CPUC Greenlights Frontier/CETF Settlement on Low-Income Pledge
The California Public Utilities Commission approved a settlement between Frontier Communications and the California Emerging Technology Fund over CETF’s claim that Frontier failed to meet a condition on low-income broadband adoption in the CPUC’s OK of its acquisition of Verizon…
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wireline assets (see 1811290037). The CPUC unanimously cleared the agreement at Thursday’s livestreamed meeting as part of the consent agenda. Also, commissioners unanimously cleared extending the statutory deadline for its California Teleconnect Fund review to July 15, and the deadline for state LifeLine program tweaks to Oct. 23. To get California OK for the Verizon deal, Frontier promised to help community groups bring internet to 50,000 low-income households by giving $3 million and 50,000 devices. The settlement “significantly expands Frontier’s commitment to making Internet service and devices available to low-income residents throughout its service territory,” CPUC said in the proposed decision granting the settlement in docket A15-03-005. Frontier committed to providing up to 43,474 more Wi-Fi devices, and completing by March 1, 2020, the installation of public Wi-Fi hot spots at 33 remaining locations required by the deal OK. “The agreement continues the partnership with Frontier to provide grant funding and computing devices to community-based organizations for getting a total of 50,000 low-income households online,” said CETF President Sunne McPeak. “We also appreciate that Frontier revised their affordable offer and is continuing to sign up digitally-disadvantaged residents towards their aspirational goal of another 150,000 low-income customers. As another goodwill commitment, Frontier is immediately contributing $25,000 to increase advertising about affordable offers in their service territories.”