The Competitive Carriers Association asked the FCC to reconsider awarding Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction funding to areas "least in need of support," a letter said Thursday in docket 20-34. The group cited winning bids to serve wealthy and densely populated areas, including Chicago's central business district and Apple's headquarters. CCA estimated the FCC will "improperly send between at least $115 million and as much as $745 million" to areas already receiving 25/3 Mbps fixed. “Pervasive errors in broadband data unfortunately led to some of the nation’s wealthiest, most densely populated areas set to receive RDOF Phase I funds," said CCA CEO Steven Berry in a statement.
Free Press and others asked FCC Wireline Bureau staff to consider letting emergency broadband benefit program applicants use pandemic electronic benefits transfer cards for eligibility, a filing said Monday in docket 20-445. P-EBT was created in response to school closures at the beginning of the pandemic, so cardholders "are likely currently participating in an EBB-eligible program," said groups including the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and Food Research & Action Center. They recommended an FCC-Department of Agriculture partnership to inform P-EBT participants about EBB.
3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative denied Siyeh Communications' (SiyCom) claim that it submitted inaccurate form 477 filings and said the FCC should ignore the "unspecified and supported allegations to the contrary," a filing said Monday in docket 10-90. SiyCom, which bought 3 Rivers in November (see 2011170020), told staff in April that it had concerns over "funding decisions that have previously been made based on inaccurate form 477 data."
Big inmate calling service providers denied they have ICS monopolies, in Friday California Public Utilities Commission comments. Verizon and consumer groups said inmates can’t choose. Comments in docket R.20-10-002 were on a staff proposal to temporarily adopt FCC 2013 interstate ICS rate caps for intrastate rates, or any new caps the FCC adopts, until the CPUC adopts permanent rates. "That the result of the competitive RFP process results in a sole provider is no indication that ICS providers are monopolists empowered to charge excessive rates,” Securus commented. Global Tel*Link (GTL) said that “the market arises from competition between ICS providers to supply ICS to correctional facilities via a competitive bidding process conducted by the governmental bodies that oversee these institutions.” Verizon, which no longer sells ICS service, wrote that “given that inmates have no other options in service provider, there are certainly monopolistic characteristics.” Inmates lack choice but "the nature of the specialized service in issue distinguishes it" from utility monopolies, said PayTel. “Providers compete, vigorously, for the right to provide service to inmates in confinement facilities, and, in the absence of the agreement of the facility, have no right or ability to provide service to inmates.” The Californians for Jail and Prison Phone Justice Coalition noted a “duopoly,” with Securus and GTL controlling 82% of the market. Securus and GTL said they’re committed to lowering rates. High prices at some jails reflect a provider's internal costs and requirements of "correctional agencies for revenue in the form of site commissions,” Securus said. Intrastate rates above FCC interstate caps “are a consequence of the unique needs of correctional facilities, as determined by the governmental bodies that oversee them,” GTL said. The CPUC should “accord correctional facilities, and the governmental bodies that oversee them, the ‘wide-ranging deference’ necessary to execute the unique arrangements critical to institutional efficiency and security.” The California commission should reduce rates to 5 cents per minute for intrastate voice calls, less than the staff proposal, said the CPUC Public Advocates Office. Current rates in 132 out of 214 California jails are at or below the proposal’s 21 cents interim cap, but a 5 cents cap would benefit people incarcerated in 82 facilities, it said. Incarcerated people and their families told a commission hearing last week rates are too high (see 2104290034).
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted Hargray's transfer of control request to Cable One, said a public notice Friday. It's subject to conditions adopted in the Hargray/ComSouth order because some of Hargray's subsidiaries receive cost-based USF and alternative Connect America cost model I support (see 1805110048).
Frontier emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a 6.3% decline in Q1 revenue from the year-ago quarter to $1.68 billion, the company announced Friday (see 2104230055). Frontier extended its fiber network to 100,000 locations in Q1 as part of its goal to reach 495,000 by year-end. Video subscribers declined 141,000, excluding Dish Network. Frontier expects to give investors more details about fiber expansion in August. The carrier expects to begin trading Tuesday on Nasdaq as FYBR. Incoming Executive Chairman John Stratton said that “we have a ton of opportunity right ahead." Fitch Ratings said the telco may get "the opportunity to increase investments in key strategic areas." New management (see 2104200087) "came across as confident and optimistic," said analyst Nick Del Deo of MoffettNathanson. Management "gets the sense of urgency," said New Street's Jonathan Chaplin.
President Joe Biden's administration should do more to bridge the "widening digital gender divide," said Kim Keenan, Internet Innovation Alliance co-chair, in an Essence column Thursday. Nearly 327 million fewer women than men worldwide have access to mobile internet or a smartphone, Keenan said. Require companies like Facebook and Google contribute to Lifeline because they "make money through the internet," Keenan said.
The FCC "overstepped a bit" on the role that state and local governments play in pole attachments, said Public Knowledge Director-Government Affairs Greg Guice during a Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition webinar Wednesday. FCC policies have "made it easier for contractors, oftentimes less qualified contractors, to do some of these attachments and put at risk the reliability of broadband lines that are being attached." Recent rules and legislation left local officials confused and undermine community initiatives, said Corian Zacher, Next Century Cities policy counsel-state and local initiatives. "The FCC and an increasing number of states have enacted rules and legislation that treat these communities as homogenous, without allowing local officials a meaningful opportunity to contribute to that decision-making process." The cost of deployment and last-mile installation could be drastically reduced if pole location was made publicly available on a "surgical map," she said. Attachment agreements are a big challenges, said Merit Vice President-Strategy and Research Bob Stovall. "We've had cases where it's taken over two years to just get an attachment agreement, and you can’t even start to get permits until you get your agreements." Pole owners' construction standards should be reasonable and based on "genuine safety and engineering rationale," said Crown Castle Managing Counsel-Utility Relations Rebecca Hussey. "If a pole is in good condition … there's no reason that the pole has to be replaced just because there's a standard that says so."
The United Church of Christ asked staff for acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to rein in "inappropriate ancillary fees" associated with inmate calling services, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 12-375. Site commission payments are "not mandated by either federal law or court precedent," and FCC precedent "requires the opposite," said Cheryl Leanza, UCC policy adviser.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau wants letters of intent by May 27 from entities interested in coordinating industry-led efforts to trace the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls, a public notice said Monday in docket 20-22. USTelecom's Industry Traceback Group was put in charge of the consortium last year (see 2007270068). EB will pick the next consortium by Aug. 25.