The FCC unanimously adopted an order to offer rural telcos more USF support in exchange for deploying more 25/3 Mbps broadband, as some expected (see 1812100052). The main elements appear largely the same as in a draft (see 1811210032). "Many more rural Americans will have access to high-speed broadband service," said Chairman Ajit Pai. A key lawmaker and RLEC groups praised the rate-of-return USF item -- which includes a reconsideration order and Further NPRM -- approved at commissioners' meeting Wednesday.

To improve FCC mapping, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel suggested "three C’s of broadband cartography." They are coordination with state public service commissions and the departments of Commerce and Agriculture and Ag's Rural Utilities Service; having correct information; and creative ideas like a Mobility Fund (MF) pre-auction audit by Universal Service Administrative Co. Friday's announcement of an FCC probe of carrier accuracy for MF Phase II broadband maps (see 1812070048) "is a welcome development," she told a Pew event Tuesday according to prepared remarks, but "we have a mess on our hands." So "while this investigation proceeds, we have a golden opportunity to revisit our wireless deployment data and rethink how we populate our maps," she said. It's good that earlier in 2018, the FCC, after more than three years, updated the National Broadband Map, but the wired broadband map had inaccuracies, she said. Her home was wrongly listed as having broadband services available that it actually lacked, she said. The agency declined to comment.

To improve FCC mapping, Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel suggested "three C’s of broadband cartography." They are coordination with state public service commissions and the departments of Commerce and Agriculture and Ag's Rural Utilities Service; having correct information; and creative ideas like a Mobility Fund (MF) pre-auction audit by Universal Service Administrative Co. Friday's announcement of an FCC probe of carrier accuracy for MF Phase II broadband maps (see 1812070048) "is a welcome development," she told a Pew event Tuesday according to prepared remarks, but "we have a mess on our hands." So "while this investigation proceeds, we have a golden opportunity to revisit our wireless deployment data and rethink how we populate our maps," she said. It's good that earlier in 2018, the FCC, after more than three years, updated the National Broadband Map, but the wired broadband map had inaccuracies, she said. Her home was wrongly listed as having broadband services available that it actually lacked, she said. The agency declined to comment.

The FCC will investigate if top wireless carriers submitted incorrect coverage maps in violation of Mobility Fund Phase II rules, Chairman Ajit Pai said Friday. The commission suspended the window for responding to MF-II challenges until the probe’s conclusion. Carriers said they'll cooperate. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, state commissioners and rural competitive carriers welcomed investigation, saying more work is needed.

The FCC will investigate if top wireless carriers submitted incorrect coverage maps in violation of Mobility Fund Phase II rules, Chairman Ajit Pai said Friday. The commission suspended the window for responding to MF-II challenges until the probe’s conclusion. Carriers said they'll cooperate. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, state commissioners and rural competitive carriers welcomed investigation, saying more work is needed.

An FCC declaratory order to clarify wireless messaging as a Title I information service, rather than a more regulated telecom service, appears headed to a 3-1 vote Wednesday, with a dissent expected by Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, industry officials said. Twilio sought Communications Act Title II classification for texting in 2015, after the FCC classified broadband as a Title II service (see 1510130040).

An FCC declaratory order to clarify wireless messaging as a Title I information service, rather than a more regulated telecom service, appears headed to a 3-1 vote Wednesday, with a dissent expected by Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, industry officials said. Twilio sought Communications Act Title II classification for texting in 2015, after the FCC classified broadband as a Title II service (see 1510130040).

Rural healthcare advocates voiced "frustration with the lack of transparency" in the RHC program "and the pace of funding decisions for 2018 applicants." The application window closed in June "and yet the total demand for funding (which is not difficult to calculate) has not yet been released," wrote John Windhausen, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition executive director, on meetings he and telehealth representatives had with FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, aides and Wireline Bureau staffers, posted Wednesday in docket 17-310. "No applicants we spoke to had received any funding decisions, and ... the lack of information is making it very difficult for applicants to plan." They cited "possible concern" about a recent Universal Service Administrative Co. statement "indicated that eligible single-year applications would be fully funded, which implies that applicants who did not request single-year funding might not be fully funded."

The FCC would give rural telcos monthly model-based USF support of $200 per location if they adopt new commitments to build out 25/3 Mbps broadband, under a draft order issued Wednesday. It would also seek to firm up support for rate-of-return (RoR) carriers still on legacy support in exchange for increased 25/3 Mbps deployment. The tentative agenda issued for the Dec. 12 commissioners' meeting also includes draft items on a new high-band 5G spectrum auction, a communications market report, a quadrennial review, media modernization, a robocall-related reassigned number database (here) and wireless messaging classification (here), as announced Tuesday by Chairman Ajit Pai (see 1811200048).

Parties disagreed on the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act's fallout for an FCC's rulemaking to protect the communications supply chain from national security threats. The Telecommunications Industry Association said NDAA Section 889 requires the commission to bar certain suppliers from participating in its funding programs. Huawei -- one of the targeted suppliers -- and others said the recently enacted provisions give the FCC no mandate to impose supplier restrictions on USF support. NCTA suggested the commission defer action and consult with other agencies. Comments were posted through Monday on a public notice (see 1810260044).