Chairman Ajit Pai said Tuesday a top challenge for the next FCC is the rising USF contribution factor (see 2012150018). “The current funding mechanism is regressive, hitting low-income Americans and seniors the hardest. We need to fix this problem, and fix it soon,” he said. Pai repeated his support for setting aside auction funds for broadband deployment in unserved communities and suggested Congress allocate $50 billion to fund USF for the next five years so lawmakers can identify a better contribution system. Pai also touted his efforts to close the digital divide during the event with the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and National Grange. It's one of several events he is attending as he prepares to leave Jan. 20. Pai called the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (see 2012070039) his proudest initiative, saying it will “connect millions of Americans living in some of the hardest-to-serve places.” He continued responding to critics that providers may be unable to provide the services they successfully bid on (see 2012210026). The auction was “overwhelmingly a success,” he said. “There will always be those who are upset that other people are getting the money instead of themselves.” Part of the COVID-19 relief law provided funds to improve broadband mapping before the RDOF Phase II auction. “I hope that the next FCC will approach that phase with vigor,” Pai said. With millions relying on internet access for work and education, the $3.2 billion emergency broadband relief fund (see 2101070052) “will go a long way,” Pai said: “Our staff is moving quickly to stand up this program to help consumers who need that help." Pai touted his efforts to close the digital divide by visiting 49 states and two U.S. territories -- he would have visited all 50 if not for the pandemic, he joked. “I learned about a woman who was found dead in her home, clutching her cellphone,” Pai said. The woman dialed 911 38 times, but the calls never went through, Pai said: “There just wasn’t wireless coverage in her area.” The pandemic underscored the need for access to telehealth services, he said, praising the commission’s efforts to increase the budget for the rural healthcare program.
Gabriella Novello
Gabriella Novello, Assistant Editor, is a journalist for Communications Daily covering telecommunications and the Federal Communications Commission. She joined the Warren Communications News staff in 2020, after covering election integrity and the 2020 presidential election at WhoWhatWhy. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism with a minor in health promotion at American University. You can follow Novello on Twitter: @NOVELLOGAB.
The FCC will disburse $3.2 billion in emergency broadband assistance as the pandemic has boosted broadband demand and usage (see 2012220061). How the money will be spent and whether it will reach the hardest-hit communities remain uncertain, said experts in interviews this month. Some telecom stakeholders are optimistic, however.
New FCC rules on the Lifeline and Link Up take effect Feb. 8, says Thursday's Federal Register. The rules remove broadband from the list of services supported by Lifeline and preserve the commission's authority to fund broadband through the program, as part of acting on a court remand mostly upholding other net neutrality deregulation.
FCC members condemned violence erupting on Capitol Hill by pro-Trump forces Wednesday. And now two FCC GOP members have explicitly acknowledged that, contrary to President Donald Trump's wishes, Joe Biden is slated to become the next president in a few weeks. See our news bulletin here. Before recent days, those commissioners were largely silent on the issue.
Alaska Communications Systems announced a $332 million sale to ATN International Monday, ending the agreement it originally had with Macquarie Capital and GCM Grosvenor (see 2012150033). The all-cash transaction is expected to close in Q2, and ACS said it paid the $6.8 million termination fee to Macquarie and GCM. The purchase will "allow us to enhance our expanded fiber network services and drive long-term value," said ACS CEO Bill Bishop.
The FCC seeks comment on how to best distribute a $3.2 billion emergency broadband connectivity fund (see 2012210055), said a Wireline Bureau public notice Monday. Comments are due Jan. 25, replies Feb. 16, in docket 20-445. The funds are part of Congress' latest COVID-19 relief bill. Providers seeking to participate must be designated as eligible telecom carriers or approved by the commission. Eligible households will receive a discount of up to $50 monthly, those on tribal lands up to $75. "Our staff is moving quickly to stand up this program so we can quickly direct funding to consumers who need the help," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said: "We need to find ways to get 100% of us connected in this country and this program is an essential part of making that happen.”
The North American Numbering Council will meet Feb. 4 to discuss the feasibility and cost of including automatic dispatchable locations for the anticipated 988 suicide hotline, a public notice said Thursday. NANC will also receive an update from the Secure Telephone Identity Governance Authority. The virtual meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. EST.
USF is reaching a tipping point, industry experts said in recent interviews. Revenue continues to decline, and the contribution factor is expected to reach a record 31.8% (see 2012150018). As President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office, there's some hope among broadband advocates that he will nominate someone to the FCC who brings the political will to tackle USF revisions.
The FCC defended its rulemaking on interexchange carrier compensation rules and access stimulation in a brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Great Lakes consolidated case 19-1233 (see 1911200061). Petitioners "engaged in and profited from access stimulation schemes" that the commission's rules now prohibit, the brief said. The FCC argued "substantial evidence" supports the new rules and alternate tests for access stimulation are reasonable.
The FCC Wireline Bureau issued a report to Congress Tuesday on efforts to implement caller ID authentication, noting seven voice service providers were granted exemptions from Stir/Shaken requirements (see 2012230040). Voice service providers must implement secure telephone identity revisited (Stir) and signature-based handling of asserted information using tokens (Shaken) in the IP portions of their networks and implement caller ID authentication framework in the non-IP portions by June 30. The bureau said equipment availability may be an issue with the deployment of Stir/Shaken, likely affecting smaller providers. The report also noted standards bodies are working on "non-IP caller ID authentication solutions," although there's not an industry consensus.