Altafiber has approval to provide resold local exchange telecom services in the D.C., the D.C. Public Service Commission ordered Friday.

Verizon and California consumer advocates might settle a dispute at the California Public Utilities Commission on the carrier’s challenges migrating Tracfone customers still using non-Verizon networks. The Utility Reform Network (TURN), Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT) and Verizon “have been actively pursuing a potential global settlement of issues” in CforAT’s Oct. 6 petition for modification and “request the stay so that we may continue those discussions,” CforAT Legal Counsel Paul Goodman wrote to CPUC Administrative Law Judge Thomas Glegola in an email distributed Thursday to the service list in docket A.20-11-001. The parties ask the CPUC to stay the Nov. 5 deadline for responses to CforAT’s petition, said Goodman. “While Verizon is prepared to file a Response on November 5 if necessary, we believe that we will be able to reach an agreement.” CforAT’s Oct. 6 petition asked the CPUC to modify its 2021 decision approving the Verizon-Tracfone deal to require Verizon to provide free Verizon-network compatible devices to any Tracfone customer that bought service after Nov. 19, 2021, with devices that worked on AT&T or T-Mobile networks. Last week’s stay request wouldn’t affect Verizon's July 27 petition to modify the 2021 decision to remove a Nov. 22 migration deadline and eliminate penalties, a request that consumer groups opposed (see 2308280070).

Mississippi's broadband office wants comments by Dec. 1 on a draft volume two of its initial proposal for NTIA's broadband, equity, access and deployment program (see 2310120046). The draft, released Thursday, covers affordability, workforce development and the process for subgrantee selection and program implementation.

The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously adopted rules Thursday regarding the state's $750 million broadband loan loss reserve fund (BLLRF) program (see 2309290050). The move will "bolster community-led efforts to build broadband infrastructure" and "provide an essential backstop for communities seeking to finance their own networks," said President Alice Reynolds. The vote was held during an agency meeting.

The Ohio Public Utilities Commission seeks comments by Dec. 1 on staff-proposed changes in a five-year review of retail telecom service rules, the state agency said Wednesday. Replies are due Dec. 18 (case 23-817-TP-ORD). Agency staff proposed “non-substantive changes throughout the chapter intended to improve clarity with the addition of clarifying language, the amending of verb tenses, and the updating of cross-references,” said the PUC order. Ohio law requires all state agencies to review rules every five years to determine if they should be amended or rescinded. A 2022 state law additionally required agencies to reduce regulatory restrictions by 30% by June 30, 2025.

The Pennsylvania House passed a “ghost poles” bill on Halloween. The House voted 202-0 Tuesday for the bipartisan HB-1619 by Rep. Alec Ryncavage (R). It would require the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to make rules to speed replacement of damaged poles and eliminate double-pole situations where a replacement pole is built alongside an older one that isn’t immediately removed. HB-1619, goes next to the Senate, is the furthest along of six Republican telecom accountability bills that were introduced together this session (see 2310030036). Sponsors of the other five bills Monday urged consumers to comment by Dec. 11 at the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate on a proposed settlement meant to resolve Frontier Communications problems. Frontier agreed to invest $100 million and provide bill credits in last week’s pact with consumer and small business advocates (see 2310260023). “Our goal from the start of this process has been to hold Frontier accountable to the people it serves,” said a joint statement by Republican Pennsylvania Reps. Tina Pickett, Clint Owlett, Martin Causer, Jonathan Fritz and Joe Hamm. “Paying customers deserve reliable telephone and internet services, responsive customer service and proactive efforts by the company to invest in the maintenance of its infrastructure.”

The wireless communications industry opposes Utah's allowing phone subscriber information to be used to identify and verify the ages of social media users, CTIA State Legislative Affairs Director Jake Lestock told Utah Commerce Department officials Wednesday. Utah’s Consumer Protection Division held a public hearing on proposed rules for the Utah Social Media Regulation Act. The state legislature passed the bill in March. The new law went into effect in May, but enforcement doesn’t begin until March 2024. CTIA supports the intentions of the underlying law and rulemaking but has a “very narrow concern” about subscriber data being used to verify users. It’s “not appropriate for numerous reasons,” including “regulatory considerations, for mobile subscriber data to be used to verify identity, age and familial relationships,” said Lestock. The public has until Feb. 5 to comment on the proposed rules.

Iowa awarded nearly $149 million in broadband grants with funding from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, the Department of Management Division of Information Technology said Monday. The division said 39 broadband provider applications covering 47 counties are included in the notice of intent to award. Funding is contingent on successful execution of a grant agreement.

The District of Columbia enacted another 911 transparency bill last week, once more without the signature of Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). The D.C. Council voted 12-0 Oct. 3 to pass an emergency bill (B25-0509) to amend the law establishing the Office of Unified Communications. Bowser similarly declined to sign a temporary 911 transparency bill earlier this month (see 2310120062). The D.C. Council Judiciary and Public Safety Committee mulled a permanent OUC transparency bill at an Oct. 5 hearing (see 2310050062). Some at the hearing claimed Bowser isn't taking seriously District 911 problems identified in an audit. Bowser didn't comment Friday.

Comcast, Mediacom and Verizon extended broadband to 5,859 Delaware homes and businesses in mainly rural areas in the past 12 months, with American Rescue Plan Act funding, Gov. John Carney (D) said Thursday. The state expects to reach another 372 locations in the next few months, said Carney’s office: When complete, Delaware will have spent $33 million of ARPA money. Competitors last year raised concerns with Delaware limiting eligibility for ARPA funding to big ISPs with existing cable franchises (see 2204090003). Meanwhile in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced $203 million awarded in the first round of the state’s Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grant program. With money from the U.S. Treasury's Capital Projects Fund, the grants will connect 70,000 unserved homes and businesses to fiber, Whitmer said. The state awarded 18 projects from nine applicants, which put up $202 million in total matching funds.