Broadband-only providers' statutory right to pole attachments isn't a significant issue because there are so few such providers and it's easy enough for them to expand their offerings beyond that to get pole attachment rights. That's according to a Federalist Society panel Monday about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's Mozilla remand. There were no pro-Title II panelists, and such allies didn’t comment immediately. That title is part of the Telecom Act.

Broadening the USF contribution base won't harm broadband adoption, a report commissioned by NTCA said Thursday. The Berkley Research Group paper suggested a 1% USF contribution surcharge for broadband could reduce consumer broadband demand by 0.08%. Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Don Young, R-Alaska, led filing Tuesday of the Universal Broadband Act to codify that broadband is within USF's scope (see 2005050064). “Long-term viability of the Universal Service Fund is essential,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. She said the program "could be at risk if we keep ‘kicking the can down the road’ on addressing the shaky foundation of an ever-escalating and volatile contributions mechanism." Bloomfield told us earlier this spring that as new USF programs such as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are added, policymakers must address revenue that supports subsidies. "There's only so many coins you can find under the couch cushion," she said of existing contribution methodology that relies on long-distance voice revenue.

Broadening the USF contribution base won't harm broadband adoption, a report commissioned by NTCA said Thursday. The Berkley Research Group paper suggested a 1% USF contribution surcharge for broadband could reduce consumer broadband demand by 0.08%. Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Don Young, R-Alaska, led filing Tuesday of the Universal Broadband Act to codify that broadband is within USF's scope (see 2005050064). “Long-term viability of the Universal Service Fund is essential,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. She said the program "could be at risk if we keep ‘kicking the can down the road’ on addressing the shaky foundation of an ever-escalating and volatile contributions mechanism." Bloomfield told us earlier this spring that as new USF programs such as the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund are added, policymakers must address revenue that supports subsidies. "There's only so many coins you can find under the couch cushion," she said of existing contribution methodology that relies on long-distance voice revenue.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is eyeing legislation as a potential way to speed the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, among other actions to improve connectivity amid COVID-19. The committee plans a Wednesday hearing to examine the "state of broadband" during the epidemic and related legislative proposals. Other senators also filed broadband-centric bills Thursday.

Rural Wireless Association representatives asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff about the timing of a prohibition on carriers receiving USF support to buy Huawei and ZTE equipment. RWA representatives expressed concern about how the FCC will interpret provisions of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act and FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 18-89. RWA asked whether the rule “goes into effect prior to August 14, 2020 pursuant to the 2019 NDAA or whether the FCC must develop a specific list of prohibited Huawei and ZTE equipment and services prior to March 11, 2021 pursuant to the Secure Networks Act." If the FCC concludes “USF support is akin to a loan and grant as defined under Section 889 of the 2019 NDAA, then RWA is concerned that its members may no longer be able to use universal service funding for the operation of Huawei or ZTE networks after August 13." Representatives of Mavenir, Nokia, Panhandle Telephone Co-op, Pine Belt Cellular and Strata Networks participated.

Some industry groups said mobile and fixed broadband are considered complementary, not substitute services, in docket 20-60 comments this week for the FCC's communications market competitiveness report to Congress. Measuring available broadband access must be done by looking at both fixed and mobile service availability, Incompas said, criticizing using form 477 data for measurement and saying broadband services should be counted only if physically available. It also urged a separate assessment of business data services. NTCA said universal support in rural areas should target both fixed and mobile networks. Policies often protect incumbents from new competition, an example being Communications Act Section 224 -- granting nondiscriminatory access to investor-owned utility poles -- not covering providers that aren't carriers or cable ISPs, said Google Fiber. It said state laws barring or limiting municipal broadband mean new entrants can't negotiate public-private partnerships or use those muni open access networks. New entrants that aren't telecom carriers or video programming providers with a state or local franchise also have difficulty getting access to public rights of way, it said. Rural Digital Opportunity Fund rules need to be technology neutral and satellite broadband shouldn't be blocked from competing for high-cost customers, Hughes said.

There's no consensus whether mobile and fixed communications services are complementary or substitutes in docket 20-60 comments this week for the FCC's communications market competitiveness report to Congress. The agency got requests for further smoothing access to poles and rights of way for wireline broadband access.

With COVID-19 disproportionately affecting minority and disadvantaged communities, the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment's working groups adjusted their focus to grapple with the pandemic, according to work plans presented Tuesday at the group’s teleconferenced first meeting under its new charter. Along with reacting to the virus, the committee’s working groups laid out plans for workshops and events aimed at increasing diversity among communications companies. “When the country catches a cold, the most vulnerable catch the flu,” said Brookings Institution Fellow Nicol Turner-Lee and Diversity in Tech WG chair.

The auto industry tried a new way Tuesday to preserve 5.9 GHz for safety. The Auto Innovation Alliance said it reached a “landmark consensus” on how the band could be used by vehicle-to-everything, cellular V2X and dedicated short-range communications systems. But industry and FCC officials said the plan from the main auto industry association likely won’t get much traction at the agency. Commissioners agreed 5-0 in December to examine revised rules, reallocating 45 MHz for Wi-Fi, with 20 reserved for C-V2X and possibly 10 MHz for DSRC (see 1912180019).

Industry, policymakers and consumer advocates are seeking new ways to expand Lifeline enrollment and benefits in response to the public health and economic crisis, we're told. Some advocates are pursuing emergency funding to provide a more robust residential broadband Lifeline benefit to meet the demands of working and learning at home. Stay-at-home orders put restraints on Lifeline promotion and enrollment.