The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by March 14, replies by March 29, on the National Exchange Carrier Association's proposed changes to the average schedule interstate settlement disbursements formulas for July 1 through June 30, 2023, said a public notice Thursday in docket 21-473.
The North American Numbering Council unanimously approved a report from the call authentication trust anchor working group recommending best practices for terminating voice service providers using Stir/Shaken caller ID authentication, during a virtual meeting Wednesday (see 2112150052). The working group divided its recommendations into near-term and long-term best practices. It suggested the FCC consider a referral to the working group for further study on how enterprise customers may benefit from information beyond a Shaken verification result.
AT&T's claims it offers "up to 20x faster upload speed" than cable is a "misleading claim" because the disclosures "were not sufficiently clear and prominent to limit the claim to AT&T’s fastest fiber service," said a Better Business Bureau National Advertising Review Board panel Wednesday in response to the ISP's appeal (see 2111180033). The panel recommended AT&T modify or discontinue certain advertising claims about its fiber internet service and "avoid making the implied claim that fiber technology provides faster internet service in general or is invariably superior to cable technology." AT&T told the panel it "will comply" with its decision but “respectfully disagrees[s] with the balance of NARB’s conclusion recommending that other AT&T Fiber ads should be discontinued or modified.” AT&T didn't comment further.
The FCC's pending order on broadband access in multi-tenant environments is "unnecessary" and would "hamper deployment and limit competition," said the National Multifamily Housing Council in separate meetings with aides to all commissioners, per an ex parte filing Wednesday in docket 17-142 (see 2201210039). "Regulation is not needed in market-rate apartment communities, and the kinds of rules proposed in this docket will not solve the true problems in low-income communities," NMHC said, saying the proposed ban on sale-and-leaseback agreements should be "narrowly targeted to address the stated concern that cable companies are transferring their ownership of inside wiring to building owners so as to avoid certain regulatory obligations." It asked the FCC to close its docket on the issue if it adopts the order.
Refer iconectiv's request to confirm it will still meet the local number portability administrator neutrality requirements once parent company Ericsson's pending acquisition of Vonage closes to the North American numbering council, said Somos in comments posted Tuesday in docket 95-116 (see 2201240030). The ownership structure of iconectiv has "materially changed" since it was selected as the local number portability administrator, Somos said, and its request "threatens to push the commission's exceptions to its codified neutrality obligations into dangerous territory." NANC is "well positioned" to consider how to apply its neutrality criteria and provide a formal recommendation, Somos said.
Congress is throwing “an unbelievable amount of money” at closing the digital divide and policymakers need to stay vigilant as the $65 billion is spent, said former FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly at the Incompas Policy Summit Tuesday. Just the $48 billion allocated to NTIA is equivalent to 10 years of USF high-cost support “all condensed into probably two or three years,” he said. “Follow the statute, follow the law,” he advised. “Don’t get sidetracked by anything else.” O’Rielly doesn’t expect the same problems as in 2009 in the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (see 2111100081). “People are going to be on top of this ahead of the game,” he said. “Deal with the unserved population, those people who have nothing,” he said. As a commissioner he found talking to people who still had dial-up service “a tough conversation to have,” he said. Broadband maps will get “much, much better,” but “they’re never going to get to 100%,” he said. “We have to accept reality,” he said. He predicted the FCC’s release of maps could slip into the fall. O’Rielly said he remains “a huge fan” of satellite broadband. The key to being a successful FCC commissioner is asking questions and knowing the issues, O’Rielly said. “Dig deep into the subject matter -- it’s really dense,” he said. “If you can be convinced by a one-pager, then you’re in the wrong business. As a policymaker, you need get really deep in the weeds and know what’s going on and be able to challenge someone from the other side.” O’Rielly said he has stayed active and likes life since he left the commission, though he joked that leaving wasn’t his choice (see 2009300022). “You adjust, and you have no choice,” he said. “I don’t miss some of the mundane issues at the commission,” he said: “I made a little bit more last year than I’ve ever made in my career, so that’s a good thing.”
Annual customer proprietary network information compliance certifications for telecom carriers and VoIP providers are due March 1, said an FCC Enforcement Bureau Advisory Monday in docket 06-36.
Conexon withdrew its FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction waiver request "without any tribal consultation" and "cannot access and deploy service to the tribal areas at issue" without tribal consent, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe told Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's aide, Wireline Bureau Chief Kris Monteith and other staff, per a filing Friday in docket 19-126 (see 2201250041). The Colorado tribes disputed Conexon's claim they received "any state or federal broadband stimulus funding" and said Conexon's winning RDOF bid "continues to represent a significant concern." Deny Conexon's pending eligible telecom carrier waiver petition, the tribes asked, noting it's "not in the public interest," partly "given the impact an awarded RDOF grant would have in frustrating the tribes' own broadband deployments."
Arizona will build middle-mile infrastructure along two interstate highways under a plan, the Arizona Commerce Authority said Thursday. By early 2023, the state will string fiber along 141 miles of I-17 between Flagstaff and Phoenix and 60 miles of I-19 between Tucson and Nogales, the authority said. “This next phase of broadband expansion will strengthen Arizonans' connection to educational programs, medical services, public safety and jobs,” said Gov. Doug Ducey (R).
The FCC and the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services sent letters to all 574 tribal leaders raising awareness about E-rate as part of a new partnership aimed at expanding broadband to tribal libraries, said a news release Wednesday. Tribal libraries' access was "often difficult" because of how the rules were written, said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, noting that a January order amending the program's definition of a tribal library will let them apply during the current funding application window (see 2201270030). "This recent rule change will have a significant impact on the ability of tribal libraries to help connect their patrons," the letter said, asking tribal leaders to share information about the program.