Arkansas AG Asks Pai to Investigate RDOF Census Block Challenger

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) wants the FCC to investigate a company to see whether it's eligible to participate in or challenge the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, she said in a May 8 letter to Chairman Ajit Pai. Rutledge said her office is investigating "whether FDF Communications Co. d/b/a BPS Networks or its affiliates has authority to provide telecommunications services in the State of Arkansas." She asked the FCC to "thoroughly investigate the claims which have been made by this company" about service it claims to provide in Arkansas. Misrepresenting its broadband service could block RDOF phase I support, she said. In a letter posted Thursday, BPS defended an earlier limited RDOF challenge for census blocks in Missouri and Arkansas. BPS didn't comment Friday.