The Senate Commerce Committee pulled the two-year FCC Reauthorization Act (S-2644) from its Wednesday markup agenda, despite persistent efforts to include the bill sponsored by Chairman John Thune, R-S.D. Democrats generally backed the reauthorization effort but said more time is needed to review the proposal, one staffer told us Tuesday. Amendments were already filed.

The FCC appears poised to overhaul rural telco USF subsidies in coming days, given commissioner public statements and agency voting procedures confirmed by two staffers. Chairman Tom Wheeler said recently at a Senate hearing there are three votes -- a majority -- for a draft order that would revamp rate-of-return carrier high-cost USF support mechanisms for the broadband era. Under internal FCC rules, the remaining two commissioners have until Wednesday -- 12 days after March 4, which was three weeks after the draft circulated -- to vote on the item, though either one could obtain a one-week extension until March 23, an agency spokesman and an official told us Friday.

The FCC appears poised to overhaul rural telco USF subsidies in coming days, given commissioner public statements and agency voting procedures confirmed by two staffers. Chairman Tom Wheeler said recently at a Senate hearing there are three votes -- a majority -- for a draft order that would revamp rate-of-return carrier high-cost USF support mechanisms for the broadband era. Under internal FCC rules, the remaining two commissioners have until Wednesday -- 12 days after March 4, which was three weeks after the draft circulated -- to vote on the item, though either one could obtain a one-week extension until March 23, an agency spokesman and an official told us Friday.

The FCC circulated a draft order that would extend Lifeline USF support to broadband coverage and to streamline administration of the program that subsidizes low-income telecom service, as expected. The draft is expected to be considered at the agency's March 31 meeting, as Communications Daily first reported. The order would allow Lifeline support to be used for stand-alone broadband or bundled broadband/voice packages in addition to current voice service. The order would phase out the support for stand-alone mobile voice service and phase in broadband minimum standards over the next few years, said an FCC fact sheet.

The FCC should include an Alaska Plan in a looming rate-of-return USF overhaul, General Communications Inc. (GCI) and other Alaska telecom interests are telling commission officials. The plan is aimed at supporting broadband deployment in rural Alaska, and time is of the essence, given the state's construction season, they say. Native American groups are separately pushing for including a Tribal Broadband Factor, citing a projected reduction of almost $33 million in support for carriers serving tribal lands under a draft FCC order. Alaska Communications Systems (ACS) also has asked the FCC to adopt its price-cap USF proposal for Alaska.

The FCC should include an Alaska Plan in a looming rate-of-return USF overhaul, General Communications Inc. (GCI) and other Alaska telecom interests are telling commission officials. The plan is aimed at supporting broadband deployment in rural Alaska, and time is of the essence, given the state's construction season, they say. Native American groups are separately pushing for including a Tribal Broadband Factor, citing a projected reduction of almost $33 million in support for carriers serving tribal lands under a draft FCC order. Alaska Communications Systems (ACS) also has asked the FCC to adopt its price-cap USF proposal for Alaska.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said he’s “working hard” on Lifeline USF modernization with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and hopes to bring an order forward quickly, but he declined to discuss any details at his press conference after the commission meeting Thursday. Wheeler has said he and Clyburn agree Lifeline support rules should be overhauled to cover broadband and further combat abuse and fraud, goals that fellow Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel endorsed (see 1602050066). Clyburn has said the FCC plans to act on Lifeline this quarter and informed sources say the agency might vote on an item at its March 31 meeting. The FCC Thursday released a Lifeline recommendation unanimously approved Feb. 5 by its Consumer Advisory Committee. The panel recommended: Lifeline not be subjected to a “spending cap or restrictive budget” that curtails service to eligible low-income consumers; eligibility verification be handled by “third party administrator(s)”; the FCC “promote competition and ensure robust consumer choice,” including for persons with disabilities; and the commission “improve Lifeline enrollment and outreach through collaboration with community based organizations and anchor institutions and coordination with the federal anti-poverty programs including establishment of automated enrollment procedures, with priority attention paid to the programs conferring Lifeline eligibility.” Free Press and New America’s Open Technology Institute also urged FCC officials not to impose a spending cap or a budget and supported implementing minimum service standards, said a Free Press filing posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. Noting calls to expand the scope of Lifeline providers beyond eligible telecom carriers, the groups also suggested the FCC could make the ETC definition more inclusive rather than depart from the ETC process. The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council backed eliminating or streamlining the ETC process for Lifeline to increase market competition in the program, said a filing by the group summarizing meetings at the agency. In a letter, the National Tribal Telecommunications Association urged the FCC to keep and increase the enhanced tribal Lifeline credit. The Federal Register published an FCC notice saying the Office of Management and Budget approved for three years the information-collection requirements in a June order making some Lifeline administrative changes (see 1506180029).

