Alaska Telco Group Petitions FCC for Lifeline Service Clarifications, Waivers
The Alaska Telephone Association asked the FCC to adjust some Lifeline service duties in the state to account for remote geography and other factors. The commission should clarify a mobile wireless Lifeline eligible telecom carrier (ETC) "in remote Alaska provides…
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3G service when it offers 3G or better in part of its service area and ensures that its customer can access that service," said a petition posted Tuesday in docket 10-90. ATA asked the FCC to waive the 3G duty for remote Alaska ETCs that don't yet offer at least that service level, and to waive the 3G requirement for all remote Alaska ETCs if the agency denies the service area clarification. "For fixed ETCs that do not yet offer broadband meeting the minimum speed standards, the Commission should facilitate remote Alaskans’ access to fixed broadband services by allowing Lifeline-eligible consumers to apply the Lifeline discount to broadband offerings under 4/1 Mbps when no 4/1 Mbps offering is available, and to any of the ETC’s available broadband offerings," ATA added.