A recent survey and resultant study conducted by the Rural Wireless Association presents a very positive picture of how small RLECs have used legacy USF support to improve and expand telecommunications and broadband services. It also makes a strong case that more support is needed to help them with the future provision of 5G services. … Read More
FCC Pushes Faster 5G Buildout
In a straight 3-2 party line vote, the FCC approved clarity on wireless citing rules to facilitate the collocation of 5G infrastructure on existing cell towers. Democrat Commissioners Rosenworcel and Starks objected, on the grounds that state and local governments should be given additional time to comment, due to their dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. … Read More
USTelecom Requests Changes in Budget Control Mechanism for RLECs
In early June, USTelecom – The Broadband Association, joined NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, in asking the FCC for changes to the budget control mechanism as it impacts RLEC loop support – for both CAF-Broadband Loop Support and/or High Cost Loop Support recipients. In a letter to the FCC, UST supports NTCA’s previous request … Read More
NTCA Plays Key Role in Expanding USF Support
NTCA –The Rural Broadband Association, has become the undisputed national champion of small, rural telecommunications and broadband service providers. In our May 14th blog, we partially quoted NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield’s enthusiastic endorsement of the proposed House bill to add broadband services to the USF contribution base. Now, in a recently released study, NTCA has … Read More
FCC, FTC Crack Down on Covid-19 Robocall Scammers
In more coronavirus news, the Federal Communications Commission (see our May 8th blog), has joined with the Federal Trade Commission to demand that international gateway providers allowing Covid-19- related scam robocalls into the U.S. cut off this traffic or face serious consequences. Letters demanding that these calls cease within 48 hours were sent to RSCom … Read More
Senators Still Railing Against FCC’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order
In an early April letter, a group of twenty-eight Senators- including twenty-seven Democrats and one “Independent,” (Bernie Sanders, who votes with Republicans about as often as my beloved Buffalo Bills win Super Bowls)- continued to challenge the Commission’s lighter touch order for regulating broadband services. The crux of their letter can be summed up in … Read More
Proposed Bill Would Include Broadband Services in USF Contribution Base
Finally, legislation has been introduced in Congress to impose USF support payments on broadband service providers. The Universal Broadband Act, sponsored by Congressmen Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Don Young (R-AK) and supported by a bipartisan group of eight other Representatives, will – if passed – expand the USF contribution base to include all broadband services. … Read More
Coronavirus and the FCC
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, in a pair of recent letters, summarized the large number of important steps that the Commission has taken to combat the effects of Covid-19 on the nation’s broadband and telecommunications carriers, and their customers. Writing in response to a letter from Minnesota Democrat Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and separately … Read More
FCC Takes Tough Stance on Chinese Government-Controlled Telecommunications Entities
The Federal Communications Commission has issued Show Cause Orders against four Chinese companies that are controlled – actually, owned — by the Communist government. The orders direct China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks, and ComNet to explain why the Commission should not start the process of revoking their authorizations to operate in the … Read More
More Good News for Rural Broadband
In a move dovetailing the proposed Keeping Critical Connections Act (see our blog of April 17, 2020), a pair of Republican Congressmen have introduced the Serving Rural America Act. The proposed legislation from Representatives Bill Johnson (R-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-GA) would create a five-year pilot program at the FCC, authorizing $100 million a year … Read More
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