CCA Says FCC Headed in Wrong Direction on New Mobility Fund
The Competitive Carriers Association urged the FCC to revise its plans for a second phase of the Mobility Fund (MFII) “to ensure sufficient, predictable support for the preservation and deployment of wireless networks,” in a letter filed at the FCC…
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Wednesday. The letter was signed by 18 of the group’s CEOs. “This letter makes clear that the FCC’s Mobility Fund II current plan is headed in the wrong direction,” CCA President Steve Berry said in a news release: Members are “seriously concerned that the FCC’s current plan for MFII will undermine their hard work serving areas that would have gone unserved absent their investment and USF support. The Commission is relying on inaccurate and inconsistent information to determine areas that will be eligible for MFII support, and I strongly encourage the FCC to perform a thorough review of its data and utilize the most accurate measurement analysis to identify coverage gaps.” The biggest concern is that the FCC plans to “immediately slash legacy USF in many areas where services consumers enjoy today could be reduced by a flash cut of support,” Berry said. “Rural areas are some of the most difficult to serve, and putting these funds ‘on the chopping block’ will directly impact carriers’ abilities to continue service and will harm consumers that live in or visit these areas. As these CEOs noted, a flash-cut is fiscally irresponsible, especially given the amount of budgetary planning required to maintain and build out networks.” A vote on the fund is teed up for the commissioners’ Feb. 23 meeting (see 1702030039).