A coalition of FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction winners pushed back on WTA's opposition to an emergency petition for additional RDOF support, citing a "perfect storm and tidal waves of massive cost increases," in reply comments posted Friday in docket 19-126 (see 2307280064). "WTA is fundamentally and profoundly wrong that the massive broadband construction cost-increases now faced by the RDOF winners were somehow foreseeable at the time bids were submitted in the RDOF Phase I auctions," the coalition said. The group argued additional support should be allowed for winners where "there was an extraordinary and unprecedented event that results in exponential price increases," such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau awarded more than $1.2 million Wednesday in its final round of funding through the affordable connectivity program's tribal competitive outreach program (see 2303150058). The new funding will support five tribal organizations, said a public notice in docket 21-450. The funding was limited to governmental and nongovernmental tribal entities that will do outreach and enrollment assistance to eligible households on qualifying tribal lands.
The FCC Wireline Bureau temporarily waived its number aging rule for residential customers in states affected by Hurricane Idalia, in an order Tuesday in docket 99-200 (see 2309010070). The partial waiver applies to companies that provide service in affected areas within Florida and South Carolina and expires June 3.
The FCC's rules establishing an enhanced up-to-$75 monthly broadband subsidy through the affordable connectivity program for eligible households in high cost areas take effect Oct. 2, said a notice for Friday's Federal Register (see 2308030075).
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau extended until Sept. 30 its waiver of compensation formulas for video relay services funded by the Telecom Relay Service Fund. The bureau, in an order Thursday in docket 03-123, said its revised plans for a new formula wouldn't be extended by its existing waiver, extending it through Sept. 30 "or the effective date of commission action revising the applicable compensation formulas."
Alternative connect America cost model (ACAM) carriers must indicate on a state-by-state basis by Sept. 29 whether they want to receive enhanced ACAM support, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Wednesday in docket 10-90 (see 2307240064). The model-based support includes a predicted monthly funding threshold of $63.69, a funding cap per location of $350, and an alternative funding percentage of 80%. Tribal locations are subject to a threshold of $47.76 and a cap of $365.93. The offer is also based on what the carrier "currently receives for locations to which it has already deployed 100/20 Mbps or faster broadband but which unsubsidized competitors neither already serve nor are subject to enforceable commitment to serve."
The FCC and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) signed a memorandum of understanding to promote awareness of the affordable connectivity program among federal housing assistance recipients, said a news release Monday. "This agreement builds on our ongoing and tireless efforts to broaden awareness of an essential cost-saving program that can bring connectivity to families on the wrong side of the digital divide," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Also Monday, Commissioner Geoffrey Starks joined HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge in Seattle to announce the partnership. "Working together, the FCC and HUD will make it easier for millions of eligible HUD households to secure the connectivity they need to participate in a 21st century economy," Starks said.
The FCC Wireline Bureau is seeking nominations for six positions on the Universal Service Administrative Co. board of directors. Nominations are due by Oct. 24 in docket 96-45, said a public notice Thursday.
The FCC wants comments on a notice of inquiry on potential methods to modify the USF's high cost program, said a notice in Wednesday's Federal Register. Comments are due Oct. 23, replies Nov. 21, in docket 10-90. Commissioners adopted the item in July (see 2307240064).
Hamilton Relay backed T-Mobile's petition to waive the requirement that text telephone (TTY)-based relay service be capable of communicating with the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 03-123 (see 2308040034). It also backed eliminating the ASCII requirement. "The ASCII format is rarely used," Hamilton said, noting "technological advancements have made the ASCII format superfluous."