Rural telcos reported progress but asked the FCC Wednesday for a couple more weeks to try to develop consensus proposals for reforming universal service funding for rate-of-return (RoR) carriers, said an ex-parte filing by WTA -- Advocates for Rural Broadband. Under prodding from the FCC to develop common proposals, representatives of WTA, the Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance, the National Exchange Carrier Association, NTCA, USTelecom and others updated commission officials on the status of their efforts since April 16. That's when FCC officials asked the telco associations to develop a broad industry plan within a month, but it became clear recently that they hadn't reached a consensus (see 1505150046). In their filing, the groups said they had reached agreement on a number of issues but others remained unresolved for a variety of reasons, "including disagreements between certain representatives and insufficient time to work out the details of certain proposals and options." The groups asked for a two-week extension, until June 3, "to continue to negotiate a comprehensive plan for future RoR high-cost support," the filing said. FCC officials seemed receptive to the industry efforts, one telco official said. "Things are fluid. Hopefully we'll get a little more time to submit a framework," the official said. "We're trying to make sure the plan is all-encompassing," addressing proposals for carriers wanting to move to model-based support and rural group "data connection service" (DCS) proposals for carriers wanting revisions to the current mechanisms to facilitate stand-alone broadband support. The FCC has asked the groups to modify their DNS proposals by including some additional constraints, the telco official said. "So we're trying to make that happen."
The FCC has much left to do to overhaul USF funding and intercarrier compensation (ICC), panelists said at an FCBA seminar Wednesday on reforms since the 2010 National Broadband Plan (NBP). High-cost USF support for generally small, rural rate-of-return carriers and Lifeline USF await major changes, they said. Overhaul of high-cost support for larger price cap carriers and E-rate support for schools and libraries are further along, but questions remain; and numerous ICC disputes continue to bubble, panelists said.
The FCC has much left to do to overhaul USF funding and intercarrier compensation (ICC), panelists said at an FCBA seminar Wednesday on reforms since the 2010 National Broadband Plan (NBP). High-cost USF support for generally small, rural rate-of-return carriers and Lifeline USF await major changes, they said. Overhaul of high-cost support for larger price cap carriers and E-rate support for schools and libraries are further along, but questions remain; and numerous ICC disputes continue to bubble, panelists said.
Net neutrality was just one of many topics before the Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee during a Tuesday hearing, which featured FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai. Senators focused on USF overhaul issues just as lawmakers in the House and Senate pushed for stand-alone broadband support, as expected (see 1504210033). Subcommittee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., told us after the hearing that his two big concerns with the FCC's FY 2016 budget request, an increase of about $50 million over its current budget, remain “the moving expense” associated with the FCC’s headquarters relocation and the FCC’s use of $25 million from the USF for administrative purposes.
Net neutrality was just one of many topics before the Senate Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee during a Tuesday hearing, which featured FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai. Senators focused on USF overhaul issues just as lawmakers in the House and Senate pushed for stand-alone broadband support, as expected (see 1504210033). Subcommittee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., told us after the hearing that his two big concerns with the FCC's FY 2016 budget request, an increase of about $50 million over its current budget, remain “the moving expense” associated with the FCC’s headquarters relocation and the FCC’s use of $25 million from the USF for administrative purposes.
Lawmakers in both chambers are preparing a letter to the FCC to address one of NTCA’s USF priorities on stand-alone broadband, reviving a bicameral, bipartisan letter sent to the FCC last Congress. NTCA also received promises from two lawmakers Tuesday that they will take the group’s priorities to heart, with legislation if need be. Prominent topics included overhaul of the USF, call completion problems and net neutrality, a controversial and partisan item in Congress.
Lawmakers in both chambers are preparing a letter to the FCC to address one of NTCA’s USF priorities on stand-alone broadband, reviving a bicameral, bipartisan letter sent to the FCC last Congress. NTCA also received promises from two lawmakers Tuesday that they will take the group’s priorities to heart, with legislation if need be. Prominent topics included overhaul of the USF, call completion problems and net neutrality, a controversial and partisan item in Congress.
Sprint and T-Mobile spent less on lobbying so far this year, Q1 lobbying reports showed. Monday was the deadline for quarterly lobbying reports, but many trade associations and companies hadn't filed theirs by our deadline. Observers have said net neutrality and proposed acquisitions are big drivers of spending in the telecom space, and those issues turned up repeatedly in the Q1 forms posted this week.
Sprint and T-Mobile spent less on lobbying so far this year, Q1 lobbying reports showed. Monday was the deadline for quarterly lobbying reports, but many trade associations and companies hadn't filed theirs by our deadline. Observers have said net neutrality and proposed acquisitions are big drivers of spending in the telecom space, and those issues turned up repeatedly in the Q1 forms posted this week.
Transparency within the House Commerce Committee and at the FCC emerged as the key divisive issue Thursday as FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler took on his third hearing this week. Democrats blasted Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., for what they said was a partisan FCC reauthorization draft bill designed to freeze funding at the agency for four years. Republicans harangued the FCC for its process and transparency practices.