LECs to Submit Alaska USF 2026 Extension Proposal Oct. 5

The proposal was announced in a notice of consensus submitted to the RCA Tuesday, which didn’t include details but said the plan would extend the AUSF sunset date to June 30, 2026, adjust AUSF distributions “to reallocate support to remote areas,” and “adopt a simple, flat, per-connection rate” for contributions “for sustainability.” By 2026, “the impacts of significant federal infrastructure funding in Alaska will be better known, and the Commission will have more information that it may use to determine the best AUSF policy for the long term,” said the notice. The LEC entities behind the notice include Alaska Communications Systems Group, the Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition and Yukon Telephone. The Office of Alaska Attorney General’s Regulatory Affairs & Public Advocacy Section also supports the proposal “even though the consensus proposal differs from RAPA’s proposal and some points made in RAPA comments,” said a filing from RAPA. “My sense is that when you can get a multitude of people on the same sheet of music, it does perk one’s ears up,” said RCA Chairman Keith Kurber. Commissioner Jan Wilson said the Oct. 5 submission should include an explanation of why continuing the AUSF is in the public interest. “If you’re going to be given other people's money you need to build a record that demonstrates that you need, not just want other people’s money.” Commissioner Robert Pickett had been ready to vote to close the proceeding and allow the AUSF to sunset prior to the submission of the notice of consensus, he said. Under the current law, the RCA doesn’t appear to have any authority over broadband, Pickett said, saying he’s also unsure there’s enough time to create the package of new AUSF rules the notice proposes before the 2023 sunset. “We’re almost too late,” Pickett said. “We don’t really have a whole lot of time to do much of anything.”