Dozens of real estate developers, managers and property owners signed a letter from the National Multifamily Housing Council urging the FCC "to refrain from any further regulation and interference in broadband deployment, access and provider partnerships employed in the multi-tenant environment," posted Tuesday in docket 17-142. AvalonBay Communities, Equity Residential and Trammell Crow Residential were among signers. There's an NPRM on MTEs (see 1909030022).
The FCC Wireline Bureau is taking comments through Oct. 25, replies Nov. 1, on transferring control of assets from Fusion Connect to Telecom Holdings, it said in docket 19-262 and Tuesday's Daily Digest. Fusion went through bankruptcy proceedings (see 1908140014).
Public interest and labor advocacy groups including Public Knowledge and Communications Workers of America oppose an FCC proposal to place an overall budget cap on its USF programs (see 1906030059), "Abandon this proceeding and focus its attention on strengthening the USF, rather than exhausting time and resources on a proposal that runs counter to the USF's mission and Congress' intent," they asked, posted Tuesday in docket 06-122.
The FCC should ensure broadband performance measurement testing protocols "can be implemented in ways that are both administratively and economically equitable and efficient," said an NTCA filing posted Thursday in docket 10-90. Small providers especially lack bargaining power over the performance of a third-party middle-mile provider and shouldn't be subject to testing beyond network portions under their control, the group said. NTCA urged the FCC to revise its draft Connect America Fund broadband performance order, scheduled for a commission vote Oct. 25 (see 1910040053), to make sure carriers aren't subject to multiple penalties if they fail to meet speed and latency requirements. The group also said the FCC rules "should contemplate the impact of consumer perceptions of new, test-capable devices installed at their premises." An NTCA official met Tuesday with an aide to Commissioner Brendan Carr.
Consumers are the prime constituency and the FCC "had a duty to analyze [that] impact" from December's freeze order (see 1812200069) allocating most regulated telecom costs to intrastate services, petitioners replied Thursday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in case 19-1085, Irregulators v. FCC. "The FCC's decision to extend the freeze was not reasonably explained or substantively reasonable." The group, including some former FCC staffers, asked the court in July to hear oral argument (see 1907220051). Petitioners want the rule vacated, "but remand with instructions would still provide redress."
Lifeline customers could be priced out of broadband service if the FCC proceeds with planned Dec. 1 implementation of new minimum service standards, NTCA filed Tuesday in docket 11-42. Senior NTCA staff met Monday with Wireline Bureau officials, including Associate Chief Trent Harkrader, to recommend Lifeline subscribers not be forced to upgrade to higher speed tiers than they can afford. Lifeline backers fear that could lead price-sensitive customers to drop broadband. Others have also met with bureau staff over the issue (see 1909270011).
A federal jury in Dallas convicted Nova Academy CEO Donna Woods Friday for her role in a scheme to steer E-rate funds to a company that didn't complete the work under its $337,951 contract, in return for a $50,000 kickback, said the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas Monday. She faces up to 80 years in federal prison on four counts; sentencing is Jan. 16. Co-conspirator Donatus Anyanwu pleaded guilty to conspiracy in July. His sentencing is Jan. 30; he faces up to five years.
Combined Public Communications agreed to pay $60,000 after the FCC Enforcement Bureau investigated Protocall, recently acquired by CPC, for failing to properly detail and certify its inmate calling service records in a 2017 annual report, said a consent decree Monday. CPC must designate a compliance officer from its senior corporate management and implement a compliance plan within 60 days to ensure it meets reporting requirements.
ITTA continues to raise concerns with the FCC about how employees could be harmed if the Universal Service Administrative Co. requires they share personally identifiable information for a Lifeline representative accountability database, said a filing posted Monday in docket 17-287. "Union agreements may not allow for company employees' PII to be subject to disclosure requirements outside of the company, and companies may be subject to liability for any ramifications in the event of a data breach involving personal information their employees were required to furnish in the course of their employment." ITTA President Genny Morelli and representatives from CenturyLink, Consolidated Communications and Blackfoot met Wednesday with an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.
FailSafe Communications wants the FCC to revisit two exemptions it requested from a recent order redefining how small LECs can be classified as access stimulators (see 1909260055), CEO Leo Wrobel posted to docket 18-155 Thursday. The company, which sells emergency services to small carriers at risk of a 911 outage, wants instructions on how to request waiver to differentiate its services from other high-volume call generators that could fall under the category of access stimulators, or post an administrative clarification, or open a new docket to address such concerns. Absent clarification, the company said, "carriers could be disinclined to participate in an emergency system that is clearly in the public interest, for fear of future misunderstandings, disputes, and litigation."