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said he’s “working hard” on Lifeline USF modernization with Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and hopes to bring an order forward quickly, but he declined to discuss any details at his press conference after the commission meeting Thursday. Wheeler has said he and Clyburn agree Lifeline support rules should be overhauled to cover broadband and further combat abuse and fraud, goals that fellow Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel endorsed (see 1602050066). Clyburn has said the FCC plans to act on Lifeline this quarter and informed sources say the agency might vote on an item at its March 31 meeting. The FCC Thursday released a Lifeline recommendation unanimously approved Feb. 5 by its Consumer Advisory Committee. The panel recommended: Lifeline not be subjected to a “spending cap or restrictive budget” that curtails service to eligible low-income consumers; eligibility verification be handled by “third party administrator(s)”; the FCC “promote competition and ensure robust consumer choice,” including for persons with disabilities; and the commission “improve Lifeline enrollment and outreach through collaboration with community based organizations and anchor institutions and coordination with the federal anti-poverty programs including establishment of automated enrollment procedures, with priority attention paid to the programs conferring Lifeline eligibility.” Free Press and New America’s Open Technology Institute also urged FCC officials not to impose a spending cap or a budget and supported implementing minimum service standards, said a Free Press filing posted Wednesday in docket 11-42. Noting calls to expand the scope of Lifeline providers beyond eligible telecom carriers, the groups also suggested the FCC could make the ETC definition more inclusive rather than depart from the ETC process. The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council backed eliminating or streamlining the ETC process for Lifeline to increase market competition in the program, said a filing by the group summarizing meetings at the agency. In a letter, the National Tribal Telecommunications Association urged the FCC to keep and increase the enhanced tribal Lifeline credit. The Federal Register published an FCC notice saying the Office of Management and Budget approved for three years the information-collection requirements in a June order making some Lifeline administrative changes (see 1506180029).

While coverage on tribal lands has improved over the past few years, native American leaders are still frustrated and confused by telcos' lack of willingness to help bring service to their people, some said during a panel at NARUC’s meeting in Washington. Because wireless companies don’t always make it easy for the tribes to build out new service, many times the tribes become their own communications companies, said CEO Forest James of tribal communications firm EnerTribe and a member of the Smith River Tribe. American Indian Chamber of Commerce California President Tracy Stanhoff said it doesn’t make sense to her that telcos don’t want to partner with tribes given that tribes that put in their own infrastructure and start a service, immediately get customers. Sidney Dietz, Pacific Gas & Electric regulatory relations director, said PG&E's Lifeline product has good adoption rates, has built its own towers to improve service and is starting to build out more broadband so tribal members can keep up with current technologies.

While coverage on tribal lands has improved over the past few years, native American leaders are still frustrated and confused by telcos' lack of willingness to help bring service to their people, some said during a panel at NARUC’s meeting in Washington. Because wireless companies don’t always make it easy for the tribes to build out new service, many times the tribes become their own communications companies, said CEO Forest James of tribal communications firm EnerTribe and a member of the Smith River Tribe. American Indian Chamber of Commerce California President Tracy Stanhoff said it doesn’t make sense to her that telcos don’t want to partner with tribes given that tribes that put in their own infrastructure and start a service, immediately get customers. Sidney Dietz, Pacific Gas & Electric regulatory relations director, said PG&E's Lifeline product has good adoption rates, has built its own towers to improve service and is starting to build out more broadband so tribal members can keep up with current technologies.