The Oklahoma Corporation Commission should promote competitive neutrality by supporting legislation to require state USF collection at the point of sale (POS) for prepaid services sold by third-party retailers, CTIA commented, posted Monday in docket PUD-201800066. Legislators prefiled two such bills (HB-2606 and SB-730) for introduction Feb. 4 when the session opens. Most Oklahoma USF contributors including postpaid wireless can collect contributions through line items on their bills, but prepaid carriers don’t have a direct retail relationship with customers who buy service through third parties, CTIA said. The OCC doesn’t have jurisdiction over the third-party retailers so it can't require they remit surcharges, it said.

Huawei Technologies fired back at the Telecommunications Industry Association for arguing the National Defense Authorization Act means the FCC can bar use of USF money to buy from companies that “pose a national security threat” to U.S. communications networks or its supply chain (see 1812100045). TIA’s views are “far afield of the actual provisions of law relevant to the Commission’s proceeding,” Huawei said in docket 18-89. TIA “repeatedly conflates distinct provisions of the NDAA; for example, by arguing that ‘Section 889 applies to the USF programs’ without distinguishing between different paragraphs within that section that contain different terms,” Huawei said: It “transparently tries to reframe the issue by characterizing any reading of the statute with which it disagrees as ‘creating a USF exception.’” TIA "stands by our comments and reply comments," a spokesperson said.

House Communications Subcommittee leaders diverged on approaches to net neutrality legislation, during the State of the Net conference Tuesday. Chairman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., staked out a partisan agenda on that and other telecom policy issues. Ranking member Bob Latta, R-Ohio, emphasized the need for continued bipartisanship on the House Commerce Committee as the GOP settles into its new role as the minority party. Their comments came ahead of House hearings on net neutrality and T-Mobile's proposed purchase of Sprint, which also got attention Tuesday (see 1901290040).

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's decision to move up a Feb. 21 monthly meeting to Feb. 14 was welcomed, given potential for another shutdown after Feb. 15 (see 1901290014). Pai announced Tuesday the tentative agenda would be the same five drafts originally planned for Wednesday's meeting, now item-less due to the recent shutdown (see 1901230058). Separately, the FCC delayed to Feb. 8 deadlines on many filings due Jan. 8-Feb. 7 (see 1901290043).

The full federal government got back to work Monday, after a prolonged partial shutdown that shuttered the FCC, FTC, NTIA and other agencies overseeing communications policy. Incoming FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks will be sworn in Wednesday by Chairman Ajit Pai in an eighth-floor conference room and will participate in the commissioners’ meeting that follows, said industry officials. President Donald Trump signed off Friday on a continuing resolution to reopen the FCC and other shuttered agencies through Feb. 15, after the House passed the measure as expected (see 1901240016).

Oklahoma sought bids for support services for state USF for schools and libraries. The Oklahoma USF administrator will consider proposals for a one-year contract that would start Feb. 14 and could be renewed up to five times, said a request for proposals Thursday. The administrator seeks “a partner to provide education, training, and support services to ensure that the OUSF Administrator, public schools and libraries in Oklahoma are receiving necessary support, and therefore E-rate funding, as a means assisting in the management of costs to the OUSF,” said the RFP. “It is critical to Oklahoma schools and libraries that the OUSF Administrator is versed in the Federal E-rate program and that the OUSF process does not run counter to the Category 1 process.” Proposals are due Feb. 4.

The shutdown is having immediate FCC consequences in the form of delayed filing deadlines and shuttered websites. It could also ripple out to delay expected rule changes for 2019, industry officials told us this week. Since staff isn’t available, expected early-2019 policy decisions on kidvid and rate regulation, court cases and progress of deals such as T-Mobile buying Sprint are considered likely to be delayed.

Lifeline subscribership has "shrunk" almost 30 percent under FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and is set to drop at least another 30 percent "on his watch," said Kelley Drye attorney John Heitmann on a New America Open Technology Institute panel Wednesday. Representing Lifeline providers, he said Pai commission actions and proposals undercut enrollment and providers.

The Utah Public Service Commission wants comment on increasing the state USF surcharge by 24 cents to 60 cents per connection, effective May 1, said a Monday notice in docket 18-999-15. Comments are due Feb. 6, replies Feb. 20. The PSC had expected distribution changes would necessitate an increase (see 1901030023).

There are ways to move forward on policymaking to improve broadband deployments as the new Congress begins, federal and communications sector officials said Tuesday during a Next Century Cities-led event. Officials highlighted the potential for compromise as a contrast to the rancor over the ongoing partial government shutdown. They also noted policy disagreements. Later, the conference heard about spectrum (see 1901150043).