ViaSat Pushing CAF II Coverage Credits, Limited Package Bids

More credit for broader coverage and limited package bids would help improve the Connect America Fund Phase II bidding process, ViaSat said in an FCC docket 10-90 ex parte filing posted Wednesday. Calling the current CAF II bidding structure "an easy but flawed design," ViaSat said giving each bid a quality score, using FCC-determined performance and latency tiers, would allow for a trade-off between higher quality in some areas vs. more census block groups covered. It said its proposal would still prioritize low-latency, high-tier service but makes low marginal bids for census blog groups safer, thus expanding the number of locations served. The filing recapped a meeting involving ViaSat Associate General Counsel-Regulatory Affairs Chris Murphy, Auctionomics Chairman Paul Milgrom and outside counsel John Janka of Latham & Watkins with FCC staff including Wireline Bureau Chief of Staff Kirk Burgee and International Bureau Satellite Division Deputy Chief Kerry Murray.