emergency broadband benefit program, NCTA, ACA Connects, the Wireless ISP Association and Incompas asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff, per a letter posted Thursday in docket 20-445 (see 2101260053). Consumers will be "deprived of the variety and quality of services that Congress intended the program to provide" if non-ETCs are unable to sign up customers and be reimbursed as existing Lifeline providers, the associations said.
Let noneligible telecom carriers access Universal Service Administrative Co. data systems so they can immediately participate in the emergency broadband benefit program, NCTA, ACA Connects, the Wireless ISP Association and Incompas asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff, per a letter posted Thursday in docket 20-445 (see 2101260053). Consumers will be "deprived of the variety and quality of services that Congress intended the program to provide" if non-ETCs are unable to sign up customers and be reimbursed as existing Lifeline providers, the associations said.
Court relief probably won’t come soon enough for rural Texas telcos facing large reductions in state USF support, but it may be their last option, said telecom association leaders in interviews. The Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative Inc. (TSTCI) and Texas Telephone Association (TTA) sued the Texas Public Utility Commission last week at Travis County District Court in Austin. About 50 small rural telcos are losing 60-70% of their Texas USF high-cost funding because commissioners refused last year to adopt a staff plan to double the contribution rate to 6.4%, they said.