T-Mobile and Bresnan Communications jointly asked the FCC to approve a waiver request that would facilitate the sale of three 700 MHz licenses in Montana from Bresnan to T-Mobile. The two have asked the FCC to approve the transfer and waive a pending accelerated buildout requirement (see 1610060062). “As Petitioners have demonstrated, granting the Waiver Request would bring increased competition and enhanced coverage to consumers in the areas at issue, many of which are rural and underserved and include tribal lands,” the two companies said in reply comments in docket 16-319. “It would also deliver new retail facilities and jobs.” The two highlighted the benefits to consumers. “To ensure … public interest benefits are delivered quickly, T-Mobile has committed in writing to specific deployment milestones, including introducing service in the licensed areas within the next year,” they said. Bresnan is a subsidiary of Charter Communications. The Rural Wireless Association filed comments saying the FCC should deny the waiver request. “The underlying purpose” of the buildout requirement “is to prevent the warehousing of spectrum,” RWA said. "The Commission has stated that adopting stringent performance requirements for 700 MHz licenses accomplishes several important policy objectives, including ensuring that licensees put this spectrum to use and provide service to consumers in a timely manner.”

NARUC members may tweak a resolution on 10-digit dialing ahead of their meeting next week in La Quinta, California, state commissioners said in recent interviews. District of Columbia Public Service Commission Chairwoman Betty Ann Kane told us she wants to make sure the item isn’t read as a mandate, and sponsor Commissioner Paul Kjellander of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission said he’s open to edits to ease others’ concerns. Meanwhile, a separate item on VoIP phone numbers is receiving some scrutiny from industry. Wide NARUC support is expected for the final versions of all four telecom resolutions teed up for the meeting (see 1611010042 and 1611020045).

NARUC members may tweak a resolution on 10-digit dialing ahead of their meeting next week in La Quinta, California, state commissioners said in recent interviews. District of Columbia Public Service Commission Chairwoman Betty Ann Kane told us she wants to make sure the item isn’t read as a mandate, and sponsor Commissioner Paul Kjellander of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission said he’s open to edits to ease others’ concerns. Meanwhile, a separate item on VoIP phone numbers is receiving some scrutiny from industry. Wide NARUC support is expected for the final versions of all four telecom resolutions teed up for the meeting (see 1611010042 and 1611020045).

A draft order on a new mobility fund, circulated by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler for the Nov. 17 commissioners' meeting (see 1610270054), is raising some concerns in industry. AT&T complained about the approach in a Monday blog post. Other industry players are reporting on recent meetings with officials prior to an expected sunshine notice cutting off further lobbying. The agency approved a one-time mobility fund in 2011 and five years later is moving forward on Phase II, as Wheeler promised the Competitive Carriers Association in September (see 1609200058).

A draft order on a new mobility fund, circulated by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler for the Nov. 17 commissioners' meeting (see 1610270054), is raising some concerns in industry. AT&T complained about the approach in a Monday blog post. Other industry players are reporting on recent meetings with officials prior to an expected sunshine notice cutting off further lobbying. The agency approved a one-time mobility fund in 2011 and five years later is moving forward on Phase II, as Wheeler promised the Competitive Carriers Association in September (see 1609200058).

NARUC may formally ask the FCC to postpone a Dec. 2 deadline to align state low-income programs with updated federal rules that added broadband as a supported Lifeline service. Association members plan to vote on a resolution seeking a delay at its annual meeting Nov. 13-16 in La Quinta, California, said draft resolutions released Tuesday. NARUC also plans to vote on three other telecom resolutions related to the Connect America Fund (CAF), VoIP applications for phone numbers and numbering best practices.

NARUC may formally ask the FCC to postpone a Dec. 2 deadline to align state low-income programs with updated federal rules that added broadband as a supported Lifeline service. Association members plan to vote on a resolution seeking a delay at its annual meeting Nov. 13-16 in La Quinta, California, said draft resolutions released Tuesday. NARUC also plans to vote on three other telecom resolutions related to the Connect America Fund (CAF), VoIP applications for phone numbers and numbering best practices.

New York state officials urged the FCC to approve their request for expedited waiver of Connect America Fund requirements that Phase II broadband subsidy support in the state be awarded through competitive bidding. Empire State Development Corp. is seeking a waiver that would allow it to tap federal CAF II support, declined by Verizon in New York, to help fund the state's own reverse auction of broadband subsidies for the same areas targeted by the FCC auction (see 1610130047). That "would align the federal and state broadband funding processes in New York, which would ensure the rapid deployment of broadband services in many unserved communities," said an ESD filing posted Wednesday in FCC docket 10-90 on a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. "Many of the affected New York communities are in low-income and tribal areas that would not receive broadband services for some time absent the waiver." The ESD officials made similar arguments to an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "Conducting two auctions in the same territories would raise a host of challenges, including potential funding of duplicative broadband networks and disparate federal-state funding requirements," said another filing. "Grant of the Petition would resolve these challenges through a simple process by which carriers in New York receive funding from the Connect America Fund in coordination with the State’s broadband program." In comments this week in the docket, ViaSat and the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association opposed the ESD petition; Verizon and numerous smaller telcos supported it; and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission asked the federal commission to expand any waiver relief to Pennsylvania and other states that have state broadband deployment programs.

New York state officials urged the FCC to approve their request for expedited waiver of Connect America Fund requirements that Phase II broadband subsidy support in the state be awarded through competitive bidding. Empire State Development Corp. is seeking a waiver that would allow it to tap federal CAF II support, declined by Verizon in New York, to help fund the state's own reverse auction of broadband subsidies for the same areas targeted by the FCC auction (see 1610130047). That "would align the federal and state broadband funding processes in New York, which would ensure the rapid deployment of broadband services in many unserved communities," said an ESD filing posted Wednesday in FCC docket 10-90 on a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. "Many of the affected New York communities are in low-income and tribal areas that would not receive broadband services for some time absent the waiver." The ESD officials made similar arguments to an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "Conducting two auctions in the same territories would raise a host of challenges, including potential funding of duplicative broadband networks and disparate federal-state funding requirements," said another filing. "Grant of the Petition would resolve these challenges through a simple process by which carriers in New York receive funding from the Connect America Fund in coordination with the State’s broadband program." In comments this week in the docket, ViaSat and the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association opposed the ESD petition; Verizon and numerous smaller telcos supported it; and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission asked the federal commission to expand any waiver relief to Pennsylvania and other states that have state broadband deployment programs.

Lack of affordability remains a major impediment to getting more people online nationwide, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said in a speech at the #Solutions2020 Policy Forum she hosted at the Georgetown Law School Wednesday. Clyburn has been on a listening tour across the U.S. (see 1604140052) and used the forum to share some of her observations.