The California Public Utilities Commission should proceed with its proposal to lift its carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations, carriers said in reply comments posted this week in docket R.24-06-012 (see 2410020037). Several commenters backed AT&T's proposal for identifying areas throughout the state where lifting the commission's COLR rules is justified. For example, COLR obligations aren't necessary in competitive markets, said Frontier. The carrier urged the commission to prioritize COLR relief in urban and suburban areas to "avoid ongoing competitive disparities" between incumbent local exchange carriers (ILEC) and rivals. Frontier was among the commenters that backed AT&T's proposal. Consolidated Communications agreed, adding the PUC should reject calls to expand the proceeding and examine the merits of the COLR rules. A coalition of TDS carriers also backed AT&T's proposal. The first phase of the proceeding should consider areas that are well-served before addressing "not yet well-served" areas in the second phase, they said. Should the commission include broadband within the scope of its rulemaking, the carriers will seek a separate, third phase. The commission should request additional comments on issues that "have not been adequately addressed yet are critical to understand in order to revise and update the COLR rules," said The Utility Reform Network, Communications Workers of America and the Center for Accessible Technology in joint comments. The groups urged the PUC to clarify that rules updates don't allow the withdrawal of a COLR solely based on a community's U.S. Census Bureau designation as an urban area. "The mere fact that a community is designated as an 'urban area' within the Census Bureau data should not justify the diminution or elimination of a COLR obligation," they said.

A coalition of attorneys general from 14 states and Washington, D.C., asked the FCC to adopt rules requiring providers to improve their customer service practices, in a letter Tuesday. The coalition, led by Pennsylvania AG Michelle Henry (D), said they regularly hear complaints from consumers about "deceptive, confusing, and unfair interactions with service providers." The AGs urged the commission to adopt rules that "make it quicker and easier for consumers to reach live agents" and provide automatic credits for service outages or missed service appointments.

A Missouri bill would require all school districts to adopt a policy governing students' use of cellphones and other devices. Missouri Rep. Jamie Gragg (R) last week prefiled the bill for the next session. HB-408 would require "at a minimum" to bar students from "using, operating, possessing, or keeping" devices in school buildings during regularly scheduled activities unless otherwise instructed. The bill would also require guidelines for devices during non-instructional school activities.

Frontier agreed it will pay California $3.5 million in penalties to settle an investigation of illegal disposal of hazardous waste, Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said Friday. "For years, Frontier's careless and unlawful hazardous waste disposal practices jeopardized the health and environmental well-being of California communities," Bonta said. Inspections of more than a dozen facilities found in excess of 300 "potentially hazardous items" in regular trash dumpsters. Under the settlement's terms, Frontier will pay $2.8 million in civil penalties, $1.6 million to the AG's office, $450,000 in attorneys' fees, and $250,000 for "supplemental environmental projects." Frontier will also pay "at least $500,000 toward supplemental environmental compliance measures," Bonta's office said.

BEAD policy revisions by President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration are inevitable, but any significant changes would disrupt timelines as states incorporate those changes into their awards process and final proposals, consultant Terry Chevalier wrote last week on LinkedIn. Policies not explicitly in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act -- such as the fiber preference, the need for affordable options and workforce or environmental regulations -- could be revised or changed, he noted. Those areas were magnets for criticism when BEAD rules were announced. As such, they are "logical targets" for changes, he said.

More than a quarter of states and territories are allocating BEAD money toward broadband workforce development, NTIA Senior Policy Adviser Will Arbuckle blogged Wednesday. That spending -- in excess of $300 million -- includes $30 million by Louisiana toward its community technical college system for scaling up broadband workforce training programs and $50 million by Ohio toward such efforts as establishing workforce training programs at local colleges, he said. States should engage today with workforce partners such as employers, training academies and two- and four-year schools, he added. In addition, they should assess state and local broadband workforce needs by talking not just with ISPs but also with pole owners and broadband construction firms.

The California Public Utilities Commission voted 4-0 Thursday, approving an order updating the state LifeLine program to adopt an enrollment path for individuals without Social Security numbers. The PUC delayed the item in September (see 2409250016). Commissioner Matthew Baker abstained from the vote.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr (R) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FCC concerning the use of cellphone jamming technology, Carr said Thursday. The move comes after the agency denied Georgia's June request for information on cellphone jamming in certain federal prisons, the AG said (see [Ref:2406040043). "Law enforcement is struggling to combat contraband cellphones due to an outdated policy that the federal government refuses to address or reconsider in any way," Carr said. The FOIA request included all documentation related to the FCC's response denying the state's initial information request. The FCC didn't comment.

Frontier's proposed sale to Verizon "will further the public interest in several material respects," the companies said as they defended the deal before the California Public Utilities Commission (see 2411250045). In a joint filing posted Tuesday in docket 24-10-006, they said the "protesting parties advance unsupported procedural arguments and urge the commission to endorse inapplicable legal standards and requirements." The carriers urged that the PUC "establish an efficient schedule for this proceeding," resolving the proceeding "no later than the third quarter of 2025."

Kansas will open a second application window Dec. 12 for funding through the state's advancing digital opportunities to promote technology (ADOPT) program, Gov. Laura Kelly (D) said. The additional $10.7 million will help organizations expand access to public Wi-Fi and devices. The state Office of Broadband Division will also host a webinar on Dec. 11 at 11 a.m. to "discuss funding priorities and application guidelines."