The FCC gave a waiver to Lifeline eligible telecom carriers affected by delay in launch of a national verifier of consumer eligibility for the low-income USF support program in six states (see 1712010042). The Wireline Bureau temporarily waived "recertification rules in Colorado, Montana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming from January 1, 2018 through the date of the soft launch of the National Verifier for subscribers whose recertification deadlines or 'anniversary dates' would otherwise fall during that time frame," said a public notice in docket 11-42 and Tuesday's Daily Digest. Because the national verifier will reverify consumer eligibility, ETCs in the six states were instructed not to recertify the eligibility of Lifeline consumers with anniversary dates starting in January. "Now that the initial launch of the National Verifier has been delayed, however, those subscribers are at risk, through no fault of their own, of not having completed the recertification process by their anniversary dates," the PN said. The bureau partially granted the Michigan Public Service Commission extension of a waiver from Lifeline eligibility criteria changes through June 30 or the date on which the state aligns its eligibility criteria with the FCC's and updates its database. The PSC sought the waiver through Dec. 31, said an order in the docket.

NARUC supported 911 direct dialing in hotels and other enterprises, in replies posted Monday in FCC docket 17-239. NARUC passed a resolution at its November meeting (see 1711160006). Don’t pre-empt states, the association said. “It is counterproductive for the FCC to limit State’s ability to enforce compliance with any federal mandates or limit State rules that provide additional protections/requirements that enhance efficient and reliable operations of 9-1-1 systems.” West Safety supported an FCC rulemaking proposing uniform E-911 rules for enterprise communications systems (ECS) requiring direct 911 dialing, on-site notification, appropriate routing to public safety answering points and reasonably precise location information. NCTA replied the FCC should recognize that providing location information for ECS customers is more technically complex than with residential customers. ECS services should be accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing, said the National Association of the Deaf and others.

With about a week to go until the Dec. 28 deadline for states to opt out of AT&T plans, FirstNet clarified the costs states that say no would have to pay if their alternative radio-access-network fails. “If the opt-out state build or operation of its RAN fails during the term of the [Spectrum Manager Lease Agreement] SMLA, the state will only be responsible for the actual cost of reestablishing the RAN in the state,” FirstNet Senior Counsel Justin Shore said in a letter to New Hampshire shared Tuesday by Rivada. “The revised SMLA makes clear that these actual costs will be recommended through an independent, third party assessment.” A FirstNet spokeswoman confirmed the letter, saying "FirstNet has clarified the draft SMLA after consulting with the states and getting their feedback on the draft from this fall." Threat of large fees for opting out encouraged states to opt in, a Rivada spokesman said. “This is good news, even if it may feel to many states like it comes too late.” Forty of 56 states and territories have opted in (see 1712180023).

President Donald Trump unveiled a U.S. national security strategy Monday that includes a commitment to “improve America’s digital infrastructure by deploying a secure 5G Internet capability nationwide.” A White House report on the strategy briefly mentions its 5G deployment proposal to “increase national competitiveness, benefit the environment, and improve our quality of life.” House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said she's “encouraged to hear the president’s national security strategy includes a pledge to deploy 5G wireless services nationwide.” House Communications held a hearing on 5G last month amid discussions about a draft bill from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, that would encourage deployments by easing siting requirements (see 1710310057, 1711160058 and 1711240024). Lawmakers “will continue to work to unleash spectrum and support the development of 5G networks,” Blackburn said in a statement. “The 5G revolution is here, and I look forward to working alongside the administration to ensure America remains a leader in technology and innovation.” CTIA is “pleased” Trump’s strategy “acknowledges the critical importance of next-generation 5G wireless to maintaining America’s competitiveness,” said President Meredith Baker. “We are locked in a race with countries such as China and Russia to be the first to deploy 5G. To win this race we need government to make more spectrum available to industry and modernize the rules governing the deployment of wireless infrastructure.”

Proposing fining Sinclair some $13 million for not disclosing sponsorship of advertisements (see 1712150051) likely will be a 3-2 vote at the FCC, officials said. It's possible the notice of apparent liability will be released this week, after it took time for statements on the NAL from the commissioners to be finalized, we're told. The Democratic commissioners' concerns may include that the fine would be much less than the maximum of about $80 million, officials said. The broadcaster and the FCC declined to comment Monday. Sinclair is buying Tribune, in a deal expected to get regulatory OK, but perhaps not in conjunction with this NAL.

