SD Commissioners to Rehear LTD Broadband Application
LTD Broadband got at least a temporary reprieve from the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on a denied application for eligible telecom carrier designation for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support (see 2205240041). Commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday to grant LTD a…
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limited rehearing on newly discovered evidence in docket TC21-001. Vice Chairperson Kristie Fiegen (R) voted no, but the other commissioners voted against her substitute motion to deny rehearing. All three agreed not to grant LTD’s request to immediately reconsider their February decision. "We will have some new information,” said Chairman Chris Nelson (R) at the recorded meeting. “Whether it changes anything, I do not know. But my gut tells me that I owe it to the people of South Dakota to at least find out.” Commissioner Gary Hanson (R) said he struggled with what to do, but it seemed most fair to provide an opportunity to present new evidence. Feigen said LTD could have presented technical evidence in the initial hearing showing it had expertise to deploy fast broadband across the state, but the company didn't. Nelson dismissed concerns that LTD’s continued presence could prevent others from getting NTIA broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) funding because he said that money is unlikely to flow for another year and contains “onerous” requirements. Taking the opposite track in a decision last week, the Minnesota PUC agreed unanimously to open a proceeding on whether it should revoke LTD’s previously granted ETC status for RDOF funding (see 2207140047).