Don't include a broadband label on consumers' monthly bills, said NCTA in a meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. There's "no evidence that existing customers would benefit" and label information would instead "generate customer confusion," the group said, per an ex parte filing Friday in docket 22-2 (see 2204210057). Implementing such a requirement would "dramatically increase" the "variety of systems challenges" of placing a label on provider websites, NCTA said, asking the FCC to "instead focus its rules on the display of labels at the point of sale."

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr called for more action to "safeguard" affordable connectivity program funding following Thursday's Office of Inspector General memorandum identifying fraudulent enrollment (see 2209080036). "I have not been alone in expressing concern," Carr said Friday: “Whatever we are doing to deter this type of fraud is not working."

The FCC Wireline Bureau extended until Oct. 31 the deadline for high-cost USF recipients to submit annual use certifications, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 10-90. The waiver applies to eligible telecom carriers and states that are "not subject to the jurisdiction of a state."

The Universal Service Administrative Co. projected USF Q4 revenue will be $8.6 billion, said a filing Thursday in docket 06-122. That's about a $300 million increase from Q3 (see 2206010052). The quarterly contribution factor will likely fall from 33% to 28.9%, emailed analyst Billy Jack Gregg. "The FCC has apparently recognized that something needs to be done to place the USF on a more stable foundation," he said: "Get ready for legislative action in the coming years."

The FCC said it's ready to authorize nearly $800 million in additional Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction support for six providers. The funding will support deployment to more than 350,000 locations in 19 states, said a Wednesday news release. The FCC is "confident these projects can bring quality service to currently unserved areas," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Bids by AMG Technology Investment Group, GeoLinks, Connect Everyone, GigaBeam Networks, SafeLink and Shenandoah Cable Television are ready to be authorized. Letters of credit and bankruptcy code opinion letters are due by Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. EDT. “We appreciate the FCC’s deep analysis of our application and ultimate approval,” said Nextlink Chief Strategy Officer Claude Aiken. The company is "well-positioned to move quickly to connect the unconnected," said CEO and co-founder Bill Baker. The FCC also listed Monster Broadband and some of GeoLinks, Connect Everyone and Shenandoah's bids in default.

The FCC's "failure to account for all of the known sources of federal funds" for broadband projects in its report to Congress on the future of the USF "necessarily casts doubt on its conclusions as to the future relevance and need for" the high cost fund, blogged Free State Foundation Senior Fellow Andrew Long Tuesday (see 2208160055). The "end state" for the high cost fund should be defined in dollars, Long said. "The moment when federal subsidies reach that specific financial target is the moment when the goal of the high cost fund has been achieved." The report "effectively ignores" the American Rescue Plan Act's $360 billion, which included some funding for broadband projects, he said, and its "narrow focus" on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act "paints an incomplete picture of progress."

The FCC Wireline Bureau directed the Universal Service Administrative Co. to fully fund eligible category one and two E-rate requests for funding year 2022. Total demand will be $1.64 billion for category one services and $1.51 billion for category two services, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 02-6.

ATIS and the Session Initiation Protocol Forum released SIP code 603+ Thursday as a new standard for call blocking notifications (see 2206030050). It "balances the need to provide legitimate callers with a mechanism to seek redress if they have been inappropriately blocked against the desire to limit feedback to malicious callers," said ATIS CEO Susan Miller. SIP code 603+ is "the best, shortest and least-costly path to implementation and success," SIP Forum Board Chairman Richard Shockey. The new standard, which was approved Aug. 16, is "primarily developed for, and to be adopted by, US voice service providers," said a report by the groups.

The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Sept. 21, replies Oct. 6, in docket 10-90 on whether it should extend its letter of credit rules for Connect America Fund Phase II recipients beyond Dec. 31, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. It also wants comments on a proposal to extend the waiver for recipients that "meet the first mandatory build out deadline" as of Dec. 31.

OMB approved the public information collection for the FCC's May order requiring voice service providers and gateway providers to respond to traceback requests, said a notice for Wednesday's Federal Register (see 2205190023). The rule is effective Sept. 23.