The rate-of-return regulated rural ILEC group with an FCC plan...

The rate-of-return regulated rural ILEC group with an FCC plan for broadband USF (CD June 25 p17, June 25 p14) includes about a dozen such companies with fewer than 10,000 access lines each, said industry officials involved with the Small Company Coalition in emails to us Tuesday and Wednesday. Some previous filings by the group hadn’t identified members of the coalition, which seeks among other things broadband access for rural and urban areas on similar conditions, rates and terms within USF budget parameters. ILEC members include Citizens Telephone of Kecksburg in Pennsylvania and Sacred Wind Communications in New Mexico. Associate coalition members include Alexicon Telecommunications Consulting, where Principal Doug Kitsch is involved with the effort, the Blooston Mordkofsky law firm and Calix Networks, which makes broadband systems, said the materials provided by Kitsch, a consultant to the group, and Jim Kail, on the coalition’s executive committee and the CEO of Pennsylvania ILECs including the Laurel Highland telco.