The Universal Service Fund should be revised and the FCC should consider requiring contributions from tech companies, said a bipartisan group of current and former commissioners on a virtual panel Wednesday hosted by the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. The group, including former Chairs William Kennard and Richard Wiley, also discussed the lack of an FCC majority, the digital divide and media ownership.

SAN DIEGO -- States could speed 5G deployment by harmonizing rules for accessing poles and power, state commission staffers were told Sunday by wireless infrastructure industry officials at NARUC’s summer meeting. Meanwhile, the Telecom Staff Subcommittee cleared a resolution meant to increase affordable connectivity program (ACP) enrollment (see 2207080016).

As it looks to open up the 17 GHz band to geostationary orbit fixed satellite service downlinks, the FCC is also eyeing allowing using the band for non-geostationary orbit fixed satellite service downlinks, according to a draft order and NPRM on the agency's Aug. 5 meeting agenda. The draft items released Friday also include a draft order establishing an outreach grant for the affordable connectivity program and a draft order creating a one-year pilot program aimed at boosting enrollment among households receiving federal housing assistance.

NARUC should press states and the federal government to lower barriers, including through increased funding and awareness campaigns, to enrollment in the affordable connectivity program, Telecom Committee member Crystal Rhoades said in an interview Thursday. The Nebraska Public Service Commission’s lone Democrat said she doesn’t expect controversy over her proposed resolution, which is up for vote at NARUC’s July 17-20 policy summit in San Diego (see 2207060037). However, Next Century Cities Senior Policy Counsel Ryan Johnston raised concerns that the draft omits local governments’ key role in raising awareness.

Alaska’s attorney general disagreed with CTIA seeking no major changes to Alaska USF. The AG’s Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy Section (RAPA) supported -- while CTIA opposed -- switching to a connections-based contribution method, in comments last month at the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (see 2206140074). CTIA’s suggestion that the RCA sunset AUSF rather than repurpose it for broadband “is counter to the long-standing federal and state communications policy goals of universal service,” RAPA replied Tuesday in docket R-21-001. RCA hasn’t found “that preservation of universal service is no longer accomplished through the AUSF” or that the fund “no longer promotes the efficiency, availability, and affordability of universal telephone service in Alaska,” it said. CTIA sees “broad opposition” to repurposing AUSF for broadband, said the wireless association. Incoming federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is “extremely relevant” to RCA’s consideration and “weighs strongly against taking action at this time.” GCI supports continuing a limited state fund, it said. “AUSF support for broadband is illegal under Alaska law and not supported by good policy,” as would be including broadband in the contribution base, said the carrier: GCI would be OK with shifting to a connections-based method or keeping the current revenue-based surcharge. Alaska Communications supported “many aspects of RAPA’s proposal, in that it would refocus support to areas with the greatest need.” The company doesn’t agree “the RCA should require AUSF recipients serving both high and low density areas to meet generalized service metrics to show they have used support for the purposes intended,” it said. Adopting RAPA’s plan to assess broadband connections “would be inviting possible future invalidation of part or all of the AUSF program either through a direct legal challenge to the Commission’s regulations or indirectly through other state or federal litigation,” warned the Matanuska Telecom Association. The Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition urged the RCA to adopt connections-based contribution and focus subsidies on remote areas not connected by roads.

NARUC plans to weigh a draft resolution on increasing enrollment in the affordable connectivity program (ACP) at its July 17-20 policy summit in San Diego, said a list of resolutions released Wednesday. Also, NARUC will consider a draft by Virginia State Corporation Commission Judge Jehmal Hudson to commit the state utility regulator association to expanding diversity, equity and inclusion programming. State commissions, the FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Co. (USAC) should "work collaboratively with federal and state agencies that implement programs whose target participants are eligible for Lifeline and ACP to promote awareness ... among eligible households,” said the ACP resolution by Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades (D). The FCC and USAC should "establish agreements with federal and state departments of agriculture and the health and human services, and other federal and state agencies implementing programs that establish consumers’ eligibility for Lifeline and ACP,” it said. Fewer than 27% of 46.4 million eligible households are enrolled in ACP, compared with 79.9% of eligible people participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and 84% in Medicaid, noted the draft. Lifeline national verifier access to state SNAP and federal/state Medicaid databases "greatly improved the National Verifier's efficiency and accuracy in verifying eligibility and the ease of enrollment for low-income consumers,” but SNAP databases in more than half the states still haven't been connected "due to a number of barriers, including lack of funding,” it said.

Tech and public interest groups urged the FCC to close off the possibility of charging regulatory fees to users of unlicensed spectrum, while NAB -- which first raised the proposal -- pivoted to arguing for additional fees for broadband service providers, in comments on the agency’s 2022 regulatory fees in docket 22-223 filed by Tuesday’s deadline (see 2206010058).

In what's viewed as a major decision by the Supreme Court Thursday, justices didn’t overrule the Chevron doctrine but appeared to further clamp down on the ability of agencies like the FCC to regulate, absent clear direction from Congress. The opinion came in an environmental case, West Virginia v. EPA. Legal experts said the 6-3 decision likely presages that courts would overturn an FCC decision to classify broadband under Title II of the Communications Act.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige (R) plans to partly veto a bill passed by the legislature to require the University of Hawaii and state broadband office to convene a working group to determine governance for operating, maintaining and overseeing broadband assets, the governor’s office said Monday. SB-2076 appeared on a list of 30 bills that Ige intends to veto, though he has until July 12 to make final decisions. SB-2076, which also would appropriate funds for three full-time positions for the broadband office and the university’s broadband effort, is one of two bills “being considered for line-item vetoes of specific appropriations, including the over-appropriation of federal funds,” said the governor’s office: Hawaii “must operate within the federal Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements contained in the American Rescue Plan Act.” Also, Ige plans to veto HB-1980, which would permit but not require Medicaid, health insurers and others to cover telephonic behavioral health services. “While the intent of this bill is appreciated, its wording is vague and may allow insurance providers to restrict access to telephonic services,” the governor’s office said. “This could especially impact patients in rural and underserved areas, those with limited digital skills, or those with limited access to reliable internet service.”

Hawaii Gov. David Ige (R) plans to partly veto a bill passed by the legislature to require the University of Hawaii and state broadband office to convene a working group to determine governance for operating, maintaining and overseeing broadband assets, the governor’s office said Monday. SB-2076 appeared on a list of 30 bills that Ige intends to veto, though he has until July 12 to make final decisions. SB-2076, which also would appropriate funds for three full-time positions for the broadband office and the university’s broadband effort, is one of two bills “being considered for line-item vetoes of specific appropriations, including the over-appropriation of federal funds,” said the governor’s office: Hawaii “must operate within the federal Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirements contained in the American Rescue Plan Act.” Also, Ige plans to veto HB-1980, which would permit but not require Medicaid, health insurers and others to cover telephonic behavioral health services. “While the intent of this bill is appreciated, its wording is vague and may allow insurance providers to restrict access to telephonic services,” the governor’s office said. “This could especially impact patients in rural and underserved areas, those with limited digital skills, or those with limited access to reliable internet service.”