All in USF
The state members of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service have submitted a Recommended Decision that proposes changing the existing contribution mechanism for federal universal service programs. Among other things, the state members want the FCC to assess broadband revenue and move to connections-based assessment on residential services
The FCC has released a draft of the broadband network performance testing Order On Reconsideration that will be voted on at the FCC’s October 25th open meeting. The draft Order On Reconsideration revises and clarifies the July 2018 Performance Measures Order, which sets a testing framework for measuring speed and latency performance that applies to fixed broadband service providers receiving high-cost universal service fund support.
An update on news stories from September 2019.
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska is considering whether to close the Alaska universal service fund early. The fund is currently scheduled to end in 2023.
The FCC has announced that the proposed universal service fund contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2019 will be 25 percent, the highest ever. This gives 2019 the highest yearly average USF contribution factor ever – 22.05 percent.
An update on important news from August 2019.
Conexon, LLC filed a written ex parte that supports its opposition to the petition filed by Wisper ISP, Inc. for waiver of the FCC’s 180-day deadline for CAF II auction winners to obtain ETC designation. Wisper’s application for designation as an ETC in the state of Oklahoma is still pending, which is why it filed the waiver. Conexon’s recent FCC ex parte letter contains new information derived from transcripts of Wisper’s hearing before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission that Conexon believes should be used to evaluate the merits of Wisper’s FCC waiver petition.
News update for July 2019
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that the FCC will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking during its August open meeting to formally establish the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The RDOF is planned to provide $20.4 billion over the next 10 years to support the construction of broadband networks in areas that lack access to broadband service at speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps.
