FCC Allocates $64 Million for Puerto Rico, USVI Recovery; Hughes Seeks Satellite Funding
The FCC announced allocation of an initial $64.2 million in extra USF support to help telecom providers restore broadband and voice service in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Providers will receive $51.2 million in Puerto Rico and…
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$13 million in the Virgin Islands, with 60 percent going to fixed network operators and 40 percent to mobile network operators in both jurisdictions, said a Wireline Bureau public notice in docket 18-143 and Wednesday's Daily Digest. The top recipients are: Puerto Rico Telephone (Claro), $16.4 million of fixed and $5.7 million of mobile support; AT&T, $1.65 million in conditional fixed support and $12 million in mobile support spread over both jurisdictions; Liberty Cablevision, $11.1 million in conditional fixed support in Puerto Rico; Virgin Islands Telephone (Viya), $6.9 million in fixed support, and Vitelcom Cellular (Viya Wireless), $126,576 in conditional mobile support; T-Mobile, $4.4 million, and PR Wireless, $3 million, in mobile support in Puerto Rico; and WorldNet Telecom, $1.3 million in fixed support in Puerto Rico. Providers receiving conditional support must show in two months they have received relevant eligible telecom carrier designations. The short-term funding was part of a May order and NPRM proposing $900 million in additional and repurposed USF support for the islands over the mid-to-long term (see 1805290028). Hughes Network Systems said initial comments on the NPRM "overwhelmingly" demonstrate that satellite services "must be" part of the islands' broadband infrastructure and "should" receive USF support. The FCC "must take these comments into account and address the issues in its proposal that prevent the participation of satellite operators in this [USF] proceeding, including the arbitrary selection of the June 2017 Form 477 data filing as a cut-off date for participation; the unjustified application of latency requirements; and the decision to award funds using non-transparent, anti-competitive, subjective processes," said Hughes' reply Wednesday. "Failure to do so will result in the residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands being denied access to truly resilient and reliable broadband services."