South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) asked to ban TikTok on state government devices. “Federal law enforcement and national security officials have warned that TikTok poses a clear and present danger to its users, and a growing bi-partisan coalition in Congress is pushing to ban access to TikTok in the United States,” McMaster wrote Monday to the South Carolina Department of Administration. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) banned TikTok on state devices through an executive order last week (see 2211290083). "We believe the concerns driving these decisions are largely fueled by misinformation about our company," a TikTok spokesperson said. "We are happy to continue having constructive meetings with state policymakers to discuss our privacy and security practices. We are disappointed that the many state agencies, offices, and universities that have been using TikTok to build communities and connect with constituents will no longer have access to our platform."

New Jersey's Assembly Telecom Committee unanimously cleared three telecom bills at a livestreamed hearing Monday. The panel voted 8-0 for A-1544, which would ban wireless carriers and mobile app developers from disclosing customer GPS data to third parties under certain circumstances. The committee voted 8-0 for an amended A-1768 to require telecom companies to provide prorated refunds for service outages lasting longer than 72 hours. The adopted amendments would limit the bill credits or adjustments to residential customers, exclude events where there was significant damage to the electrical grid, and allow the state Board of Public Utilities to add other exemptions. Also, the committee voted 8-0 for A-1884 to require telecom, cable TV and ISPs to allow customers to end contracts when a physician refers them to a long-term care facility. The committee discussed that bill at an October hearing (see 2210130025).

West Virginia pole owners are negotiating to streamline the attachment process amid scrutiny from the West Virginia Public Service Commission. The PSC granted a staff petition Wednesday to open a show-cause proceeding meant to speed broadband attachment reviews by joint pole owners Frontier Communications and Monongahela Power and Potomac Edison (MP/PE). The PSC gave Frontier and MP/PE until Dec. 15 to file a proposed addendum to their 1988 joint use agreement to speed up and reduce costs to process third-party attachment requests. The company may alternatively file a new agreement replacing the 1988 pact, said the commission: MP/PE must also file by that date their “policy and procedure” for reviewing applications. “Mon Power and Potomac Edison expect to file the information the PSC has requested by the timeline set by the Commission,” parent FirstEnergy’s spokesperson emailed Friday. “We are working with Frontier to streamline the application process for other companies that want to attach to our poles.” West Virginia PSC staff asked the commission May 13 to require Frontier to show cause why the PSC shouldn’t stop the carrier from requiring duplicative pole-attachment applications, timelines and fees from third parties seeking to attach broadband facilities. Due to the 1988 agreement, attachers have had to file applications to both Frontier and MP/PE. Staff said that may cause delays. Frontier responded Oct. 5 that the issue could be resolved outside of a commission proceeding, and PSC staff said Nov. 10 it had met with the pole owners to negotiate an agreement. While praising pole owners and PSC staff for their progress, the commission said Wednesday it remains concerned “about the timeliness and efficiency of the review process and the costs charged for review of pole attachment applications.” Pole attachments “should continue as expeditiously and economically as possible while also ensuring adherence with safety standards,” it said. The PSC also granted a Citynet petition to intervene. The telecom company says it has “been prejudiced in the past by the Joint Use Agreement and generally by Frontier’s ineffective response to pole attachment requests,” the PSC said. In the past decade, Citynet says it submitted at least 828 applications for attachment to joint-use poles and other Frontier poles, paying nearly $529,000 in application fees to Frontier, the PSC said. Frontier and Citynet didn't comment now.

A draft decision on Connecticut double poles is delayed, a Public Utilities Regulatory Authority spokesperson said Friday. PURA’s docket 21-07-29 had tentatively scheduled releasing a proposed order Thursday, but the spokesperson told us the draft “is still being reviewed by staff,” with “no indication at this point when the decision will post.” The agency is weighing a possible single-visit transfer (SVT) pole attachment process to reduce a backlog of delayed double pole removals (see 2210130061).

New Hampshire one-touch, make-ready and other updated pole attachment rules took effect Thursday, said Matthew Young, staff attorney at the state energy department. The Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules cleared draft rules last month (see 2211170059).

