The FCC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) shares “many of the same concerns” top Republican leaders of the House and Senate Commerce committees voiced in early May about the commission's management of broadband money it received for the affordable connectivity program (ACP) during the COVID-19 pandemic (see 2305080067), acting IG Sharon Diskin told the GOP leaders Tuesday in a letter we obtained. House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Senate Commerce ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sought information from the FCC OIG about ACP’s administration, citing ongoing debate about extending its life.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
What is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)?
The Affordable Connectivity Program was a recently expired subsidy for low-income households to lower the cost of purchasing broadband internet and connected devices. The program was signed into law as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and administered by the FCC up until June 1, 2024, due to expiration of the ACP’s funding.
Will the ACP Return?
Congress continues to debate restoring ACP funding, with immediate next steps likely to come from the Senate Commerce Committee or Congressional discussions on revising the Universal Service Fund.
The FCC issued two additional notices of funding opportunity for outreach grants to promote the affordable connectivity program (see 2304100010). Applications for the up to $5 million national competitive outreach program are due by June 30 at 6 p.m. EDT. Applications for the up to $5 million tribal competitive outreach program are due by July 8 at 6 p.m. EDT, said a Thursday news release. “We’ve had great success so far -- with more than 18 million households enrolled," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, "but we know there are many more households we can reach with help to get online and stay online."
The FCC Wireless Bureau gave broadband providers Charter Communications, Cox Communications and Starry a June 15 deadline for explaining their need to use an alternative to the national verifier system for verifying subscribers' eligibility to take part in the Affordable Connectivity Program, per letters (Charter, Cox and Starry) Wednesday. In the letters, the bureau also directs the three to confirm through the National Verifier the eligibility of their ACP subscribers approved via those companies' alternative processes. "We remain concerned that alternative verification processes, although allowed by the law, may result in improper enrollments," potentially resulting in ACP waste, fraud or abuse, the bureau said.
The California Public Utilities Commission could shut out many wireless providers from participating in a proposed state LifeLine pilot if it proceeds with proposed rules, the National Lifeline Association (NaLA) warned. The CPUC received comments Tuesday on a proposed decision to approve two pilot programs to stack California LifeLine and federal affordable connectivity program (ACP) benefits (docket R.20-02-008). Verizon cautioned the CPUC to allow “reasonable network management.”
Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., said during and after a Thursday hearing they’re forming a USF-focused task force to evaluate how to move forward on a comprehensive revamp of the program that may update its contribution factor to include non-wireline entities. Senate Communications members cited several telecom policy matters that intertwine with the push for USF changes, including future funding for the FCC’s affordable connectivity fund and restoring the commission’s lapsed spectrum auction authority.
The GOP leads on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees were noncommittal in interviews before a Wednesday House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee hearing about what kind of modifications they would like for the FCC’s affordable connectivity program. Current estimates peg ACP as likely to exhaust the initial $14.2 billion in funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during the first half of 2024, perhaps as early as Q1. The Commerce Oversight hearing highlighted partisan fault lines over how much Congress should modify the existing federal broadband funding apparatus.
Top Republican leaders on the House and Senate Commerce committees want the FCC's Office of Inspector General to review the commission's management of broadband money it received during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying in a Monday letter to acting IG Sharon Diskin "it's important to understand" the affordable connectivity program's "record to date" as they decide whether to back extending its life. They are seeking answers by June 1. The request came before two congressional hearings later this week on federal broadband spending and may provide further insight into whether there’s a consensus for making legislative changes to existing programs.
Top Republican leaders on the House and Senate Commerce committees want the FCC's Office of Inspector General to review the commission's management of broadband money it received for the affordable connectivity program during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying in a letter to acting IG Sharon Diskin we obtained ahead of its Monday release that "it's important to understand" ACP's "record to date" as they decide whether to back extending its life. They seek answers by June 1. The request came ahead of a Wednesday House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee hearing that will be the panel's first specific foray into what’s expected to be a more critical look at recent broadband spending now that Republicans have the chamber majority.
The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society launched an online tool Tuesday showing the actual and expected number of households enrolled in the FCC's affordable connectivity program. The tool will "enable communities to better understand where ACP enrollment exceeds expectations and where it does not" to "help decision makers target outreach more precisely in areas with the greatest need," said Senior Fellow John Horrigan. The tool will make people aware of ACP and "help communities target efforts to increase enrollment," said Executive Director Adrianne Furniss. The tool allows users to view the actual level of enrollment, predicted level of enrollment, and how an area is performing at the five-digit ZIP code-level.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Quickly restoring FCC spectrum auction authority is critical with the World Radiocommunication Conference approaching in late fall, said government officials at the FCBA annual seminar Friday and Saturday. FCBA members heard from FCC commissioners and NTIA officials on a variety of other issues, including possible "Buy America" waivers for the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program.