ATA Suggests 2021 Actions to Address Overlap Concerns About 10-Year Alaska Plan
The Alaska Telephone Association said the FCC could begin a process in 2021 to address concerns that the group's 10-year "Alaska Plan" would provide broadband support for competing wireless networks. ATA, which represents General Communication and others, said it believes…
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the plan remains the best way to bring LTE wireless service to remote Alaska, but acknowledged the potential for high-cost funds supporting overlapping networks could cause concern. "In the interest of seeking a resolution, ATA suggests that the Commission consider initiating a process at the end of year five of the Alaska Plan to identify overlapping supported LTE networks based on the FCC Form 477 submissions due March 1, 2021," said an ATA filing posted Wednesday in docket 10-90 summarizing discussions with FCC officials, including Commissioner Mike O'Rielly and aides to some other members. "The Commission also could adopt a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on what steps, if any, the Commission should take to address any overlap. This approach provides time up front for Alaska Plan CETCs [competitive eligible telecom carriers] to invest in their networks in reliance on a known amount of high-cost support, and allows the Commission to address any overlap concerns informed by public comment as well as the deployment situation in Alaska, technology trends, and its own national policies regarding competitive overlap in other mobile contexts." ATA urged the FCC to adopt the Alaska Plan's 10 years of "frozen support," with CETCs receiving such support at 2014 levels unless and until the agency makes changes based on the proposed overlapping analysis and FNPRM, but with the total amount provided constant and no funds leaving Alaska. The commission is considering two draft Connect America Fund orders targeting Alaska's rate-of-return carriers and CETCs, and its price-cap carrier Alaska Communications.