The Arizona Corporation Commission would like to hear from more than just telecom companies on possible sweeping changes to Arizona USF (AUSF), Chairwoman Lea Marquez Peterson wrote Monday in docket T-00000A-20-0336. Only Cox, Lumen, Frontier Communications and CTIA commented by the original March 18 deadline and nobody else has commented since, Peterson said. Four responses don’t provide “an adequate basis” for the commission to consider what AUSF changes could advance its connectivity and universal service goals, she said. The ACC “must also hear from the communities in Arizona that lack ‘broad connectivity’ as well as from non-traditional service providers,” said Peterson, specifying she wants comment from tribes, municipalities and electric cooperatives. They should comment by April 18, she said. The ACC didn’t get much support in March 18 comments for transitioning the fund to broadband; cable and wireless companies suggested canceling the fund (see 2203210031). The chairwoman's office "is conducting additional outreach," an ACC spokesperson said.

The Arizona Corporation Commission should cancel state USF, cable and wireless companies said in comments Friday on a March 4 notice of inquiry on possibly sweeping changes. The ACC had asked about expanding Arizona USF support to broadband -- or eliminating the fund altogether (see 2203070031). Wireline companies disagreed with ending AUSF, with Lumen favoring making it a broadband fund.

Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn told the FCC Thursday she will, if confirmed, recuse herself during the first three years of her term “from any proceeding before the Commission where retransmission consent or television broadcast copyright is a material issue.” Sohn’s recusal pledge appears to be the result of negotiations with Senate Commerce Committee leaders aimed at securing support from all 14 Democrats before a planned Wednesday panel vote to advance her nomination to the full chamber, lobbyists told us. Some panel Republicans pressed for concessions from Sohn over ethics concerns about her role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition (see 2201130071).

President Joe Biden’s renominated Democratic picks for vacant FCC and FTC slots remain unlikely to get much, if any, Republican support amid ongoing misgivings over both nominees, Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi told us Tuesday. Biden renominated Gigi Sohn to the FCC and Alvaro Bedoya to the FTC earlier in the day, as expected (see 2201030056). Wicker believes NTIA administrator nominee Alan Davidson will have a far easier path forward, despite the chamber’s failure to quickly advance him last month. Senate leaders agreed to carry over Davidson's nomination from last year, aides confirmed.

LOUISVILLE -- Just as states are pursuing a few approaches to shore up their own USFs, state regulators have a similar array of ideas about how the federal government can put its funds for broadband and other telecom services on sounder financial footing. In interviews on the sidelines of NARUC's gathering and in phone interviews for those who didn't travel here for the Sunday-Wednesday event, commissioners generally agreed the path the federal USF is on isn't sustainable because the percentage fee on some telecom services that consumers are levied on their monthly bills has gone up in recent years.

States are considering whether to sue Frontier Communications after their claims were dismissed last week about DSL-speeds advertising. U.S. Central District of California Judge Gary Klausner suggested, in dismissing claims from Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Indiana, that “judicial economy” and “the interest of comity” would favor trying their claims in courts more familiar with applicable laws (see 2110040066).

The FTC and California's claims against Frontier alleging it misrepresented its speeds to DSL customers may continue, wrote U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge Gary Klausner in an order partially denying the telco’s motion to dismiss claims brought by the FTC and six states, posted Monday (case 2:21-cv-04155) (see 2108310064). Frontier's “blunt framing of their jurisdictional argument ignores the reality” that personal jurisdiction is “assessed ‘with respect to each claim,’” Klausner wrote. The court dismissed claims by Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin for lack of personal jurisdiction. "Judicial economy, as well as the interest of comity, favors trying these claims in courts that are familiar with the applicable law in the states where the alleged injuries occurred," Klausner wrote. “We have received the court’s decision and are reviewing it,” emailed a spokesperson for Wisconsin's attorney general Monday. Michigan's Department of Attorney General is "reviewing the order and considering our options," emailed a spokesperson. North Carolina's DOJ is reviewing the order, per a spokesperson. AGs in Arizona and Indiana didn’t comment, and nor did the carrier.

Just 30 of 197 providers filed responses to letters from the FCC asking them to review certain census blocks provisionally won during the RDOF Phase I auction and consider withdrawing those bids by its Monday deadline. Most said they're willing to accept the offer if the commission agrees to waive any penalties.

Frontier Communications is hardening Arizona systems to make 911 more reliable, the company said at an Arizona Corporation Commission meeting Tuesday. Commissioners urged Frontier to be more proactive and questioned the company on its board's and management’s ability to get the company on the right path, said staff meeting notes emailed to us by the commission. When complete, staff’s probe could recommend adjustments to Frontier’s system or propose a show-cause order that could lead to sanctions. At a June meeting, commissioners criticized Frontier 911 reliability before unanimously agreeing to open the probe (see 2106080049). Frontier updated the Arizona commission Aug. 12 about its progress looking into recent 911 service outages and increasing reliability in docket T-03214A-21-21-0198. “Frontier's leadership continues to make its investigation and remedy plan a priority,” Director-Government Affairs Jack Phillips wrote Utilities Division Director Elijah Abinah.

Arizona Corporation Commissioners will hear an update and might vote Aug. 17 on a Frontier Communications investigation including on 911 outages and equipment and facilities adequacy, said a Friday meeting agenda. The commission opened docket T-20680A-21-0198 two months ago.