FCC proposals to relax interference protections for Class A AM stations wouldn’t serve the public interest, said Cumulus Media, posted Thursday in docket 13-249. The proposals would reduce the stations’ contours, it said. That “would substantially impair the ability of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to implement the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act,” it said. IPAWS “falls entirely within the regulatory jurisdiction of another federal agency” and so shouldn’t be impeded by the FCC, Cumulus said. The reduced interference protection also would make it harder for Class A AM's to reach rural and tribal areas lacking broadband access, it said.

Comments are due March 8, replies April 8, on an FCC Further NPRM seeking to auction off subsidies in rural telco areas largely or completely served by unsubsidized competitors, said a proposed rule in Wednesday's Federal Register. Input is sought on how to structure the subsidy auction, address conversions to broadband-only lines and address legacy support in tribal areas. Commissioners approved the FNPRM Dec. 12 with an order offering rate-of-return telcos more USF support in exchange for more 25/3 Mbps broadband service (see 1812120039).

Comments are due March 8, replies April 8, on an FCC Further NPRM seeking to auction off subsidies in rural telco areas largely or completely served by unsubsidized competitors, said a proposed rule in Wednesday's Federal Register. Input is sought on how to structure the subsidy auction, address conversions to broadband-only lines and address legacy support in tribal areas. Commissioners approved the FNPRM Dec. 12 with an order offering rate-of-return telcos more USF support in exchange for more 25/3 Mbps broadband service (see 1812120039).

The FCC's proposed Lifeline ban on resellers likely suffered a fatal blow when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the agency's reseller ban for enhanced tribal Lifeline support (see 1902010051), blogged American Enterprise Institute Visiting Fellow Daniel Lyons Tuesday. "The pushback it received on that proposal, coupled with the DC Circuit’s rejection of the tribal subsidy limitation, probably means this reseller ban is a dead issue," he wrote, calling it "a positive development" because the reseller ban would likely "harm low-income consumers by reducing" Lifeline options. If the FCC pursues the issue, it must allow a new round of comments and provide a better explanation, he wrote: "The vacated order raised important questions about the potential for abuse of the tribal subsidy, particularly in urban areas where significant numbers of non-tribal households could benefit in ways not anticipated. ... Hopefully, another round of comments can develop a record sufficient to gauge the significance of this issue and help the agency right-size the tribal subsidy as part of its overall Lifeline reform project." The FCC declined comment. Lyons noted the judges also faulted the FCC for failing to provide adequate notice on its tribal proposals, despite giving parties two weeks to comment on a draft before an April 2017 meeting vote. For substantial rule changes, he noted, the court ruled "a 30-day comment period is generally the shortest time period sufficient for interested persons to meaningfully review a proposed rule and provide informed content." The 8th Circuit ruled similarly in August in finding the FCC didn't give parties adequate notice about business data service transport deregulation despite pre-meeting release of a draft (see 1808280050). The FCC Tuesday set new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier in a dozen states and jurisdictions (see 1902050039). Comments on consumer privacy issues are due March 7 on NV use of computer matching programs (see 1902050008).

FCC staff announced new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier (NV) of consumer low-income eligibility in a dozen states and other U.S. jurisdictions. The Wireline Bureau said a soft launch, allowing Lifeline providers voluntarily to use the NV to test their enrollment systems and processes, begins Wednesday in Alaska, American Samoa, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, the Northern Mariana Islands, Rhode Island and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A hard launch, when all parties must use the NV to determine consumer eligibility, begins March 5 in Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 11-42. Those states had a soft launch Dec. 4 (see 1811280008). Lifeline providers and advocates voiced concerns (see 1901230036) about consumer enrollment difficulties and de-enrollment of existing users under the NV's systems -- which lack an application programming interface for carriers and full access to national low-income program databases -- starting with less-populated states in the first two batches to undergo hard launches. They fear the March 5 hard launch of four more-heavily-populated states could greatly increase the magnitude of the problems. Comments on privacy in NV use of computer matching programs are due March 7 (see 1902050008). An American Enterprise Institute scholar said the FCC's proposed Lifeline reseller ban was likely "dead" after court reversal of limits on enhanced tribal support, including a reseller ban (see 1902050010).

