The Wireless Infrastructure Association and others are expected to argue at a Tuesday Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing that lawmakers should consider network resiliency issues as they decide the contours of connectivity language in upcoming infrastructure spending legislation. Subpanel lawmakers said they intend to look at how to move forward on a to-be-refiled version of the Reinforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity, Local Infrastructure and Emergency Notification for Today’s (Resilient) Networks Act (see 2102160067) and other resiliency-centric bills. The partly virtual hearing begins at 2:30 p.m. in 253 Russell.
CTA raised concerns as FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM and notice of inquiry that would further clamp down on gear from companies deemed to pose a security risk in U.S. networks. Commissioners said several questions were added since a draft of the item circulated, as expected (see 2106090063).
Congressional Democrats are pressing harder for President Joe Biden to name a permanent FCC chair and a fifth commissioner, citing the need for a majority to act on changes to net neutrality rules and other priorities unlikely to garner GOP support. Lawmakers remain publicly hopeful the administration will soon announce its FCC nominees. Privately, Senate Democrats in recent days told the White House their patience on FCC nomination delays has evaporated, aides said.
A fee on Georgia landline bills will decline to 3.75% from 6% July 1, the Georgia Public Service Commission said Tuesday. Commissioners voted unanimously to reduce the state’s USF fee due to a sunsetting law that required carriers to align intrastate long-distance call charges with interstate charges over 10 years.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission set a USF hearing later this month on the fund administrator’s Tuesday motion to double the contribution factor on an interim basis. The hearing is June 24 at 8:30 a.m. CDT, said a Tuesday notice in docket OSF 201900036. Oklahoma USF Administrator Brandy Wreath’s motion seeks to increase the revenue-based factor to 12.73% from 6.28% after commissioners punted on a plan to change the contribution method to connections-based contribution (see 2105110045). Wreath supports “the idea that a connections based methodology, in addition to eliminating the problems resulting from the continued decline in assessable revenue, will be a more reasonable and fair way to collect assessments for OUSF,” per his testimony. The OCC will “continue efforts to reach a final order” in the contribution overhaul docket (OSF 201900316), and staff will withdraw the interim request if the commission agrees to a per-line method, said Wreath.
Rural healthcare providers want to begin participating in the FCC Connected Care Program, which is expected to get commissioners' approval on Thursday, agency and industry officials said in interviews last week. The $100 million, three-year pilot will help boost access to healthcare, experts said.
The Q3 USF contribution factor is 31.8%, confirmed the FCC Office of Managing Director Thursday.
The FCC is expected to approve 4-0 an NPRM next week proposing to bar certification of equipment from companies found to be a national security risk. No lobbying meetings were reported on the draft, per docket 21-232. FCC officials said CTA is starting to make the rounds among commissioner aides to discuss the item, which could lead to a few tweaks. Wednesday, Huawei executives criticized the proposal.
Commissioner Nathan Simington said finalizing new broadband data maps is a “very high priority” for FCC action. It's a “very thorny problem,” Simington said in an interview Wednesday. The FCC had to build out capacities that didn’t exist after Congress “passed the ball,” and acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is “working very hard to get it done,” he said. The commissioner has USF concerns and may be open to some changes.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comment by July 8, replies July 23, in docket 10-90 on Yukon-Waltz Telephone's waiver of certain USF rules, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. Yukon-Waltz asked to convert its current cost-based ratemaking and revenue settlements to average schedule methods.