FCC Wireline Bureau Managing Director Mark Stephens made non-substantive revisions to the Digital Opportunity Data Collection and Form 477 modernization rules. That's in an order Friday for docket 19-195.
If the FCC intends to reverse a 2015 declaratory ruling on VoIP symmetry, Bandwidth said, make clear "tandem-switched transport functions provided in originating and terminating calls to 'over-the-top' VoIP customers are compensable as tandem switching and transport services in accordance with LEC switched access tariffs." The company, posting Friday in docket 10-90, agreed with CenturyLink's petition for a declaratory ruling on the matter (see 1912050034). Commissioners vote Thursday (see 1911210049).
The FCC Wireline Bureau's updated rules for broadband performance measurement tests within its Connect America Fund program take effect Jan. 8, says Monday's Federal Register. Commissioners voted to approve the order in October (see 1910310038).
Eligible telecom carriers subject to broadband public interest obligations in 2020 must offer a minimum monthly usage allowance of 250 GB, said the FCC Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics in a public notice Thursday in docket 10-90 announcing results of its 2020 urban rate survey for fixed voice and broadband services. They said ETCs must certify by July 1 that pricing for their basic residential voice services is no more than $54.76, two standard deviations above the urban average monthly rate of $34.81. The report includes 2020 broadband rate benchmarks for multiple service offerings, with higher benchmarks for ETCs serving Alaska.
The FCC should reject its draft order to clarify VoIP symmetry rules before it comes up for a vote at commissioners' Thursday meeting, CenturyLink said, posted Thursday in docket 10-90 on meetings with aides to the four commissioners. It said the draft "cannot be reconciled with precedent or governing law" and isn't supported by the policy justifications. The telco said that "because the draft order would require carriers like AT&T and CenturyLink to distinguish between over-the-top and facilities-based traffic even though there is no way for them to do so reliably, it would fail to achieve the commission's goal" of resolving intercarrier compensation disputes. Teliax said the agency should remove the draft. Teliax argued it fails to address issues raised by comments and other times gives inadequate explanations. Verizon supports the "conclusion that the VoIP Symmetry Rule permits LECs to assess end office switched access charges only if the LEC or its VoIP partner provides a physical connection to the last-mile facilities used to serve an end user, and also supports the finding that this ruling should have retroactive effect."
Stakeholders mostly welcomed Wednesday the FCC's announcing it made permanent the day before a five-year budget approach for E-rate category 2 spending (see 1912030065). It "ensures libraries will have access to C2 funding, essential as they continue to see more and more usage of their wi-fi networks," emailed Alan Inouye, American Library Association senior director-public policy and government relations. He called the order "a mixed bag for libraries" because it raises the funding floor from $9,200 to $25,000, which helps smaller libraries. "Similarly, increasing the per-square-foot funding for non-urban libraries from $2.45 to $4.50 will make a big difference for libraries who stretch their budgets to provide broadband service to their patrons." The decrease for "much larger urban libraries," from $5.32 to $4.50, rather than the ALA's requested increase to $6, said Inouye, "is an unnecessary step backwards and will disadvantage the libraries with the most concentrated user base." John Windhausen, Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition executive director, called the 5-0 decision a sign both sides see value in the program. He's optimistic commissioners from both parties are open to adding network security to the list of eligible services for C2 funding when it comes up for review again next summer for funding year 2021. Windhausen supports the decision to equalize the per-square-foot funding. "This highly anticipated order from the FCC gives schools and libraries the assurance they’ve been seeking to proceed with" requests for proposals for Wi-Fi and other category 2 services, emailed Funds for Learning CEO John Harrington.
The Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition told an aide to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai of its concerns Universal Service Administrative Co. lacks expertise to set rates for the agency's rural telehealth program. Executive Director John Windhausen "urged the commission to provide USAC with additional resources to engage in this work," said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 17-310. Last month, SHLB and others petitioned for reconsideration and clarification of the FCC's latest rulemaking for the program (see 1911130022).
The Q1 USF contribution factor will drop to 21.2 percent from its current 25 percent, consultant Billy Gregg emailed Tuesday. That's after Universal Service Administrative Co. filed projections, in docket 06-122 Monday.
Increase penalties for winning bidders that default on broadband deployment obligations in the upcoming FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction, USTelecom recommended, posted Monday in docket 19-126 on meetings Nov. 26 with Wireline Bureau, Office of Economics and Analytics, and Broadband Auctions Task Force members. "That numerous [Connect America Fund] Phase II auction bidders defaulted on their obligations suggests that the penalties for doing so were not substantial enough to dissuade such behavior, ultimately depriving rural Americans broadband." USTelecom and representatives from members AT&T, Consolidated, CenturyLink, Frontier, Verizon and Windstream also noted "the importance of clearly defining transition roles and responsibilities at the outset" as the agency moves away from the CAF II toward RDOF.
Metropolitan Edison, Pennsylvania Electric and FirstEnergy asked the FCC Enforcement Bureau to hold in abeyance a Nov. 20 Verizon pole attachment complaint, said a filing posted Friday in docket 19-354. Pole attachment regulations from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission are expected to take effect soon, and FirstEnergy wants the FCC to "hold this proceeding in abeyance until such time as the PaPUC asserts jurisdiction." Potomac Edison raised objections to another Verizon pole attachment complaint, in an FCC filing posted Monday in docket 19-355. The utility said the complaint "seeks competitively sensitive confidential information," such as pole attachment rental rates for each entity Potomac Edison has a relationship with, along with "the formula, calculations, inputs, assumptions, and source data used to calculate each pole attachment rental rate." The telco filed complaints against power companies in Pennsylvania and Maryland last week (see 1911270016).