Ohio Carrier Running Out of Money as It Completes Rip-and-Replace Program
Southern Ohio Communication Services (SOCS) asked the FCC for an extra 90 days to complete the removal of Chinese equipment from its network. The carrier has already received two extensions, according to a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-89. The only remaining covered equipment in the network “is one ZTE router, which has been powered down and is awaiting transport to the destruction warehouse,” while other gear awaits disposal, the filing said.
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The filing illustrates the difficulty that many smaller carriers have had completing the program (see 2412300021). Congress recently provided additional funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, allocating $3.08 billion to close the funding gap (see 2412240036). “SOCS is a small firm, and self-funding has placed it in a difficult financial position as it must divert significant funds from serving its clients,” the carrier said. “Alternate finances have not materialized and without guidance from the FCC regarding full funding disbursement, SOCS is forced to focus on funding day-to-day operations rather than finishing" the rip-and-replace project.