The House Communications Subcommittee will mark up the Extending America’s Spectrum Auction Leadership Act (HR-7783), a significantly modified version of the Simplifying Management, Reallocation and Transfer of Spectrum Act (HR-5486) and five other telecom bills Wednesday, as expected (see 2206100001), the Commerce Committee said Monday. The markup includes a revised version of the Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) that proposes to use proceeds from the 3.1-3.45 GHz auction it authorizes to pay for next-generation 911 tech upgrades and additional money for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program to repay U.S. carriers for removing from their networks equipment made by companies deemed a national security risk.
California could make jail and prison calls free under a bill cleared Tuesday by the Assembly Public Safety Committee. San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto disagreed with other county sheriff departments that opposed SB-1008. Meanwhile, at a Senate hearing, ISP associations and Republicans opposed a bill to restrict state contracts only to ISPs that offer affordable internet services.
The FCC plans to release details about the affordable connectivity program's outreach grants and pilot program aimed at boosting enrollment among households receiving federal public housing assistance this summer, said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel during a virtual Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights event Monday.
FCC commissioners adopted an NPRM seeking comment on how it should craft rules for annual data collection on prices and subscription plans for services offerings through the affordable connectivity program (see 2206020058). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed the commission to adopt rules for the data collection by November.
FCC commissioners approved a notice of inquiry 4-0 Wednesday on how to facilitate access to spectrum for offshore uses and operations. FCC officials said, as expected, there were no major changes over what was circulated three weeks ago by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel (see 2206030029). Commissioners also adopted an NPRM before the meeting that seeks comment on a statutory requirement to collect annual data on the price and subscription rates of internet offerings through the affordable connectivity program (see 2206020058). The item wasn’t published Wednesday.
Verizon asked the FCC to "defer consideration of any new high cost support" until funding from the new federal broadband programs have been "fully awarded," in a meeting with Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics staff. The FCC can then identify unserved areas to "assess whether new high cost support is needed," Verizon said, per an ex parte posted Monday in docket 21-476. It also asked the FCC to seek additional funding for the affordable connectivity program and emphasize the Lifeline program's "distinct and important role" in its report to Congress on the future of the Universal Service Fund. Verizon backed expanding USF's contribution base "absent direct appropriations" by including "the most significant enterprises operating within the broader internet economy" (see 2203180062).
FCC commissioners will consider an NPRM during their June 8 meeting that would seek comment on rules for data collection of price and subscription rates of service offerings through the affordable connectivity program, said a sunshine notice Wednesday (see 2205170082). The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mandated an annual data collection.
The National Tribal Telecommunications Association and WTA backed NTCA's request to waive FCC rules regarding the affordable connectivity program's uniform 30-day non-usage tracking requirement for small providers offering fully subsidized plans to households on tribal lands. It's "expensive for small service providers on a per-customer basis, and discourages small provider participation," said WTA, in comments posted Friday in docket 21-450 (see 2205180062). The rule may also harm consumers who were "away from their homes for extended periods" due to "innocent and legitimate causes," the group said. NTTA said its members' ability to track usage this way "does not currently exist outside of a labor-intensive, manual process." It supported a "billing month basis" instead. NTTA also backed delaying the rule's implementation until Sept. 15.
National Lifeline Association asked the FCC to reform the Lifeline program before affordable connectivity program funding runs out, in separate meetings with Wireline Bureau Chief Trent Harkrader and aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, said an ex parte posted Wednesday in docket 11-42 (see 2203180062). The group asked that minimum service standards be eliminated "in favor of opening up competition," eligibility be expanded and "reasonable benefit transfer" limits be adopted. NaLa also asked the FCC to adopt an eligible telecom carrier "safe harbor for reasonable reliance on eligibility determinations" through the National Verifier and National Lifeline Accountability Database. Lifeline "must be ready to support low-income households' broadband needs," NaLa said, adding that it backed a partial-month reimbursement.
Some changes were made to a draft FCC order and Further NPRM targeting gateway providers and foreign-originated robocalls, in the version adopted by commissioners Thursday, as expected, according to our comparison from the draft (see 2205190023). The order maintained the requirement that gateway providers implement a Stir/Shaken C-level attestation, saying "the benefits will be significant, and the sooner we act, the sooner the public will obtain these benefits." The FNPRM included a TransNexus-sought question about whether to allow third-party Stir/Shaken authentication. An NPRM seeking comment on an Alternative Connect America Cost Model Broadband Coalition proposal to extend the program also included some changes. The notice included a question about whether participating providers should be required to participate in the affordable connectivity program. It also seeks comment on "how to address intergovernmental coordination and eligibility for locations on tribal lands."