ATA Says FCC Alaska Plan Reporting Requirements Go Too Far
The Alaska Telephone Association voiced concern about FCC reporting duties on rural telcos and mobile carriers receiving USF support under an Alaska Plan order (see 1608310067). The commission required participants to provide maps of existing and planned fiber and microwave…
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middle-mile facilities, said an ATA filing posted Wednesday in docket 16-271 on meetings with aides to Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Michael O'Rielly and Jessica Rosenworcel, and Wireline and Wireless bureau staffers. But recently released agency instructions "require extensive reporting [of] last mile facilities and will be extremely time-consuming and expensive to implement," the filing said. Executive Director Christine O'Connor "expressed concern that without modification, the additional reporting beyond middle-mile facilities will divert significant resources from broadband service and deployment. She asked that participants get access to a "High Cost Universal Broadband" portal ASAP "so they can upload geocoded locations of broadband service where it has already been provided under the Alaska Plan."