Noting a lack of objections to proposed tweaks to South Carolina USF rules, the state’s Office of Regulatory Staff urged the Public Service Commission on Tuesday to grant its petition in docket 2023-301-C. ORS asked to clarify certain USF procedures, including by specifically listing interconnected VoIP providers as USF contributors, incorporating a South Carolina confidentiality law and adding a deadline for contributors to dispute required contributions (see 2309280010). In the same petition, ORS seeks a waiver of USF guidelines so it can provide a refund to Cox subsidiary Palmetto Net for overreporting assessable revenue in a 2022 worksheet, which resulted in an overpayment.

After inspecting ballots from the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s Nov. 7 election, incumbent Commissioner Brent Bailey concluded he “did not win the election,” the Republican said Tuesday. That makes Democratic challenger De’Keither Stamps the winner with 50.4% of the vote. Bailey didn’t concede right away to the state representative (see 2311210020), but the deadline to challenge was 5 p.m. Monday and Bailey took no action, he wrote in an email. While Bailey’s team “feels that some affidavit and absentee ballots were inappropriately accepted and some box security irregularities have been observed, we have weighed the time and expense of a petition to contest and feel resources would be best utilized elsewhere.”

The Nebraska Public Service Commission unanimously adopted state USF and telecom service quality orders Tuesday. The PSC will use the FCC's broadband data collection (BDC) as the replacement for Form 477 data that the state commission previously used to determine broadband availability in each census block, said the Nebraska USF order in docket NUSF-139. Previously, some rural telcos raised concerns about relying on BDC data for NUSF high-cost distributions (see 2310020062). The PSC understands "concerns that, as a newer data source, the BDC data and challenge process may still need corrections," but it expects that many past issues were corrected in the Nov. 17 broadband fabric update, it said. The PSC will provide its own challenge mechanism to "allow carriers to correct any missing broadband serviceable locations or correct any other misidentified information appearing in the FCC’s updated broadband availability data,” it said. Relying on the FCC challenge process wouldn’t be as quick, it said. The PSC decided to retain a 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds benchmark for determining which census blocks are eligible for broadband deployment support in 2024. However, the agency noted it still considers speeds between 25/3Mbps and 100/20 Mbps as underserved, and that NUSF support recipients must provide at least 100/100 Mbps. Also, the PSC adopted a payment structure for NUSF broadband buildout support that aligns with its National Broadband Bridge Program and Capital Projects Fund programs. Commissioners also agreed 5-0 to adopt a service quality order requiring price cap carriers Lumen, Windstream and Frontier Communications to refresh the record by Jan. 5 on repair and replacement timelines, dispatch procedures and how many technicians they have on staff (docket C-5303). The companies’ previous answers to those questions -- first asked in an August 2021 order -- failed to alleviate the PSC’s concerns, and the commission keeps getting consumer complaints, it said. The PSC scheduled a hearing on the matter for Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m. CST.

North Carolina is seeking to streamline pole replacements to speed broadband deployment, the state’s Department of Information Technology said Monday. The department’s broadband and digital equity division posted final guidance for North Carolina’s pole replacement program. The state broadband office will seek applications for $100 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to reimburse some of a communications provider’s pole replacement costs in unserved areas. The program will launch Feb. 1 and the office plans to offer reimbursements for applications submitted through Dec. 31, 2024. Providers may seek reimbursement for eligible expenses dating back to June 1, 2021, the state said.

Generative AI with guardrails “can be responsibly used to spur innovation,” support the California government workforce and improve residents’ lives, according to a report released Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). The governor ordered the state to study using generative AI for state government work in a September executive order (see 2309060037). Risks stem “from bad actors, insufficiently guarded governmental systems, unintended or emergent effects, and potential risks toward democratic and legal processes, public health and safety, and the economy,” the report said. “When used ethically and transparently, GenAI has the potential to dramatically improve service delivery outcomes and increase access to and utilization of government programs.” California Government Operations Secretary Amy Tong said the state will learn through trials “how to deploy this technology effectively to make the work of government employees easier and improve services we provide to the people of California.”

