The Alternative Connect America Cost Model (ACAM) Broadband Coalition "urged immediate adoption" of its proposed changes to the ACAM program, in a meeting with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2207190056). Consumers "continue to wait for higher speed broadband and the longer the Commission takes to adopt and implement the enhanced ACAM program the longer it will be before customers can receive broadband at higher speeds," the group said, per an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 10-90. The group also said delaying implementation of the proposed enhanced program would cause more work to be redone to meet "revised deployment requirements."
NTCA raised concerns with the FCC Wireline Bureau about the potential implications of reintroducing the Connect America Fund broadband loop support (BLS) and high-cost loop support (HCLS) budget control mechanism for the 2023-2024 support year. Doing so would "result in substantial cuts" to the CAF-BLS and HCLS "for several hundred small rural providers," NTCA said in an ex parte filing posted Friday in docket 10-90. The FCC "previously recognized the severe negative impacts" of the budget control mechanism, NTCA said, repeating its request for the commission to consider its proposals for updates to the alternative connect America model and CAF-BLS and HCLS mechanisms.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by March 6, replies by March 20, in docket 17-59 on Verizon's petition to waive certain rules on blocking foreign-originated illegal robocalls, said a public notice Thursday. Verizon sought a waiver of the requirement that carriers block "toll-free calls from foreign consumers that terminate at call centers belonging to U.S. enterprises."
The FCC wants comments by March 6, replies by April 3, in docket 03-123 on a proposed three-year rate methodology for the Telecom Relay Service Fund, said a notice in Thursday's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the NPRM in December (see 2212210054).
The FCC committed more than $30 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Wednesday. The new funding supports more than 200 schools, 15 libraries and one consortium from all three application windows, said a news release.
The FCC Wireline Bureau extended through April 30 its COVID-19 pandemic waiver of Lifeline recertification and reverification requirements for subscribers residing on tribal lands, said an order Monday in docket 11-42 (see 2301170051). The bureau also extended the waiver to tribal households participating in the affordable connectivity program, noting such subscribers "may have been required to respond to ACP recertification outreach during the waiver period."
Oppositions to Sorenson Communication's petition for reconsideration of certain video relay service and IP captioned telephone service rules are due Feb. 15, replies to opposition Feb. 27, in docket 03-123, said a notice for Tuesday's Federal Register (see 2301120060). Sorenson sought reconsideration of rules requiring providers to terminate services for new users unable to complete the registration process within the two-week grace period and certain porting rules.
Bandwidth asked the FCC to "strengthen its access arbitrage rules" and "promote direct IP interconnection and settlement-free exchange of balanced traffic," in a letter posted Friday in docket 18-155 (see 2209070072). IP-enabled service providers "should be able to determine an inbound/outbound traffic ratio for each switch," it said, asking the FCC to provide examples of "or equivalent" about the end office trigger of its proposed rules to "avoid gaming of the system." Bandwidth agreed with AT&T that "bringing IPES providers with direct numbering resources within the scope of the rules may make the 'serving end users' language unnecessary."
The FCC task force to prevent digital discrimination unveiled a form for consumers to share their broadband experiences online, said a news release Wednesday. Commissioners adopted an NPRM in December seeking comment on rules to facilitate equal access (see 2301190049). “We want to give consumers the opportunity to share their first-hand experiences and challenges getting and staying online," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The form asks consumers to includes information that "describes the challenges that you have experienced, including those due to a provider’s practices and polices related to certain terms and conditions of service."
The FCC Enforcement Bureau directed Twilio to stop carrying suspected illegal robocall traffic it apparently received from PhoneBurner and MV Realty regarding mortgages to homeowners. Twilio is the largest provider yet to receive a cease-and-desist letter, said a Tuesday news release. The bureau said MV Realty operators "offered cash to homeowners in a purported exchange for giving MV Realty an exclusive right to list the homeowner’s property for sale." It identified nearly 12 million calls made to phone numbers on the do not call registry.