Pai Proposes to Extend Mobility Fund Challenge Process

support 4G LTE in unserved areas and should meet a critical need, Pai said Friday. “It’s critical that we get it right.” Limited USF monies for mobile service “must be effectively and accurately targeted to areas that lack unsubsidized 4G LTE service,” he said: The extension "will ensure fulsome participation in the process. I’m urging my fellow commissioners to vote this item quickly, so we can proceed with a robust challenge process, and then move forward with this important auction.” Carri Bennet, counsel to the Rural Wireless Association, welcomed the order: “Our members have been working tirelessly and spending financial reserves that would be better put toward expanding service in unserved areas to deal with an overly burdensome challenge process that has been part brought on by overstated inaccurate coverage data. Due to the overstated coverage that has been filed, the additional time will allow our members to launch additional challenges. More is needed though -- the FCC needs to review Verizon’s overstated coverage data as it is causing rural carriers to launch challenges and expend resources to disprove what appears to be a deceptive coverage map. This is a waste of resources and could be avoided if the FCC would step in and question the data.” Verizon didn't comment. "Rural and regional carriers depend on USF, coupled with private investment, to deploy new services in the hardest to reach areas," said a spokesperson for the Competitive Carriers Association. "It’s critically important that the FCC help to produce maps that accurately depict the geographic areas not covered by unsubsidized 4G and therefore eligible for Mobility Fund II support. A successful challenge process is a key piece of the coverage puzzle and this extra time will help improve the current unreliable coverage maps."