The National Tribal Telecommunications Association and WTA backed NTCA's request to waive FCC rules regarding the affordable connectivity program's uniform 30-day non-usage tracking requirement for small providers offering fully subsidized plans to households on tribal lands. It's "expensive for small service providers on a per-customer basis, and discourages small provider participation," said WTA, in comments posted Friday in docket 21-450 (see 2205180062). The rule may also harm consumers who were "away from their homes for extended periods" due to "innocent and legitimate causes," the group said. NTTA said its members' ability to track usage this way "does not currently exist outside of a labor-intensive, manual process." It supported a "billing month basis" instead. NTTA also backed delaying the rule's implementation until Sept. 15.
National Lifeline Association asked the FCC to reform the Lifeline program before affordable connectivity program funding runs out, in separate meetings with Wireline Bureau Chief Trent Harkrader and aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, said an ex parte posted Wednesday in docket 11-42 (see 2203180062). The group asked that minimum service standards be eliminated "in favor of opening up competition," eligibility be expanded and "reasonable benefit transfer" limits be adopted. NaLa also asked the FCC to adopt an eligible telecom carrier "safe harbor for reasonable reliance on eligibility determinations" through the National Verifier and National Lifeline Accountability Database. Lifeline "must be ready to support low-income households' broadband needs," NaLa said, adding that it backed a partial-month reimbursement.
Some changes were made to a draft FCC order and Further NPRM targeting gateway providers and foreign-originated robocalls, in the version adopted by commissioners Thursday, as expected, according to our comparison from the draft (see 2205190023). The order maintained the requirement that gateway providers implement a Stir/Shaken C-level attestation, saying "the benefits will be significant, and the sooner we act, the sooner the public will obtain these benefits." The FNPRM included a TransNexus-sought question about whether to allow third-party Stir/Shaken authentication. An NPRM seeking comment on an Alternative Connect America Cost Model Broadband Coalition proposal to extend the program also included some changes. The notice included a question about whether participating providers should be required to participate in the affordable connectivity program. It also seeks comment on "how to address intergovernmental coordination and eligibility for locations on tribal lands."
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by May 26 on NTCA's petition to waive the affordable connectivity program's rolling 30-day non-usage rule for small providers offering fully subsidized plans to tribal households, said a public notice Wednesday in docket 21-450 (see 2205130069). NTCA also asked as an alternative to set a Sept. 15 effective date for the rule.
Industry and consumer advocacy organizations disagreed on the severity of digital discrimination and on potential solutions, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 22-69. The FCC sought comments on how to combat digital discrimination as required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The law directed the FCC to adopt rules that prevent discrimination based on income, race, ethnicity, color, religion or national origin.
NTCA asked the FCC to grant a waiver of the affordable connectivity program's "uniform, rolling 30-day" non-usage period for small providers that offer a fully subsidized plan to tribal households, said a petition posted Friday in docket 21-450. The group also sought a waiver for ACP subscribers that qualified through Lifeline. The rule "requires an automated functionality that many of these entities do not have," NTCA said, asking the FCC to allow small providers serving tribal consumers to abide by emergency broadband benefit program rules on non-usage. AT&T is also seeking a targeted waiver for consumers receiving asymmetric digital subscriber line services (see 2205090056).
NTIA released notices of funding opportunity Friday for applicants interested in its broadband, equity, access and deployment, middle-mile grant, and state digital equity planning grant programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The agency cited “end-to-end fiber-optic architecture” as priority broadband projects and encouraged states to give the greatest consideration to subgrantees committed to providing 1 Gbps services at an affordable rate as part of the BEAD program.
More than 30 consumer advocacy organizations asked NTIA and the Biden administration to prioritize "consumers’ needs over the desires of industry" in its broadband programs funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in a letter Thursday. "Universal equitable connectivity could be imperiled if the NTIA fails to use its congressional authority," the letter said, and NTIA should "set minimum standards, prescribe best practices, exercise oversight over the states’ proposals, and determine who can access a low-cost broadband plan." Public Knowledge, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Consumer Reports, Electronic Frontier Foundation, MediaJustice and the Marconi Society were among the signers. NTIA should "require states to prioritize scalable, symmetrical projects," and "impart its expertise" as states plan for the various programs, the groups said. The agency should also ensure providers receiving broadband, equity, access, and deployment program support offer a low-cost plan separate from the FCC's affordable connectivity program because it could "leave customers in the lurch after just a few years when the ACP [affordable connectivity program] runs out of funding."
NTCA asked the FCC to consider reverting the affordable connectivity program's usage rules for asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) services to those in the emergency broadband benefit program "with a technical infeasiblity exemption where such measurement is not possible," in comments posted Friday in docket 21-450 (see 2204150057). The FCC sought comment on AT&T's petition to waive the requirement for its grandfathered plans that use ADSL technology. The group said some of its members faced problems with capturing usage of its ACP-enrolled customers using ADSL technology. NTCA opposed FCC action that "would result in its members forgoing reimbursement for a discount extended to a subscriber." AT&T's willingness to do so "highlights that strict compliance with the rule ... is neither feasible nor reasonable," NTCA said. AT&T also met with Wireline Bureau staff on its petition, per an ex parte posted Monday, saying its request is "limited to a small and targeted subset of potentially eligible wireline customers on grandfathered plans utilizing ADSL technology that is no longer supported by equipment manufacturers."
The Biden administration’s Monday announcement (see 2205060046) that 20 ISPs committed to offer low-income households broadband plans with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps at no more than $30 per month got a mixed reception among communications policy stakeholders. All of the participating ISPs -- which include Altice, AT&T, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Frontier, Mediacom and Verizon -- were already part of the FCC’s affordable connectivity program that subsidizes qualifying households’ broadband up to $30 per month. The White House said the participating ISPs cover more than 80% of the U.S. population.