SAN FRANCISCO – The FCC has “a lot more competition policy to go” and needs the support of Incompas and its members, as well as their customers' stories, said Gigi Sohn, counselor to Chairman Tom Wheeler at the Comptel Plus meeting Tuesday. “We're going to rely on you,” Sohn said, providing an overview of the Wheeler agenda on the incentive auction, special access, IP technology transition, broadband deployment, Lifeline, USF and video reform. “Keep telling those stories and we'll get more and more people on the side of competition and bigger, faster broadband,” she said.
Four rural telco groups made proposals for implementing parts of an FCC plan to give rate-of-return carriers the option of shifting to a new USF support mechanism based on a broadband cost model. The ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA submitted “consensus recommendations” for allocating an extra $200 million a year in Connect America Fund reserve money for RLECs opting into the model-based approach and for proposed broadband buildout milestones over a 10-year period, said an ITTA filing posted Friday in docket 10-90. ITTA, joined by USTelecom and WTA, updated a proposed broadband buildout methodology, in a separate filing Friday. And USTelecom Monday made another filing, on behalf of all four groups, asking the FCC questions about possible changes to legacy high-cost USF mechanisms for RLECs that don’t opt in to the model-based support.
Four rural telco groups made proposals for implementing parts of an FCC plan to give rate-of-return carriers the option of shifting to a new USF support mechanism based on a broadband cost model. The ITTA, NTCA, USTelecom and WTA submitted “consensus recommendations” for allocating an extra $200 million a year in Connect America Fund reserve money for RLECs opting into the model-based approach and for proposed broadband buildout milestones over a 10-year period, said an ITTA filing posted Friday in docket 10-90. ITTA, joined by USTelecom and WTA, updated a proposed broadband buildout methodology, in a separate filing Friday. And USTelecom Monday made another filing, on behalf of all four groups, asking the FCC questions about possible changes to legacy high-cost USF mechanisms for RLECs that don’t opt in to the model-based support.
The FCC should reform USF subsidy mechanisms for rate-of-return telcos this year, two rural LEC representatives and their consultants said in a filing in docket 10-90 Thursday by Cheryl Parrino of Parrino Strategic Consulting Group. Officials of Great Plains Communications and Consolidated Cos., Parrino and former Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth met with Wireline Bureau officials and commissioner aides Tuesday and Wednesday, Parrino wrote. "We also informed the offices that a model option is very critical for many rural companies like Great Plains and Consolidated and that without that option many rural customers will not receive the benefits of broadband deployment," Parrino said. "We indicated that the work on the model is well fleshed out and that the industry has made good progress on legacy reform." Rural telco groups proposed a framework for revising FCC (legacy) rate-of-return high-cost USF mechanisms to facilitate broadband support while also giving carriers the option of receiving support based on a revised broadband cost model (see 1506030052 and 1506040028). Rural telco representatives have continued to discuss specific reform ideas with the agency. Asked if the FCC would seek public comment on any proposed new rules, Wireline Bureau Chief Matt DelNero said Wednesday at an FCBA event that the agency would look to whether the proposals "are within the four corners" of a 2014 NPRM to make a determination.
The FCC should reform USF subsidy mechanisms for rate-of-return telcos this year, two rural LEC representatives and their consultants said in a filing in docket 10-90 Thursday by Cheryl Parrino of Parrino Strategic Consulting Group. Officials of Great Plains Communications and Consolidated Cos., Parrino and former Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth met with Wireline Bureau officials and commissioner aides Tuesday and Wednesday, Parrino wrote. "We also informed the offices that a model option is very critical for many rural companies like Great Plains and Consolidated and that without that option many rural customers will not receive the benefits of broadband deployment," Parrino said. "We indicated that the work on the model is well fleshed out and that the industry has made good progress on legacy reform." Rural telco groups proposed a framework for revising FCC (legacy) rate-of-return high-cost USF mechanisms to facilitate broadband support while also giving carriers the option of receiving support based on a revised broadband cost model (see 1506030052 and 1506040028). Rural telco representatives have continued to discuss specific reform ideas with the agency. Asked if the FCC would seek public comment on any proposed new rules, Wireline Bureau Chief Matt DelNero said Wednesday at an FCBA event that the agency would look to whether the proposals "are within the four corners" of a 2014 NPRM to make a determination.
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai is anxious about how little time remains this year to resolve the stand-alone broadband issue, he told us. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler committed to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., that the agency would find a way by the end of the year to provide USF support for telecom companies that offer only broadband service. Industry stakeholders, Wheeler and Pai have kicked around different ideas this year about how to best resolve the situation, with the solution still unclear.
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai is anxious about how little time remains this year to resolve the stand-alone broadband issue, he told us. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler committed to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., that the agency would find a way by the end of the year to provide USF support for telecom companies that offer only broadband service. Industry stakeholders, Wheeler and Pai have kicked around different ideas this year about how to best resolve the situation, with the solution still unclear.
LAS VEGAS -- The FCC should wrap up an order creating a dedicated USF mobility fund, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn urged, speaking Thursday at the Rural Wireless Association conference at the CTIA convention.
LAS VEGAS -- The FCC should wrap up an order creating a dedicated USF mobility fund, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn urged, speaking Thursday at the Rural Wireless Association conference at the CTIA convention.
The FCC could face tough implementation tasks as it seeks to modernize Lifeline subsidy mechanisms for low-income consumers, conflicting comments in the agency’s rulemaking suggest. The commission received strong support -- and a deluge of parties weighed in -- on its core proposals to extend Lifeline USF support from voice to broadband service and shift consumer eligibility oversight away from telecom providers. (For previous stories, see 1509010073, 1509020058, 1509020048 and 1508180069).