Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is "anxious" to develop new broadband data maps, said Jean Kiddoo, who will head the commission's new broadband data task force (see 2102170052), during an FCBA event Thursday. The agency has identified a vendor to assist in the data collection and database for serviceable location fabric, and "it will be an FCC system," Kiddoo said. The fabric will combine all locations where fixed broadband is available and where it can be installed. "That is beneficial for everybody," said Lynn Follansbee, USTelecom vice president-policy and advocacy, because it will be a "living, breathing database" that providers and consumers can access. "This can be transformative in ways that you can't imagine," said AT&T Assistant Vice President-Federal Regulatory Mary Henze. Questions on how to file data can be sent to broadbanddatainquiries@fcc.gov. The Office of Economics and Analytics will issue a public notice announcing the initial filing deadline at least six months in advance, said Chelsea Fallon, broadband data task force chief implementation officer. Providers must have a corporate officer and qualified engineer certify accuracy. If one person is designated as both roles, one certification is needed, Fallon said. Fixed wired and satellite providers must submit polygons or lists of locations where they have service and where they could provide service within 10 business days of a request, with no charges or delays resulting from extending their network. Wireless providers must submit coverage maps for 3G, 4G LTE and 5G-NR data and voice coverage. The task force will accept third-party submissions. Those challenging a provider's availability data must include a certified submission of key information about locations and a basis for the challenge. Providers have 60 days to respond, either by agreeing within 30 days to remove a location or by resolving with the challenger. Providers responding to challenges must show availability by a preponderance of evidence. Nonconsumer challenges must show lack of availability by clear and convincing evidence. The goal is to resolve any challenges within 60 days, said Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force Deputy Chief Kirk Burgee.
IP captioned telephone service providers disagreed on whether the FCC should grant T-Mobile's petition for reconsideration on behalf of Sprint on parts of a November FCC order cutting IP CTS rates, per comments posted Wednesday in docket 13-24 (see 2011190026). Grant the petition because the rate cuts "adversely affected providers’ ability to provide functionally equivalent service to individuals with hearing disabilities," said Hamilton Relay: "The commission cannot ignore the fact that the decision to slash compensation rates and authorize [automatic speech recognition] has incentivized providers to either cut costs or offer lower-quality services." ClearCaptions disagreed: ASR is "more accurate, more consistent, and faster than what is generally available in the IP CTS industry today." If the commission isn't going to continue granting conditional approval for IP CTS providers to use ASR, "should reconsider the rate cuts that were based in part on providers’ ability to use ASR to achieve cost efficiencies" (see 2012110020), the company asked. Deny the petition because "Sprint continues to press the commission to adopt a tiered rate methodology that would increase compensation to Sprint," said CaptionCall: The petition "offers no new evidence."
The FCC has "more good stuff to come with the E-rate program," said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during The Hill's event Wednesday. The $7 billion approved by Congress in the latest COVID-19 relief bill expected to soon become law (see 2103100065) will "help update" the program, she said. State and local officials can help that effort by identifying how many students lack access as the commission works to improve broadband data maps, she added.
Homes that enroll in the FCC’s $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program could be forced to discontinue their services if the commission fails to take additional action (see 2102260058), advocates said in interviews. Some suggested now is the time to consider how to update Lifeline before money runs out.
Employ an independent body to "determine the metrics, measurement methodology, and performance criteria" for IP captioned telephone services, commented deaf and hard of hearing advocates last week in docket 13-24 on the FCC proposal to amend minimum performance standards (see 2101290025). Commenters included the Hearing Loss Association of America, Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, National Association of the Deaf and National Black Deaf Advocates. An American National Standard Institute-accredited standards organization has due process, notification of standards development, and no "dominance by any single interest category," the groups said. Standards should "meaningfully assess whether service providers are delivering functional equivalency and avoid unintentionally establishing the wrong types of provider incentives," said the Clear2Connect Coalition of disability and veterans service organizations. CaptionCall, ClearCaptions, Hamilton Relay, InnoCaption, T-Mobile and CapTel submitted a copy of an industry request for proposal to have an independent third party "test participating providers and validate methods of measuring IP CTS quality metrics." Procedures should be flexible so they "incentivize, not hinder, technological improvements," the providers said. InnoCaption urged encouraging providers to meet a minimum speed for calls using automatic speech recognition: "A requirement would run counter to the FCC’s statutory directives to ensure technological neutrality and functional equivalence."
Providers are gearing up to offer discounted services through the FCC emergency broadband benefit program. The $3.2 billion program is expected to help millions of low-income consumers and those hit hardest by the pandemic (see 2102260058).
Reject Peerless Network's lone opposition to USTelecom's petition for reconsideration of the FCC 8YY access charge order, providers replied, posted Tuesday in docket 18-156 (see 2102010071). Peerless urged, "Reset the rates for 8YY originating switched access to the regime and levels that pre-existed." Peerless' opposition "exceeds the scope" of what's allowed in oppositions, with no "substantive basis" for denying the petition, said USTelecom, which Lumen and Consolidated Communications echoed. "The vast majority of the Peerless opposition serves not so much as a rebuttal to the narrow USTelecom petition but as a petition for reconsideration in its own right of the entire order," USTelecom argued. Frontier said Peerless "fails in any way to actually address (much less meaningfully counter) the issues raised in USTelecom’s petition." Peerless didn't comment.
Historically Black colleges and universities want the FCC to do more to address the digital divide for their students and surrounding communities that have been hit hard by COVID-19. Some advocate a partnership between federal agencies and HBCUs to ensure students and their communities are accurately represented as the FCC works to improve its broadband data maps.
The FCC released rules for the $3.2 billion emergency broadband benefit program Friday. The order adopted several recommendations that commissioners sought, including a uniform start date for participating providers and a streamlined approval process for noneligible telecom carriers (ETCs). Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the rules Thursday (see 2102250066). Commissioner Brendan Carr's statement Friday showed he voted to approve in part and concur in part.
Maryland lawmakers heard testimony on a revived net neutrality bill, a day after a California law was tentatively upheld by a judge (see 2102230074). Maryland HB-1064 would prohibit fixed ISPs from blocking content, ensure that state funds can be used to contract only ISPs that comply with net neutrality rules, and block governments that provide broadband service from use restrictions that prohibit free speech. The Maryland House Economic Matters Committee heard testimony Wednesday on Del. Kirill Reznik's bill. A Democrat, Reznik expects the committee to consider designating broadband service as a regulated utility later in the legislative session. The consumer protection division of the state attorney general’s office expressed “strong support” for the bill. “If you were to allow ISPs to make it more difficult for people to use the internet for their basic needs, then that would only exacerbate the digital divide,” testified Deputy Chief Steve Sakamoto-Wengel. But the internet “did not break” after the COVID-19 pandemic hit because “companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T invested hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Sean Looney, Comcast vice president-state government affairs. “Legislation like this discourages investment,” he said. “If you want to make sure that people have access to the internet, don’t pass a piece of legislation like this.” Looney said Comcast supports federal legislation to “stop this regulatory pendulum” of individual states passing their own versions of net neutrality. Del. Lorig Charkoudian (D) pressed Looney on why Comcast opposed the FCC 2015 net neutrality order, saying his comment appeared “inconsistent with my understanding of Comcast’s position.”