Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar (R) released the state's broadband development map Monday identifying areas eligible for funding. The map, which uses data collected from ISPs, will be updated biannually through the Comptroller’s Broadband Development Office, said a news release. ISPs' submissions on advertised speeds "don’t necessarily match test speeds on the ground, which is a prime example of the types of flaws that are now more apparent in the federal mapping process and in the definition of broadband services," Hegar said: "There will be multiple opportunities to challenge the accuracy of the data, and I encourage the public, stakeholders and legislators, as well as service providers and other vendors, to engage with us."

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley (D) said Thursday he's running for state governor this year, setting him up for a potential challenge to incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. Presley has been active on telecom policy since joining the PSC in 2008, including raising concerns last year about potential provider abuse in the FCC’s affordable connectivity program (see 2201250028). As NARUC president November 2019 through November 2020, he was active in prodding Congress to allocate significant funding in COVID-19 aid bills for increasing broadband buildouts (see 2003260063). He asked Congress to speed disbursing funds from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction (see 2005280048). Presley also sharply criticized language in two 2020 bills in Congress that omitted a requirement that companies be designated eligible telecom carriers to qualify for proposed broadband funding (see 2009150070). Presley cited his work on the PSC Thursday, saying in a campaign launch video he “brought high speed internet service all the way out … to some of the most rural and forgotten places in our state.” House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., endorsed Presley.

The Texas Public Utility Commission extended until Feb. 15 its 90-day deadline to act on a Windstream deregulation petition so the agency can collect more information. The PUC seeks comments by Jan. 20 on a legal conclusion from the carrier and commission staff’s Dec. 29 joint proposed order that Windstream “will be a transitioning company after its Sugar Land market is deregulated,” Administrative Law Judge Susan Goodson ordered Wednesday in docket 54068. “The ALJ requires confirmation that Windstream serves more than one market, not just the Sugar Land market, and a recommendation from Commission Staff regarding the legal conclusion.”

Consumer and small business advocates complained about Frontier Communications service quality at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) and Office of Small Business Advocate jointly filed a formal complaint Monday. The OCA said it had viewed about 300 Pennsylvania informal complaints forwarded by Republican state Reps. Tina Pickett, Clint Owlett and Martin Causer. Customers described problems including recurring days- and weekslong outages, noise on the line, facility damage, difficulty with customer service and long waits for technician appointments, said OCA. “The problems brought to our attention through the complaints … raise serious and fundamental safety concerns for the affected consumers,” said Consumer Advocate Patrick Cicero. “Without access to a telephone, these Pennsylvanians have been denied the ability to communicate with doctors, their family, and from their homes.” Pickett and Owlett applauded OCA and said they will actively participate in the process from here. “To further its case, OCA will likely hold meetings in our area to gather additional testimony,” the legislators said. “We will be working with the agency to finalize dates for those sessions.” Frontier didn’t comment Tuesday.

States should develop online literacy training for children, the Computer and Communications Industry Association said Tuesday. CCIA applauded a New Jersey bill signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Phil Murphy (D), and North Carolina’s 2022 online safety initiative by Attorney General Josh Stein (D). More states could pass legislation like New Jersey's to require online literacy training, said CCIA, highlighting bills filed in Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New York and Texas. “Companies are continually updating their trust and safety protocols, and having their efforts backstopped by users who are able to recognize scams or misinformation improves safety,” said CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender. “CCIA lauds state efforts to develop online literacy programs like these to help achieve the shared goal of protecting internet users.”

The Nebraska Public Service Commission voted 4-0 at a virtual meeting Tuesday to set a 2023 schedule and release application materials for Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF) support under the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program (NBBP). The PSC opened docket CPF-1 to administer $80 million in grants last month (see 2212130067). The Nebraska commission “finds that the application materials and program guide previously developed for the NBBP should be utilized to the maximum extent in the CPF grant cycles,” said Tuesday’s order. “However, because the CPF grant program contains additional goals and objectives which must be met in accordance with federal funding guidelines, certain adjustments to the application requirements and program guidance have been made.” Also, the PSC tweaked the application template and program guide due to issues seen in the last NBBP cycle, it said. The PSC will accept applications from Feb. 9-24. The PSC in the next week should schedule a workshop, due to the application materials’ complexity, suggested Commissioner Tim Schram (R) at the meeting. Chair Dan Watermeier (R) said in a news release that already having the NBBP helped the PSC "move quickly in setting up the CPF grant application process” and "prior NBBP applicants should find the CPF application process similar." The PSC is down one member because Commissioner Crystal Rhoades (D) won an election in November to become Douglas County clerk of the District Court. Gov. Jim Pillen (R) must appoint someone to fill the remainder of Rhoades’ term, which ends Jan. 7, 2027.

The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) plans to vote Feb. 8 on a draft decision about broadband conduit excavation procedures, PURA said Tuesday. The agency seeks written exceptions by Jan. 24, it said. The proposal in docket 21-12-21 would establish an application and approval process for conduit excavations in highways, streets or other public rights of way by telecom and broadband providers. That would include “establishing a notification process to minimize excavation at the same location in the future,” which will help providers “identify potential demand and conduct excavation and install conduit to minimize future disruptions and encourage the deployment of broadband throughout the state,” said the draft. Proposed application requirements would set up a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory process, it said. PURA would set a five-year moratorium on underground excavations on certain Connecticut Department of Transportation construction and maintenance projects “to ensure the viability of new construction.”

Alaska’s utility regulator is seeking comment on an industry pact on intrastate access charges (docket U-23-001), said a Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) notice Monday. The Alaska Exchange Carrier Association, AT&T and GCI filed a petition Wednesday asking the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to accept their stipulation on intrastate access charge rates for July 1 through June 30, 2024, and July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The parties requested a multiyear waiver of several requirements in the Alaska Intrastate Interexchange Access Charge Manual, the RCA said. They asked to delay the starting date for 2023 fiscal year access charge proceedings until Jan. 3, 2025, so they may renew the agreement for the period starting July 1, 2025, the agency said. Comments are due Feb. 3.

The California Public Utilities Commission scheduled a prehearing conference Jan. 24 in its proceeding to possibly increase VoIP regulation, said CPUC Administrative Law Judge Camille Watts-Zagha in a Monday ruling emailed to the service list for docket R.22-08-008. It will be done by telephone conference at 10 a.m. PST. Industry urged the CPUC in October to weigh legal and jurisdictional issues before considering rules (see 2211010010).

Nebraska’s new governor opened a state broadband office by executive order Friday. The office will “create a more transparent, flexible, and proactive response for Nebraska's broadband needs," said Gov. Jim Pillen (R). Housed within the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), the office will direct broadband policy, collaborate with other agencies and stakeholders, engage communities, create and maintain a Nebraska location fabric for broadband access and strategize how to use federal funding, the governor’s office said. The Nebraska State Budget Division’s Broadband and Infrastructure Coordinator Patrick Redmond will lead the office on an interim basis while NDOT and the governor’s office seek applications for director, which will be part of the governor’s cabinet, Pillen’s office said. State broadband offices are facing increasing challenges in hiring and retaining staff, particularly directors, found our Monday report (see 2212230006).