LA QUINTA, Calif. -- Congress should continue “lifeblood connectivity” provided through the affordable connectivity program (ACP), Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chairman Stephen DeFrank said in an interview at this week’s NARUC meeting. Expect broadband, universal service and pole attachments to be key issues for the state PUC in the year ahead, he said. Industry officials debated possible USF changes during a Tuesday panel.
LA QUINTA, Calif. -- The EPA took “very seriously” telecom lead findings reported by the Wall Street Journal this summer (see 2307210004), EPA Senior Counselor to the Administrator Grant Cope said Monday. The government’s investigation continues, he told the NARUC Telecom Committee at the association’s meeting here. Also, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s former chief of staff Travis Litman said the FCC will have to “run, not walk” to complete net neutrality and other possibly divisive items before the election.
The California Public Utilities Commission seeks comment on a staff proposal setting state LifeLine specific support amounts (SSA) and minimum service standards (MSS), Administrative Law Judge Stephanie Wang said Monday. File comments by Dec. 6 and replies by Jan. 9, the ALJ ruled. The Oct. 30 staff proposal would provide an SSA up to $20.75, increase the wireless broadband allowance MSS to 25 GB from 5 GB, and increase the wireline broadband speed MSS to 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload from 25/3 Mbps currently. For wireless, staff proposed a “dynamic approach” in which a Lifeline participant would move between two tiers “automatically based on their monthly data consumption without need for action.” Tier 1 would give 5 GB of data with a fixed SSA of up to $10.75, while Tier 2 would provide 25 GB of data and 10 GB hot spot data with a fixed subsidy of up to $20.75. "Staff set the subsidy at $20.75 so that when combined with the $9.25 federal LifeLine subsidy, California LifeLine participants are eligible for a total subsidy of $30 as with the ACP plan,” it said. "Service providers may not throttle speeds … except in accordance with reasonable network management practices, such as during an emergency where first responders require priority above other customers.” For wireline, staff proposed setting a voice-only tier SSA that would equal the lesser of $20.75 or 55% of a wireline service provider’s combined rate and end user common line charge. "The SSA floor would be $10.75 so that service providers with lower basic residential rates will provide and market robust offerings to CA LifeLine participants." For a second tier bundling voice and broadband, staff proposed a fixed $20.75 SSA. Staff said MSS for a foster youth program would generally be the same as proposed for the regular LifeLine wireless program. But since foster youth under 18 are ineligible for federal Lifeline support, staff proposes having California Lifeline make up the difference, "assuming that the amount is equal to or less than the current $9.25,” it said. Also, while the main program unsubscribes participants after they don't use it for 45 days, the foster program would switch participants to an "emergency service access plan" with 3 GB of wireless data and unlimited voice and text. Service providers would get a $10 monthly subsidy for each person on the emergency plan, it said. No co-pays would be required from foster youth.
Several telecom-focused congressional leaders told us they’re more seriously considering directly appropriating $3.08 billion to fully close the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program funding shortfall amid the ongoing stall in talks on a spectrum legislative package that top lawmakers long hoped could pay for the additional funding (see 2311010001). The outlook for a spectrum legislative deal is very dim while lawmakers continue to wait for DOD to release a much-anticipated report on repurposing the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for commercial 5G use (see 2310180062). Communications policy-focused lobbyists and officials are closely following how work on FY 2024 appropriations legislation progresses in the weeks ahead for signs to indicate whether a change in tack on rip and replace takes place.
Louisiana means to keep its lead among states in broadband, equity, access and deployment (BEAD) planning, even with a change in governors, said ConnectLa Executive Director Veneeth Iyengar in an interview. Louisiana last month picked Jeff Landry, now the state's attorney general, flipping to red a Democratic seat held by term-limited Gov. John Bel Edwards. Ahead of more elections across the country Tuesday, Mississippi Public Service Commission candidates told us they want to ensure all their citizens have internet access.
Low-income households and populations of color point more to lack of interest and affordability concerns than to lack of access as being the big drivers of broadband non-adoption, so digital discrimination rules won't go as far as improving the efficacy of the Affordable Connectivity Program in closing the adoption gap, the Phoenix Center said Tuesday in a paper. The draft digital discrimination rules provide no evidence of digital discrimination, "probably because this lack of evidence conflicts with its aggressive regulatory agenda,” says study author Phoenix Chief Economist George Ford.
While Affordable Connectivity Program enrollment numbers are growing rapidly, "there is more work to do" given the gap between the number of households on federal housing assistance eligible to enroll and the number of those enrolled, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said last week at Housing and Urban Development's ConnectHomeUSA virtual summit, per posted prepared remarks.
Charter Communications is warning some states that it won't be interested in broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program opportunities there. States that closely follow NTIA proposed guidelines regarding internet tiers, pricing and labor practices "just won't be attractive states for us to bid in," CEO Chris Winfrey said Friday as the company announced Q3 financial results. He said Charter "will focus our investments in the states that allow us to retain flexibility to run the business, properly respond to market demand and ultimately earn a healthy return."
The Biden administration’s Wednesday request for Congress to appropriate an additional $6 billion to fully fund the FCC’s affordable connectivity program (ACP) through the end of 2024 (see 2310250075) is drawing initial skepticism from top telecom-focused Republicans amid their push for the commission to be more transparent about how it has been spending the program’s existing $14.2 billion allocation. Congressional Democrats enthusiastically backed the White House’s request, noting it would give Capitol Hill more breathing room to examine whether and how to tie in changes to a longer-term ACP with a push for broader USF revamp legislation. Current estimates peg ACP as likely to exhaust its funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act during the first half of 2024 (see 2309210060).
The Biden administration asked Congress Wednesday afternoon to allocate $6 billion in stopgap funding for the FCC’s affordable connectivity program, more than communications sector officials anticipated last week (see 2310200067). The White House also urged Capitol Hill appropriate an additional $3.08 billion to close the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program funding shortfall (see 2310120067). The additional ACP money would “strengthen” ACP "by extending free and discounted high-speed internet for eligible households through December 2024,” the White House said in a fact sheet. ACP “is already helping over 21 million households save over $500 million per month on their monthly internet bills.” The program is “critical for the Administration’s high-speed internet deployment programs for rural, remote, and Tribal communities,” the administration said: “Without this funding, tens of millions of people would lose this benefit and would no longer be able to afford high-speed internet service without sacrificing other necessities.” USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter hailed the administration for seeking the ACP stopgap, saying the program “is a critical part of reaching our shared goal of universal connectivity” and “has already enabled more than 21 million low-income households to participate in our digital economy. We urge Congress to find a long-term solution to sustain this vital program.”