Feb 28

Feb 28 February 2019 News Update

Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Average Schedule, 5G, C Band, CAF II, Congress, FTC, ISPs, Lifeline, Rate-of-Return, Spectrum, Spectrum Auctions, Universal Service, USF, USF Contribution, VoIP, Wireless, Wireline

This article is a summary of news from February 2019.

Feb 25

Feb 25 FCC Releases Revised Support Offers For Existing A-CAM Carriers, Sets March 27 Deadline To Accept

Tony Veach

A-CAM, Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Fiber, Rate-of-Return, Universal Service, USF

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has announced revised offers of Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support and associated revised deployment obligations for the 262 carriers that have already been authorized to receive A-CAM. These carriers have until March 27, 2019, to notify the FCC whether they accept the revised amount of model-based support.

Feb 20

Feb 20 CAF II Auction Winners Redwire and Viasat Petition FCC For ETC Designation

Tony Veach

Broadband, Broadband Deployment, CAF II, Satellite, Spectrum, USF, Universal Service

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau is seeking comment on two separate petitions for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier filed by CAF Phase II auction winners Redwire, Inc. and Viasat Carrier Services, Inc.

Oct 31

Oct 31 October 2018 News Update

Tony Veach

Sep 30

Sep 30 September 2018 News Update

Tony Veach

Jul 3

Jul 3 Sun Sets On Sandwich Isles’ Exclusive License After FCC Determines It Violates Section 253 Of The Communications Act

Tony Veach

Broadband, Section 253, FCC Preemption, FCC Enforcement Bureau, Rate-of-Return, Universal Service, USF, Wireline

The Federal Communications Commission has determined that an exclusive license to provide telecommunications services granted by the state of Hawaii to Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. violates Section 253(a) of the Communications Act, and as a result, has preempted enforcement of the license.

May 31

May 31 Wealthy Americans Beware! FCC Commissioners Want Means-Testing For The USF High-Cost Fund

Tony Veach

Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Fiber, Universal Service, USF, Means-Testing

FCC Commissioners Michael O’Rielly and Mignon Clyburn have coauthored an article posted on the FCC’s official blog that asks whether means-testing could bring “efficiencies” to the universal service fund’s high-cost support mechanism.

Jun 17

Jun 17 FCC Approves New Average Schedule HCLS Formula For Second Half Of 2016

Tony Veach

Rate-of-Return, Wireline, USF, Universal Service, NECA, Average Schedule

The FCC has approved the National Exchange Carrier Association’s modifications to the formula that will be used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support for average schedule rate-of-return carriers. The new HCLS average schedule formula – in effect from July 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 – produces a 3.4 percent decrease in HCLS for average schedule study areas which is due to the decrease from 11.25 percent to 11 percent in the prescribed interstate rate of return.

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