All in Universal Service

November 2019 News Update

November 2019 News Update

Tony Veach
5G, A-CAM, Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Grants, C Band, CAF II, Congress, Copyright, Cybersecurity, DMCA, E-Rate, ETC, FCC, FCC Enforcement Bureau, FTC, Huawei, ISPs, Lifeline, National Security, Privacy, Rate-of-Return, ReConnect Program, Retransmisstion Consent, Rural Broadband, Rural Call Completion, Satellite, Spectrum, State Regulation, Universal Service, USAC, USDA, USF, USF Contribution, Video, VoIP, Wireless, Wireline, WISP

An update on news from November 2019.

FCC Announces Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force – Nominations For Working Groups Due December 3rd

FCC Announces Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force – Nominations For Working Groups Due December 3rd

Tony Veach
Broadband, Broadband Deployment, Broadband Mapping, FCC, Rural Broadband, Universal Service, Wireless, Wireline

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced the appointment of members to serve on the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States. The Task Force will hold its first meeting on Monday, December 9, 2019, at 9:30am. Nominations for membership on one of the Task Force’s four working groups should be submitted to the FCC no later than December 3, 2019.

GAO Says FCC Should Make A-CAM Mandatory For All Rate-Of-Return Carriers As Part Of Antifraud Strategy

GAO Says FCC Should Make A-CAM Mandatory For All Rate-Of-Return Carriers As Part Of Antifraud Strategy

Tony Veach
A-CAM, Broadband, Broadband Deployment, FCC, Rate-of-Return, Rural Broadband, Universal Service, USAC, USF

The U.S. Government Accountability Office has issued a report on its investigation of potential fraud risk in the FCC’s universal service high-cost program that supports rate-of-return carriers. Among other things, the GAO report recommends that the FCC assess the A-CAM support mechanism to determine the extent to which it produces reliable cost estimates and consider making its use mandatory all for rate-of-return carriers.

Slaying The Dragon - FCC Will Blacklist Huawei & ZTE Equipment And Services

Slaying The Dragon - FCC Will Blacklist Huawei & ZTE Equipment And Services

Tony Veach
Cybersecurity, Huawei, National Security, Universal Service, USF, Wireless

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a draft Report and Order that would prohibit companies from using Universal Service Fund money to purchase equipment or services from any company that poses a national security threat. The draft Report and Order initially blacklists two Chinese companies – Huawei and ZTE Corporation – as national security threats. The FCC will vote on the item at its November 19th open meeting.

State Members Of Universal Service Joint Board Recommend Changes To USF Contribution Mechanism – Assess Broadband Revenue & Move To Connections-Based Assessment On Residential Services

State Members Of Universal Service Joint Board Recommend Changes To USF Contribution Mechanism – Assess Broadband Revenue & Move To Connections-Based Assessment On Residential Services

Tony Veach
ISPs, Broadband, Broadband Deployment, USF Contribution, USF, Universal Service

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

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