FCC Issues Wireline Infrastructure Item, Rural Telco USF Capital Allowance Limit Order

The FCC released the text of two wireline items Friday that commissioners approved the previous day at their monthly meeting (see 1704200046 and 1704200018). A 64-page item contains an NPRM, notice of inquiry (NOI) and request for comment (RFC) on ways to accelerate construction of advanced wireline broadband infrastructure. The "actions propose to remove regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment at the federal, state, and local level; suggest changes to speed the transition from copper networks and legacy services to next-generation networks and services; and propose to reform Commission regulations that increase costs and slow broadband deployment," said the item. The NPRM proposes steps to ease pole attachments and copper retirements, including by revisiting technology-transition notification rules for the latter, and to streamline telecom service discontinuance requirements under Section 214 of the Communications Act. The NOI explores using FCC pre-emption authority to prohibit enforcement of state and local legal barriers to broadband deployment, and the RFC invites input on when carriers must obtain FCC permission to discontinue a telecom service. An eight-page order on reconsideration partially grants an NTCA petition and allows rate-of-return carriers to deploy broadband networks that exceed their capital allowance limits and still receive USF subsidy support if they pay for the costs above their limits.