The FCC seeks comment by April 30, replies May 7, on a petition to waive a Rural Digital Opportunity Fund rule prohibiting defaulters in the Connect America Fund Phase II program from participating in RDOF's auction 904, said a public notice Thursday on docket 19-126. Johnson Telephone wants the waiver.

MTN Infrastructure TopCo can take control of North State Telecommunications subsidiaries, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice in Wednesday's Daily Digest.

Comments are due April 21, replies April 28, on Charter Communications' petition to exclude from Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase 1 auction eligibility any census blocks in New York where Charter Communications will deploy broadband service to satisfy its commitments to the state, said an FCC public notice Tuesday on docket 19-126. Charter was obligated under the terms of a 2016 Time Warner Cable acquisition to upgrade existing broadband networks and expand to additional homes.

Industry opposed requests to delay an FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund broadband subsidy program Phase I auction, in comments posted through Monday in docket 20-34 (see 2003270066). "Move ahead with the RDOF auction this year so that funding can be awarded to rapidly close the digital divide," USTelecom said, noting the California Public Utilities Commission argued for a delay. Telecom providers are challenged to keep networks in service during the pandemic, but "this is not an adequate reason for the Commission to delay an auction that is not due to start until October," USTelecom said: "This crisis has shown how important it is for all Americans to have access" to broadband. AT&T echoed earlier commenter skepticism for allowing unproven technologies to seek RDOF support. The company cited consensus on being "wary of short form applicants lacking two years of operational experience" and intending to rely on new low earth orbit satellite technology. NTCA wants the FCC to "reject proposals to reorient the weighting framework to favor certain lower-performing technologies that are inconsistent with the goals of the auction and that pose the risk of substantially complicating the RDOF auction." Rules should prohibit providers from using USF support to subsidize non-U.S. endeavors, GeoLinks said. "Despite these commenters’ attempts to disparage SpaceX’s network, SpaceX has now launched and operates the largest satellite constellation in the world and will soon be offering service to customers in the United States who have for too long been left behind by legacy networks," the company said. Don't "stifle broadband deployment by barring broadband service providers from using satellite technologies that can support latency-sensitive broadband services," such as medium earth orbit satellites, SES and affiliate O3b said. "Avoid making definitive conclusions about bidders or technologies prior to the short-form application process," Viasat said.

Work required to implement a 988 national suicide prevention hotline necessitates a phased timeline rather than a fixed,18-month one, CenturyLink officials told FCC Wireline Bureau staff, recounted a docket 18-336 posting Friday. The company said the North American Numbering Plan Administrator and industry have an established process to transition areas doing seven-digit dialing to 10-digit, as would be required in some areas for 988 implementation, and that takes 13 months, with mandatory 10-digit dialing usually starting 12 months after that. CenturyLink urged phase-in with quick deployment on VoIP and wireless platforms and longer transition times for areas needing 10-digit dialing. Conversely, 211 could be implemented within six months, it said.

Comments are due April 29, replies May 13 on a PR-USVI Fund Coalition petition to waive commitment letter and letter of credit requirements for applicants of the FCC stage 2 Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and Connect USVI Fund (see 2004080036), said a public notice on docket 18-143 in Thursday's Daily Digest.

The PR-USVI Fund Coalition asked the FCC to waive letter of credit requirements for participants in USF telecom rebuild program for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (see 2002250038), in a petition posted Wednesday on docket 18-143. It cited different LOC requirements in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program and "exigent circumstances" due to COVID-19. Members include Aeronet, Critical Hub Networks and VPNet.

MediaJustice, the United Church of Christ and 60-plus other groups asked FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to facilitate free inmate calling services during COVID-19 pandemic, in a petition in docket 12-375 and as expected (see 2003300022). ICS providers should sign Pai's Keep Americans Connected pledge, and the FCC shouldn't let Securus stop making USF contributions, they asked. Also Tuesday, Worth Rises asked for free ICS calls.

Extend from Friday to May 25 the deadline for parties to identify census blocks that should be excluded from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction 104, Red Spectrum Communications asked the FCC Wireline Bureau. Its request posted Monday in docket 20-34.

NCTA, not NTCA, seeks a six-month FCC delay of transparency in billing provisions (see 2003270030).