The FCC may fine Sinclair many millions of dollars in what's seen as a precursor to possibly approving Sinclair's pending buy of Tribune, informed sources said Friday. All commissioners have completed voting on a notice of apparent liability with a penalty of about $13.3 million, though not all members necessarily voted yes, said agency and other officials in interviews. Although the NAL apparently doesn't approve or possibly even mention the license transfer, such proposed fines or settlements often occur around the time the regulator approves transactions. Sinclair allegedly showed spots about 1,700 times that some could have mistaken for news segments, and the sponsorship wasn't disclosed to viewers, officials said. Some said the maximum fine for the violations could be $80 million, more than the draft NAL would seek. The penalty would add "to the long list of evidence that the FCC-licensed broadcaster will not act in the public interest" if it buys Tribune, said Sinclair/Tribune foe Coalition to Save Local Media, with members including the American Cable Association, Dish Network, NTCA and Public Knowledge. “Today’s report [here] should prompt more scrutiny by the FCC, Justice Department, and other parties on this proposed mega-merger." Sinclair and the FCC declined to comment.

Rivada plans to send an unsolicited $25 million bid Friday to the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) for its LTE assets, a Rivada spokesman said Thursday. The LA-RICS board voted Thursday to authorize its chairman to execute AT&T’s $12 million asset transfer agreement. Rivada previously sent its $25 million offer for the same LTE assets to California as part of the state's request-for-proposal process seeking alternative radio-access-network plans. Wednesday, Rivada urged LA-RICS to consider its offer side-by-side with AT&T’s, but LA-RICS Administrative Chief Susy Orellana-Curtiss told us Thursday the Los Angeles agency never had access to the Rivada offer submitted to the state. “LA-RICS does not have access to that proposal nor does it hold an evaluation role in the bid process,” so it doesn’t know the details of Rivada’s offer, she said. Rivada didn’t know the extent of the LA-RICS boards’ access to the offer, so it publicized the information and is preparing an unsolicited asset-transfer agreement for LA-RICS’ consideration, a Rivada spokesman responded. Orellana-Curtiss said, “We would consider what our options are once we are informed of the State’s decision.” California is undecided about opt-out and the deadline for states to decide is Dec. 28 (see 1712130054).

President Donald Trump didn't mention the FCC's vote to rescind its 2015 net neutrality rules (see 1712140039) during a Thursday speech but touted the federal government's overall success in cutting regulations during his first year in office. Trump set a goal upon taking office in January for federal agencies to cut two rules for every one they added and not to add any additional regulatory costs. Agencies have instead eliminated 22 regulations for every one they added, the White House said. “We beat our goal by a lot," Trump said. "Instead of adding costs as so many” other presidential administrations have done, “for the first time in decades, we achieved regulatory savings. Hasn't happened in many decades. We blew our target out of the water.” The White House is setting a goal for federal agencies to take three deregulatory actions in FY 2018 for every rule it adds.

T-Mobile said Wednesday it will launch its own TV service in 2018, buying IP-based TV and internet provider Layer3. “People love their TV, but they hate their TV providers,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. “The crappy customer service, clunky technology and outrageous bills loaded with fees! ... We’re gonna fix the pain points and bring real choice to consumers.” Legere told analysts he wants to take on cable and satellite TV operators, and the move into TV coincides with the launch of 5G. T-Mobile officials expect the deal to close in weeks. Craig Moffett, analyst at MoffettNathanson, questioned the investment. “When the world seemed to want skinny bundles, Layer3 TV went fat,” he wrote investors. “When the world seemed to be going purely virtual, Layer3 bet on proprietary infrastructure (the middle mile). At a time when everyone seemed to be trying to rid themselves of hardware, Layer3 bet on set-top boxes.” Many details are unknown, said Wells Fargo’s Jennifer Fritzsche. “Near-term revenue and profitability outlook will be more muted as [T-Mobile] scales the product and integrates it with their wireless customer base.” BTIG’s Walter Piecyk said the deal provides “technology expertise, existing and broad content relationships, and a technology platform for T-Mobile to enter the living room.”

A FirstNet.gov map doesn’t show New Hampshire as opting out because the state hasn’t submitted a statutorily required notification to FirstNet, FCC and NTIA, a FirstNet spokesman said Wednesday. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) announced his decision to opt out in a Dec. 7 news release. The FirstNet map shows the more recent decision by Missouri to opt in, and opt-ins by 35 other states and territories (see 1712120025). “The map is for official announcements,” but FirstNet acknowledged New Hampshire’s intention to opt out on a separate facts page, the spokesman said. Opt-in governors sent notifications to FirstNet, though they’re not required to do so by statute like opt-out states, he said. A Rivada spokesman disagreed: “I find it amusing, but also incredibly petty, that FirstNet can’t acknowledge the obvious fact that New Hampshire has decided to opt out. By FirstNet’s logic the entire map should be blank, as every state still has time to opt out and no decision is final until Dec 29.” The state’s single point of contact didn’t comment.