The FCC should give ISPs a better way to update broadband mapping data in their form 477 filings to the high-cost universal broadband portal (HUBB) once providers have more accurate information on locations served, USTelecom filed, posted Thursday in docket 19-195. It wants the FCC to decide what qualifies as a modification rather than a deletion when geocodes are found to be more than a certain distance from the structure served. Inaccurate geocoding software is outside carriers' control, USTelecom argued, and while members want to update geocoordinates in the HUBB, they also want the FCC to recognize that such geocoding updates don't indicate lack of deployment.

The FCC should take more time to evaluate a pilot program that allows video relay services interpreters to work from home, said reply comments posted Thursday on a Further NPRM on VRS policy in docket 10-51 (see 1908060026). "The Commission should continue to evaluate at-home interpreting to ensure at-home interpreted VRS calls meet the minimum standards," said Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, National Association of the Deaf, and Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization in joint comments. Take more time to ascertain whether concerns about the confidentiality of VRS calls handled at home have been handled properly and resolved according to program requirements and safeguards, said Convo Communications. ZVRS and Purple Communications disagreed, saying the nearly two-year pilot demonstrated compliancy. They said at-home call handling should be deployed permanently "and as broadly as market forces dictate." Sorenson told the FCC to reject a proposal to require a log-in for public videophones. Wireless Inclusive Technologies said both industry and consumer groups oppose imposing a password or PIN requirement for public videophones: "This singularity is exhibited in these proceedings and should not be overlooked."

CenturyLink asked the FCC to protect confidentiality of fixed broadband deployment information submitted in its June Form 477 filings on a single competitive LEC, it filed in docket 11-10. CenturyLink said deployment data is a recent addition to Form 477 and not automatically subject to confidential treatment. The extent of a competitor's network gives insight on the ability to bid for customer locations, its likely reliance on others' wholesale facilities, its likely costs of servicing particular locations, the likely timing of its entry into a given geographic market or adjacent area, and "consequentially its competitive threat to other providers in the area," the telco said Tuesday.

Groups representing schools and libraries want the FCC to future-proof E-rate funding that supports indoor connections for schools and libraries, they said in comments posted to docket 13-184 through Wednesday on the program's category 2 modernization and eligible services list. Per-pupil funding for E-rate category 2 should be increased from $125 to $250 or more, the Education and Libraries Networks Coalition said: "As schools, school districts and libraries integrate more digital resources, it will only continue to drive increased demand for bandwidth and internal connections." It wants the USF program to establish a fixed five-year budget cycle for category 2 spending to replace the current rolling budget focused on individual applicants. It supports a transition to school-district-wide and library-system-wide budgets but said private and independent schools should be able to apply on their own. Funds for Learning said schools and libraries should be able to self-determine what data infrastructure components they need, and none should be determined ineligible. It also said in separate comments it wants to eliminate E-rate category 2 subcategories, which can be confusing to program participants. The American Library Association said it supports making funding eligible for content filtering and more robust network security.

The USF contribution factor for Q4 will rise from 24.4 percent to 25.1 percent, the highest in the history of the USF, consultant Billy Jack Gregg emailed Friday. He said the Universal Service Administration Co. projected revenue of $11 billion for the quarter, about $466 million lower than the previous quarter, and the lowest quarterly revenue ever. Quarterly demand was projected at $2 billion. The FCC announced the last quarterly contribution factor in mid-June in docket 96-45 (see 1906130014).

Comments are due Sept. 30, replies Oct. 15 on a National Exchange Carrier Association-proposed USF-related formula on high-cost loop support, said the FCC Wireline Bureau in Friday's Daily Digest and on docket 05-337. The formula helps determine average USF payments, and if OK'd takes effect Jan. 1 for all of 2020. NECA submitted the plan earlier in the week.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should uphold a 2018 FCC order "to ensure that just and reasonable rates, terms, and conditions apply when communications providers attach to utility poles," said Verizon and USTelecom. Electric utility challengers seek to reverse the "sensible and well-supported presumption that comparable communications providers should pay the same pole attachment rates," the entities filed (in Pacer) Thursday in case 19-70490. Utilities seek to undo the decision "to speed and streamline portions of the process for attaching to utility poles in order to facilitate broadband deployment," they added: It was "reasonable exercise" of authority under Communications Act Section 224. The FCC "faced consistent, intense resistance from" utilities that own many of the poles trying to keep high attachment rates, especially on telcos, the two respondents-intervenors said. Rules exceed authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act, say American Electric Power, Duke, Xcel and other utilities (in Pacer). Lawyers on their side didn't comment Friday.

A new five-year contract between AT&T and Communications Workers of America-represented employees in the Southeast (see 1908280051) includes a 13.25 percent wage increase and “enhancements” to their pension and 401(k) plans, CWA said Friday. They reached tentative agreement last week in a bid to end a four-day strike (see 1908260010). The deal includes an increase “in the health care cost sharing percentage for the life of the contract and employees will now have the ability to contribute to a Health Savings Account via payroll deduction,” the union said.

Western governors like the E-Rate program they say supports broadband deployment to schools and libraries regionwide. They suggested some tweaks after those institutions got "substantially more funding for internal connectivity efforts" since the FCC started the category 2 budget approach in 2014, wrote Western Governors' Association Chair Doug Burgum (R) of North Dakota and WGA Vice Chair Kate Brown (D) of Oregon. They want the FCC to reduce category 2 administrative burdens, suggesting moving from focusing on individual schools and libraries to districts and systems. The governors recommended increasing the five-year budget floor of $9,200 for small schools and libraries, Wednesday in docket 13-184. Stakeholders backed an FCC plan to make permanent a five-year pilot program and move to a districtwide approach, in comments earlier this month (see 1908190008).

The Oregon Public Utility Commission backed NTCA's waiver request on Lifeline, in early-filed comments. The deadline was midnight Thursday. The association had sought for members and similarly situated operators temporary relief from Lifeline broadband standards increasing Dec. 1 to 20/3 Mbps, from 18/2 Mbps. Consider whether minimums are necessary for Lifeline-eligible fixed internet, the PUC recommended in docket 11-42. As an alternative to NTCA's proposal, the state agency recommended its federal counterpart consider removing the minimum speed standard for fixed service here "and permit Lifeline customers to use their discount on any speed service that fits their individual needs and budgets."