The FCC's proposed Lifeline ban on resellers likely suffered a fatal blow when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the agency's reseller ban for enhanced tribal Lifeline support (see 1902010051), blogged American Enterprise Institute Visiting Fellow Daniel Lyons Tuesday. "The pushback it received on that proposal, coupled with the DC Circuit’s rejection of the tribal subsidy limitation, probably means this reseller ban is a dead issue," he wrote, calling it "a positive development" because the reseller ban would likely "harm low-income consumers by reducing" Lifeline options. If the FCC pursues the issue, it must allow a new round of comments and provide a better explanation, he wrote: "The vacated order raised important questions about the potential for abuse of the tribal subsidy, particularly in urban areas where significant numbers of non-tribal households could benefit in ways not anticipated. ... Hopefully, another round of comments can develop a record sufficient to gauge the significance of this issue and help the agency right-size the tribal subsidy as part of its overall Lifeline reform project." The FCC declined comment. Lyons noted the judges also faulted the FCC for failing to provide adequate notice on its tribal proposals, despite giving parties two weeks to comment on a draft before an April 2017 meeting vote. For substantial rule changes, he noted, the court ruled "a 30-day comment period is generally the shortest time period sufficient for interested persons to meaningfully review a proposed rule and provide informed content." The 8th Circuit ruled similarly in August in finding the FCC didn't give parties adequate notice about business data service transport deregulation despite pre-meeting release of a draft (see 1808280050). The FCC Tuesday set new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier in a dozen states and jurisdictions (see 1902050039). Comments on consumer privacy issues are due March 7 on NV use of computer matching programs (see 1902050008).

Comments are due March 7 on an FCC matching program to verify Lifeline eligibility of low-income consumers under the 1974 Privacy Act, said Tuesday's Federal Register. The computer program to be established with four nonfederal agencies is to begin March 7 -- unless comments are received by that date requiring a contrary determination -- and conclude Aug. 5, 2020. The FCC mandated Universal Service Administrative Co. implement a national verifier of eligibility through proof of income or participation in qualifying programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and housing, veterans, tribal and supplemental income programs. Paperwork Reduction Act comments are due at the FCC April 8 on telecom forbearance petition filing requirements (notice) and on certain access charge pool reporting duties associated with payphones (notice). The FCC later Tuesday set new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier in a dozen states and jurisdictions (see 1902050039). The agency's proposed Lifeline reseller ban is likely "dead" after court reversal of limits on enhanced tribal support, including a reseller ban, said an American Enterprise Institute scholar (see 1902050010).

Comments are due March 7 on an FCC matching program to verify Lifeline eligibility of low-income consumers under the 1974 Privacy Act, said Tuesday's Federal Register. The computer program to be established with four nonfederal agencies is to begin March 7 -- unless comments are received by that date requiring a contrary determination -- and conclude Aug. 5, 2020. The FCC mandated Universal Service Administrative Co. implement a national verifier of eligibility through proof of income or participation in qualifying programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, and housing, veterans, tribal and supplemental income programs. Paperwork Reduction Act comments are due at the FCC April 8 on telecom forbearance petition filing requirements (notice) and on certain access charge pool reporting duties associated with payphones (notice). The FCC later Tuesday set new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier in a dozen states and jurisdictions (see 1902050039). The agency's proposed Lifeline reseller ban is likely "dead" after court reversal of limits on enhanced tribal support, including a reseller ban, said an American Enterprise Institute scholar (see 1902050010).

FCC staff announced new soft and hard launches of the Lifeline national verifier (NV) of consumer low-income eligibility in a dozen states and other U.S. jurisdictions. The Wireline Bureau said a soft launch, allowing Lifeline providers voluntarily to use the NV to test their enrollment systems and processes, begins Wednesday in Alaska, American Samoa, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, the Northern Mariana Islands, Rhode Island and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A hard launch, when all parties must use the NV to determine consumer eligibility, begins March 5 in Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 11-42. Those states had a soft launch Dec. 4 (see 1811280008). Lifeline providers and advocates voiced concerns (see 1901230036) about consumer enrollment difficulties and de-enrollment of existing users under the NV's systems -- which lack an application programming interface for carriers and full access to national low-income program databases -- starting with less-populated states in the first two batches to undergo hard launches. They fear the March 5 hard launch of four more-heavily-populated states could greatly increase the magnitude of the problems. Comments on privacy in NV use of computer matching programs are due March 7 (see 1902050008). An American Enterprise Institute scholar said the FCC's proposed Lifeline reseller ban was likely "dead" after court reversal of limits on enhanced tribal support, including a reseller ban (see 1902050010).

The FCC "can do better" on Lifeline USF, new Commissioner Geoffrey Starks tweeted Monday, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Friday "struck down @FCC rules that limited Tribal #Lifeline and threatened affordable phone and internet access on Tribal lands" (see 1902010051). "The Court said the @FCC failed to consider harms to people depending on the program and ignored relevant data," he added.