Tracfone wants 60 more days to comment on proposed changes to California LifeLine specific support amounts and minimum service standards (see 2311070045), the Verizon subsidiary said Tuesday. “Due to the Staff Proposal’s contemplation of substantial programmatic changes, extensive analysis of data regarding usage of mobile and hotspot data by LifeLine customers, and lack of any impending deadline for implementing the potential changes, TracFone requests additional time to fully respond to the Staff Proposal,” the company said in an email distributed to the service list for docket R.20-02-008. The current comment period, with comments due Dec. 6 and replies Jan. 9, “coincides with the most active time of year for wireless industry sales,” when staff resources are limited, said Tracfone: Not to mention holiday vacations. The request received support including from AT&T, T-Mobile's Assurance Wireless, Cox, Telrite, the National Lifeline Association, The Utility Reform Network and a group of small local exchange carriers.

A Mississippi Public Service Commission election might not be settled even though Democratic challenger De’Keither Stamps was declared the winner with 50.4% of the vote. The incumbent, Commissioner Brent Bailey (R), intends “to conduct an examination of the ballot boxes, election materials, poll records and any and all other related items from the” Nov. 7 PSC election “for any and all counties within the Central District of Mississippi,” according to a letter he wrote to Stamps Saturday. In an email to us Monday, Bailey wrote that his actions shouldn't be seen as challenging the election. “This is simply following a process and timeline as allowed in state law. The examination reviews how the election was conducted and any examination at the county level is conducted under the control of the Circuit Clerk.” In a Facebook video Monday, Stamps said he is “ready to get to work,” but Bailey wants to “go to courthouses around the state to inspect ballots.” The state’s utility work “is held up because [Bailey] doesn’t know how to lose properly,” said Stamps, asking Mississippians to sign a petition seeking Bailey’s concession. Bailey narrowly defeated Stamps in a 2019 election. Both Bailey and Stamps say they want to ensure all citizens have internet access (see 2311010043).

Golden State Connect Authority challenged many AT&T applications for last-mile support from the California Public Utilities Commission’s federal funding account (FFA). AT&T seeks to upgrade current infrastructure with public funds without expanding broadband service, the authority’s general counsel, Arthur Wylene, said in a letter about a San Luis, California, project that was similar to 49 other letters he sent to the CPUC Monday. “Additionally, in examination of the sheer number of projects proposed by AT&T statewide and commensurate funding requests, the cumulative request by AT&T for all its projects statewide indicates that the applicant will not have the financial, technical, or operational capacity to complete all the proposed projects within the timeframe required by the Last Mile FFA grant program.” Also, Wylene raised concerns with AT&T proposing aerial installations in areas of the state with elevated wildfire risk. The carrier should lose points for not proposing any partnerships with local governments, nonprofits or tribes, he said. In one of the letters, Wylene added that an AT&T project proposed for Nevada County completely overlapped an area where Race Communications received a grant to deploy last-mile fiber. AT&T “submitted applications that align with the CPUC FFA Guidelines, make efficient use of existing infrastructure, and speed deployment of robust broadband service to Californians as quickly and efficiently as possible," said a company spokesperson: The carrier is working with state, local and tribal governments to increase access to affordable broadband across the state.

Minnesota is seeking to maximize fiber use while stretching funding “as far as possible” with NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, the state said in volume two of its draft initial proposal. Minnesota’s state broadband office wants comments by Dec. 12 on both volumes of the draft for NTIA’s BEAD program, NTIA said Tuesday. “The extremely high cost per location threshold (EHCPLT) will not be set until at least the first two subgrantee selection rounds are completed, as it will be used to ensure that limited funds are used efficiently and that the State’s service goals are met,” said the second volume draft. “Given the anticipated funding shortfall, the State will have to strategically set its EHCPLT to achieve its dual goals of maximizing the use of fiber and optimizing available funding to reach all unserved, and as many underserved locations as possible.”

The Texas Public Utility Commission plans to vote Nov. 30 on a sweeping update to Texas Chapter 26 substantive telecommunications rules, the PUC said Tuesday. Industry sought several edits in comments last month (see 2310300036). A modified staff proposal in docket 54589 would agree with Windstream and the Texas Telephone Association about national broadband map information that a provider must submit to show continued need for Texas USF support. The PUC would agree with their recommendation that the map cited must have been in effect for at least 90 days before the application was filed, so as to avoid the time crunch of having to use the FCC’s November map update for an application due by year-end. The commission would reject Verizon’s suggestion to eliminate a requirement that companies show they comply with commission rules before administratively granting name change requests. And it would disagree with Verizon that the PUC lacks authority to regulate telecom carriers’ stock sales, mergers and acquisitions. The PUC would agree with Verizon’s recommendation to clarify that a deregulated company with a certificate of authority, or an exempt carrier, isn't required to provide information for discontinuing optional services.