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."

Byte Networking got 90-day extension to file certain USF requests, after the unexpected death of its owner, per an FCC Wireline Bureau order in docket 02-6 and in Wednesday's Daily Digest. Another order granted waiver and a 90-day extension to Sunesys for a missed E-rate invoice deadline due to extraordinary circumstances.

A strike by Communications Workers of America-represented AT&T employees in the Southeast (see 1908260010) ended Wednesday after the two sides struck a "handshake deal," the union said. AT&T confirmed the wireline employees were returning to work.

Winning bidders in Connect America Fund Phase 2 Auction 903 must submit letters of credit and legal counsel opinion letters by 6 p.m. EDT Sept. 10, said an FCC public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest.

FCC staff approved transfer of indirect control of NTS Communications to Clarity Telecom (dba Vast Broadband) effective with a public notice in Monday's Daily Digest and on docket 19-7 (see 1908220010). Several bureaus granted transfer of control of Clarity Holdings to Python Intermediate.

Lifeline reseller TruConnect asked FCC officials to pause Lifeline minimum service standards set to take effect in December, in support of a joint petition asking the agency to wait for the results of a pending market study, said a filing posted Monday in docket 17-287. Representing TruConnect, ex-Georgia Republican legislator Judson Hill had meetings Thursday with Chairman Ajit Pai, Commissioners Mike O'Rielly, and bureau staff and aides including to Geoffrey Starks, asking that the Lifeline national verifier program revert to a soft launch until all relevant databases are secure and operable at the state level. Hill said non-facilities-based eligible telecom carriers should be able to participate in providing broadband connections as part of the upcoming telehealth pilot program for low-income consumers.

The FCC dismissed with prejudice an amended pole attachment complaint by Zito Canton against PPL Electric Utilities after the parties filed a joint motion to dismiss on Wednesday, in an order Friday in docket 17-284 (see 1710180068).

The estimated cost of a completely open source location data fabric for use in broadband mapping would be twice that of using a mix of proprietary and open source data, CostQuest CEO Jim Stegeman told FCC officials with representatives of USTelecom, ITTA and the Wireless ISP Association, presenting findings of the group's broadband mapping initiative proof of concept from Missouri and Virginia (see 1908200055). Stegeman said a nationwide proprietary data fabric "creates a superior product at a lower estimated cost" of $8.5 million to $11 million, but the public wouldn't be able to download some of the data in its entirety because it's proprietary. An open source data fabric would be double the cost, Stegeman said, because it would require visual verification of more of the location data for the same accuracy. The FCC's primary request was to clarify how a location is defined and how locations would be assigned the categories "residential" and "business," USTelecom said, posted Friday in docket 19-195. Meetings included Commissioner Mike O'Rielly, aides to the other members other than Jessica Rosenworcel, and Chief Kris Montieth and other Wireline Bureau staff. Industry reps included ITTA CEO Genny Morelli.

Comments are due Sept. 4, replies Sept. 11 on a transfer of inmate communications service agreements from Infinity Networks to Combined Public Communications, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice in Thursday's Daily Digest on docket 19-221.

Midwest Energy & Communications wants FCC waiver of a requirement to build out to 421 locations to fulfill construction obligations stemming from a 2016 funding authorization through the Rural Broadband Experiment program because the company found that only 364 geocoded locations exist in the census blocks it won through competitive bidding, per a filing posted Thursday to docket 10-90. "The number of eligible locations were determined by the Commission based on information that is now fairly outdated." Midwest said the program gives little consideration to the possibility FCC broadband mapping models overestimate the number of eligible locations.