The FCC should consider requiring "large edge companies" to contribute to the Universal Service Fund, Joan Marsh, AT&T executive vice president-federal regulatory relations, blogged Friday. "If we want the USF to have a strong broadband future, it's time to ask these entities to contribute to the support of our collective universal broadband goals, Marsh wrote, saying the FCC shouldn't stop at including only broadband internet access service providers. Marsh said the FCC's recent announcement that the USF Q3 contribution factor will be 33% is a "dramatic increase" from the previous quarter and the factor will continue to grow as revenue declines (see 2206100058).
Total funding to carry forward for the FCC rural healthcare program after FY 2022 is $328.5 million, said the Universal Service Administrative Co. in a letter to the Wireline Bureau posted Wednesday in docket 02-60.
The Supreme Court appeared to raise questions about the future of the Chevron doctrine Wednesday, under which agencies like the FCC and FTC are afforded deference by the courts in their decisions as expert agencies. The unanimous court ruled in American Hospital Assn. v. Becerra that the Department of Health and Human Service’s decision to reduce yearly Medicare payments to hospitals as part of the 340B program was unlawful. The government raised Chevron deference, but the decision by Justice Brett Kavanaugh never addresses the doctrine. The case had been decided by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
House Communications Subcommittee leaders said Wednesday they’re eyeing combining the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783) and revised versions of the Simplifying Management, Reallocation and Transfer of Spectrum Act (HR-5486) and Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) before a full Commerce Committee vote. The subpanel unanimously advanced HR-5486, HR-7624, HR-7783 and four other telecom bills Wednesday, as expected (see 2206140077).
The House Communications Subcommittee will mark up the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783), a significantly modified version of the Simplifying Management, Reallocation and Transfer of Spectrum Act (HR-5486) and five other telecom bills Wednesday, as expected (see 2206100001), the Commerce Committee said Monday. The markup includes a revised version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) that proposes to use proceeds from the 3.1-3.45 GHz auction it authorizes to pay for next-generation 911 tech upgrades and additional money for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program to repay U.S. carriers for removing from their networks equipment made by companies deemed a national security risk.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi and other panel Republicans criticized NTIA’s plans for rolling out its $48 billion share of broadband money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during a Thursday hearing with agency Administrator Alan Davidson, as expected (see 2206020070). Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and other panel Democrats delivered more positive, but not universally complimentary, reviews of NTIA’s work. There was significantly less focus on the agency’s government spectrum coordination role.
Verizon asked the FCC to "defer consideration of any new high cost support" until funding from the new federal broadband programs have been "fully awarded," in a meeting with Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics staff. The FCC can then identify unserved areas to "assess whether new high cost support is needed," Verizon said, per an ex parte posted Monday in docket 21-476. It also asked the FCC to seek additional funding for the affordable connectivity program and emphasize the Lifeline program's "distinct and important role" in its report to Congress on the future of the Universal Service Fund. Verizon backed expanding USF's contribution base "absent direct appropriations" by including "the most significant enterprises operating within the broader internet economy" (see 2203180062).
Minnesota’s attorney general supported revisiting LTD Broadband’s eligible telecom carrier (ETC) designation. So did some local governments and consumer and municipal broadband advocates, in comments due Wednesday in docket M-21-133 at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. LTD urged the PUC to reject the request by Minnesota Telecom Alliance (MTA) and Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) to revoke the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) winner’s ETC status (see 2205170058).
Local officials and E-rate groups asked the FCC to heed calls to abandon its proposed centralized online competitive bidding portal for the program, said reply comments in docket 21-455 (see 2204280051). Many said the record showed such a change would hurt smaller E-rate participants and remains unnecessary. Some advocated for updates to the Universal Service Administrative Co.'s training and how it shares information with participants.
Economists and telecom experts urged NTIA to develop evaluation and accountability metrics to ensure the $42.5 billion broadband, equity, access, and deployment program is effective in reaching unserved and underserved communities during a Technology Policy Institute webinar Tuesday (see 2205240052). Some suggested NTIA release specific metrics on the type of data states should submit or allow for independent reviews once the program ends.