The National Tribal Telecommunications Association backed a petition for rulemaking filed by the Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition that would address the middle-mile transport expenses in "ultra-high" cost areas of Alaska, in comments posted Friday in docket RM-11938. The proposed Alaska middle-mile expense support plan would assist carriers participating in the Alaska Plan, Alternative Connect America Model and the Connect America Fund Phase II programs. NTTA asked the FCC to consider expanding eligibility beyond those covered in the petition, noting that middle-mile costs aren't supported "in any way by federal or state universal service programs" for many providers and are "essentially treated as 'non regulated' costs to be borne by the unregulated internet service provider."
The FCC Wireline Bureau extended by 45 days the reply comment deadline on an NPRM on refunds and telecom relay access for inmate calling services (see 2212160061). A coalition of consumer advocacy organizations sought an extension. Replies are now due by March 3 in docket 12-375, said an order Thursday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau extended by 12 days the deadline to submit reply comments to a notice of inquiry on caller ID authentication for non-IP networks (see 2212130065). The Cloud Communications Alliance, NCTA, NTCA, USTelecom, Voice on the Net Coalition and WTA sought an extension. Replies are now due Jan. 23 in docket 17-97, said an order Thursday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved Core Communications' revised tariff refund plan for interstate access service charges to certain interexchange carriers, in an order Wednesday in docket 21-91. The bureau denied Verizon's request to reject the plan, noting the carrier made "no argument that Core’s Refund Plan would not adequately compensate carriers for excessive charges they incurred" (see 2207250055). Under the revised plan, Core lowered its monthly late-payment fee from 3% to 1.5% during the period of time at issue.
The FCC committed more than $34 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Wednesday to applicants from the third filing window. The new funding will support more than 250 schools, 15 libraries and two consortiums, said a news release. About $6.5 billion of the $7.1 billion program has been spent to date. "As we start the new year, we continue our work to make sure kids have the digital tools they need for after-school homework and connecting with teachers,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
Embarq Missouri (Embarq MO) updated the FCC on its application for the emergency impairment of service in parts of the Mound City, Missouri, wire center area as a result of severe flooding in 2019. “Embarq MO files this further update out of an abundance of caution in light of the continued impairment of service,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-325. “Embarq MO continues to have no active customer accounts and no requests for service in this area,” the company said. Embarq noted it previously “described the presence of fiber optic cable, pedestals, cabinets, and other facilities likely used to provide communications service that had been placed by another service provider subsequent to the 2019 flood that affected the region” and those facilities apparently “remain in place.”
Everfast Fiber Networks has closed on its purchase of Consolidated Communications' Kansas City telecommunications holdings, per a notification posted Thursday with the FCC International Bureau.
The Washington, D.C., Mayor’s Office of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing raised concerns about interstate inmate calling rates, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 12-375. “Nearly two-thirds of DC residents convicted of felonies serve their prison sentences outside of the region hundreds or thousands of miles away from home,” the office said: Hearing impaired “individuals who are incarcerated face additional risks and overlapping barriers due to lack of adequate communication access to resources, programs, and ability to connect and communicate with their families over the phone.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau sought comment Friday on a joint petition by Northwest Communications Co-op (NCC) and Midstate Telephone for a waiver of the definition of “study area.” The two said the waiver would “permit Midstate to remove the Portal exchange, and associated customer base, from its North Dakota study area and for NCC to expand its study area to incorporate the exchange as a new exchange in its study area,” the bureau said. Comments are due Jan. 9, replies Jan. 16, in docket 96-45.
USTelecom representatives met with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to support the FCC's 2020 order on unbundled network elements rules and oppose a petition by Sonic Telecom seeking reconsideration (see 2210170079). “The Commission correctly recognized that in light of the passage of time and changed marketplace conditions, it should reexamine its unbundling requirements,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-308. The FCC “applied the law faithfully by evaluating what unbundling requirements are appropriate in the modern marketplace based on the impairment standard and by forbearing where the statutory test was satisfied,” USTelecom said, noting it “advocated for forbearing from all unbundling obligations, but negotiated a compromise” with Incompas and “nearly every interested competitive LEC and incumbent LEC in this docket.” The commission “has a long history of relying on negotiated agreements,” the group said.