The FCC Wireline Bureau granted 37 appeals from E-rate participants about ministerial errors associated with their invoices submitted to the Universal Service Administrative Co., said an order Friday in docket 02-6. The bureau directed USAC to review appeals regarding ministerial and clerical errors moving forward instead of requiring petitioners to file waivers with the commission. It also granted Wake County Public Schools' petition for reconsideration, noting the school district "raises new facts demonstrating that we should grant the appeal."
The FCC wants comments by Feb. 21, replies March 21, on an NPRM proposing rules on digital discrimination, said a notice for Friday's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the item in December (see 2212210054).
AT&T asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to review the FCC's November order resolving a pole attachment complaint the carrier filed against Duke Energy. In its petition (case 23-1010), AT&T said the FCC's order denied it "the full relief it sought" by requiring it to "pay a substantially higher rate for use of Duke’s poles than the just, reasonable, and fully compensatory new telecom rate AT&T’s competitors pay for use of comparable space on the same utility poles." It asked the court to vacate the order and "provide such additional relief as may be just and proper." The companies are also seeking reconsideration of the order in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (see 2212290050).
The FCC Wireline Bureau completed its review of Connect America Fund Phase II auction long-form applications, said a Thursday public notice in docket 17-182. The bureau authorized $1.48 billion for 195 applicant state combinations. It also made available the additional information submitted by long-form applicants.
The FCC committed more than $40 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Thursday. The new funding will support more than 275 schools, 15 libraries and five consortiums from the third application filing window, said a news release. “This program has equipped millions of students with the digital tools they need for afterschool homework and connecting with teachers,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel: “Today’s funding round is another step in our ongoing work to close the homework gap.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved rate-of-return Alaska Plan recipient Arctic Slope Telephone Cooperative's (ASTAC) revised performance plan Tuesday. The bureau approved revised obligations on the minimum number of locations to be reported through the high-cost universal broadband portal at the five and 10-year service milestones, said a public notice in docket 16-271. ASTAC said it was able to "negotiate access to fiber middle mile capacity at a lower rate" and "move service in Atqasuk from satellite to fiber middle mile."
An FCC order establishing a data collection for the affordable connectivity program takes effect Feb. 13, said a notice for Friday's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the item in November (see 2211230074).
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by Feb. 13, replies by Feb. 28, on Sorenson Communications' petition for a limited waiver of video relay service privacy screen rules. Sorenson sought a waiver to allow providers to "pilot integration of VRS with video conferencing services," said a public notice Thursday in docket 03-123.
The FCC robocall response team sent cease-and-desist letters to two providers about apparent illegal robocall traffic, said a news release Wednesday. SIPphony received a letter directing it to address apparent student loan robocalls. Vultik received a letter on apparent online shopping and student loan robocalls. "We will continue to use every tool we have to go after this fraud and stop the bad actors responsible for these calls in their tracks," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2202170039).
The Alaska Telecom Association raised concerns about low earth orbit services' impact on middle-mile services in a meeting with FCC Wireline and Wireless Bureau staff, per an ex parte posted Friday in docket 16-271. The group said its member OneWeb's constellation in Alaska's northern region doesn't have additional capacity and its service is "unlikely to meet the performance testing requirements applicable to the Alaska Plan." ATA noted Starlink's service in the state is "offered exclusively as a retail consumer service and is not available to carriers as middle mile transport." The group's members are adopting LEO services "where capacity, performance, and cost allow" and are pursuing opportunities to "construct and access terrestrial middle mile wherever economically possible."