CCA Urges Tweaks to 5G Fund Order

The Competitive Carriers Association mostly supports the proposed 5G Fund order but seeks changes, said a filing posted Monday in docket 20-32. “Requiring legacy support recipients to immediately begin deploying 5G at 35/3 Mbps in rural America in 2021 would be unreasonable, particularly as many carriers have already completed their 2021 budgets, some carriers have already placed their equipment purchases for the year, and others have already submitted network plans to states that retain [eligible telecommunications carrier] oversight authority,” CCA said: To the extent that the draft is “intended to enable legacy support recipients to have greater flexibility in spending support towards 5G during this interim period” it should be “clarified to more explicitly allow for flexible use of legacy support.” CCA spoke with aides to the Republican FCC commissioners and staff from the Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force, Office of Economics and Analytics and Wireline Bureau. Commissioners vote Oct. 27 (see 2010060060).