TracFone told the FCC it's time to address problems with the Lifeline national verifier, in reply comments posted Thursday in docket 17-287 (see 1812200018). “Despite numerous efforts by TracFone and other Lifeline carriers to engage” with the Universal Service Administrative Co. “the rollout of the National Verifier remains haphazard and mired in confusion,” TracFone said. “Its decision-making process is opaque, with ensuing outcomes that reflect little, if any, input from the Lifeline community who are on the frontline serving millions of eligible customers each day.” The Oceti Sakowin Tribal Utility Authority, in its reply, said the FCC should pause use of the verifier until changes are made. “Lifeline service for residents of Tribal lands is critically important for their health, safety, and welfare,” it said.
TracFone told the FCC it's time to address problems with the Lifeline national verifier, in reply comments posted Thursday in docket 17-287 (see 1812200018). “Despite numerous efforts by TracFone and other Lifeline carriers to engage” with the Universal Service Administrative Co. “the rollout of the National Verifier remains haphazard and mired in confusion,” TracFone said. “Its decision-making process is opaque, with ensuing outcomes that reflect little, if any, input from the Lifeline community who are on the frontline serving millions of eligible customers each day.” The Oceti Sakowin Tribal Utility Authority, in its reply, said the FCC should pause use of the verifier until changes are made. “Lifeline service for residents of Tribal lands is critically important for their health, safety, and welfare,” it said.
Accurate results of drive tests checking whether areas are eligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support is difficult, especially in remote tribal lands and nearby areas, Smith Bagley told an aide to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. The carrier said it spent more than $250,000 on drive testing, “but has only covered a small fraction of the thousands of individual one square kilometer grid cells that it believes should be tested,” in a filing posted Monday in docket 10-90.
Accurate results of drive tests checking whether areas are eligible for Mobility Fund Phase II support is difficult, especially in remote tribal lands and nearby areas, Smith Bagley told an aide to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. The carrier said it spent more than $250,000 on drive testing, “but has only covered a small fraction of the thousands of individual one square kilometer grid cells that it believes should be tested,” in a filing posted Monday in docket 10-90.
The FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved a recommendation Thursday that new rules aimed at protecting the national security of networks be narrowly tailored to prevent disruptions. Commissioners approved an NPRM in April that would bar use of money in any USF program to buy equipment or services from companies that “pose a national security threat” to U.S. communications networks or the communications supply chain (see 1804170038). Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday those security concerns remain a commission focus (see 1812120043).
The FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved a recommendation Thursday that new rules aimed at protecting the national security of networks be narrowly tailored to prevent disruptions. Commissioners approved an NPRM in April that would bar use of money in any USF program to buy equipment or services from companies that “pose a national security threat” to U.S. communications networks or the communications supply chain (see 1804170038). Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday those security concerns remain a commission focus (see 1812120043).
The FCC unanimously adopted an order to offer rural telcos more USF support in exchange for deploying more 25/3 Mbps broadband, as some expected (see 1812100052). The main elements appear largely the same as in a draft (see 1811210032). "Many more rural Americans will have access to high-speed broadband service," said Chairman Ajit Pai. A key lawmaker and RLEC groups praised the rate-of-return USF item -- which includes a reconsideration order and Further NPRM -- approved at commissioners' meeting Wednesday.
Critics of a satellite repurposing and secondary-market airwaves sale plan used replies on opening the C band to buttress the case for the FCC taking a different approach. The earliest replies last week in docket 18-122 featured big satellite companies pushing for their market plan to clear up to 200 MHz for other use (see 1812070041) while attacking T-Mobile asking the commission to hold an auction and possibly sell even more. Now, more recent but still early replies posted this week through Tuesday afternoon suggest sharing satellite's spectrum with broadband services, possibly across the entire band's 500 MHz swath.
The FCC appears close to inserting an industry safe harbor into a draft order on the agenda for commissioners' meeting Wednesday to create a reassigned number database, officials told us Tuesday. "I expect it to happen," said an agency official, who hadn't seen actual language. Commissioner Brendan Carr's office asked that such a safe harbor be added, said another, who's hopeful the change would occur.
A court revised briefing dates for tribal challenges to a March wireless infrastructure order in United Keetoowah Band v. FCC, No. 18-1129. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Tuesday granted (in Pacer) a Natural Resources Defense Council motion, making NRDC and United Keetoowah Band petitioners' replies due Jan. 11, Blackfeet Tribe Jan. 14. The respondents' brief remained due Wednesday (the FCC closed to honor the late President George H.W. Bush) and the joint brief for their supporting intervenors remains due Monday, the court noted (in Pacer).