The Massachusetts government unveiled digital equity efforts, at a livestreamed event Thursday. The state will launch a digital equity partnership program to help regional planning agencies, philanthropic foundations, and public and nonprofit service providers create programs to promote digital literacy, device availability, outreach and education, said Massachusetts Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. Also, the state will have a municipal digital equity planning program to help local governments better understand their citizens’ needs and design strategies for future investments, he said. The efforts are key parts of the next stage of the state’s broadband strategy, which will tap about $350 million in state and federal funding, said Kennealy. Massachusetts seeks feedback on a new state mapping tool that went online Thursday, said Community Development Undersecretary Ashley Stolba: "We still have gaps ... all across the state." Also, the state is forming a broadband and digital equity working group composed of top industry officials, she said. Broadband “is like running water and electricity,” said outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker (R), who didn’t seek reelection and will be succeeded by current Attorney General Maura Healey (D). Broadband is “basic infrastructure,” said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito (R).

Georgia cable and electric cooperatives agreed to keep the state’s $1 pole attachment policy. In December 2020, the Georgia Public Service Commission required that ISPs pay only $1 per pole annually for attaching to electric co-op infrastructure (see 2012150059). The PSC required a biennial review of the policy. "The rates, terms, conditions, and specification" from the 2020 order would "remain in place" under a Tuesday stipulation by the Georgia Cable Association and Georgia Electric Membership. The current two-year review required by that order needn't continue, they said, though the commission "maintains the authority to review the status of broadband deployment in Georgia and the impact of the Commission’s order on that deployment if it so chooses at any time.” The Georgia PSC must decide whether to approve the pact.

Arizona Corporation Commission staff listed state USF options for commissioners to consider at their meeting next Tuesday. Commissioners directed staff at their Nov. 9-10 meeting to prepare an options memo. The commission could start with a supplemental notice of inquiry since, “because of all of the funding that has become available through other sources, many commenters may believe that the fund is no longer necessary or is only needed as a stop gap measure,” ACC staff said Tuesday in docket T-00000A-20-0336. Or the commission could open a rulemaking to amend or modify high-cost fund rules in ways commenters suggested in an earlier NOI, it said. Alternatively, the commission could suspend or eliminate Arizona USF (AUSF), staff said. “The Commission has the option of repealing the AUSF Rules using the process outlined in the Arizona Administrative Procedures Act,” considering that one provider is currently receiving support, it said. Or the commission could take no action, staff said. Next week’s ACC meeting agenda also includes an item on changing the state USF surcharge (docket RT-00000H-97-0137) and two proposed orders to close dockets related to Frontier Communications deregulation (dockets T-03214A-21-0334 and T-03214A-17-0305).

The Ohio Public Utilities Commission adopted revisions proposed by staff to local exchange carrier-to-carrier rules, said a Wednesday order in docket 22-48-TP-ORD. State law requires agencies to review rules every five years to decide if they should be continued, amended or cut. The commission sought to make rules consistent with FCC bill-and-keep determinations from a 2011 Connect America Fund order, said the PUC: Other changes were minor. The Ohio PUC also adopted some edits proposed to rules on access to poles, ducts, conduits and rights of way, said another Wednesday order (docket 22-827-AU-ORD).

Oklahoma’s connections-based state USF surcharge will increase to $1.85 from $1.14 monthly, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission decided 2-1 at a livestreamed meeting Tuesday. It will apply to the number of connections contributors have at the end of this month, and will be reported Jan. 15 when they pay the new assessment, said the interim order. Chairman Dana Murphy (R) and Commissioner Todd Hiett (R) voted yes but raised concerns that the surcharge was going up despite deciding last year to move from a revenue-based method. Commissioner Bob Anthony (R) dissented, noting he never supported the connections approach. Oklahoma USF Administrator Mark Argenbright said a meeting will be held in the next couple of weeks to discuss possible OUSF rule changes through a commission rulemaking. "We've seen a stabilization of the revenue" coming into the fund by switching to the connections mechanism, but at the end of October the fund still had a $25.9 million deficit, Argenbright said. He expects the state will be able to reduce the surcharge after the deficit is addressed, he said. Other states that changed to connections have lower surcharges, but they may not have to deal with a large deficit, noted Murphy. Hiett doesn’t like surcharge increases and is "anxious for it to stabilize,” said the commissioner. The upcoming OUSF rulemaking will be important, he said.