The FCC must find a “coherent approach” to...

The FCC must find a “coherent approach” to high-cost USF reform in Alaska that recognizes the state’s unique geography, demographics, climate and infrastructure challenges, General Communication told Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and Phil Verveer, senior counselor to Chairman Tom Wheeler, in separate meetings last week, an ex parte filing said (http://bit.ly/1bwlTu6). “Given the extremely large need for universal service support to deploy and sustain modern telecommunications and broadband networks in Alaska, it makes little sense to continue to reduce the total high-cost support to Alaska,” GCI said. “Instead, high-cost reform for Alaska should focus on better targeting that support, tied to the Commission’s broadband deployment objectives.” For example, Phase II of the Connect America Fund could target support to stay away from census blocks where GCI will be an unsubsidized competitor at the end of the wireline competitive eligible telecom carrier support phaseout, said the cable operator, which also provides phone service. It said the commission could also increase the “extremely high-cost threshold for Alaska” to reflect the higher costs of serving those areas. That would also reduce the burden on the limited Remote Areas Funds, said the company.