FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly has asked the Universal Service Administrative Company to provide information on the use of E-Rate funding to overbuild existing USF-supported fiber networks. Commissioner O’Rielly has asked USAC to respond to his request no later than April 1, 2019.
This article is a summary of news from February 2019.
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.
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.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a draft of the 2019 Broadband Progress Report to his fellow commissioners. It is the second such report under the Pai administration, and for the second consecutive year, the report concludes that advanced telecommunications capability (broadband service) is being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion. The FCC is expected to vote on the report in the coming weeks.
The FCC has installed a new two-step process for reporting changes in ownership of towers and other antenna structures. Under the new ownership change application process, both the assignor and the assignee must log into the FCC’s Antenna Structure Registration System, complete their respective portions of the application, and provide the signature of an authorized person.
In comments filed in response to the FCC’s 2018 Biennial Review of Telecommunications Regulations, the American Cable Association has urged the FCC to modify its universal service fund contributions rules because they are implemented in such a manner that is unfair to smaller communications providers. Among other things, ACA wants the FCC to revise downward the VoIP contributions safe harbor so that it more reasonably approximates the actual percentage of VoIP revenues derived from interstate and international services.
The Federal Communications Commission’s residential 24 hour backup power requirement becomes effective February 13, 2019. The rule requires providers of facilities-based, fixed residential voice services that are not line powered to offer subscribers, at the point of sale, the option to purchase a backup power solution that provides consumers with at least 24 hours of standby power during a commercial power outage.
