The California Public Utilities Commission may extend the state LifeLine fund authorization until Feb. 28 to make up for the loss of federal support for participants who qualify only under California eligibility criteria. The CPUC plans to issue a final decision on California-only participants funding issues by Feb. 28 after taking more comments, said a Monday proposed decision by Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma (D) in docket R.11-03-013. Extension would “avoid disruption in service to approximately 81,800 participants,” it said. Commissioners must vote on the proposed decision; their next meeting is Nov. 7.
The California Public Utilities Commission might hold T-Mobile/Sprint hearings Dec. 5 and 6, if Commissioner Cliff Rechtschaffen decides they’re needed after the next round of comments, said his amended scoping memo released Thursday in docket A.18-07-011. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York opens trial Dec. 9 on state attorneys’ general challenge to the deal. The CPUC wants Sprint, T-Mobile and Dish written testimony by Nov. 7, intervenor replies Nov. 22. Simultaneous briefs are due Dec. 20, Rechtschaffen said. The commissioner asked the companies to answer additional questions, including how the DOJ and FCC commitments changed the deal, particularly for California, and the impact of divesting Sprint, Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile prepaid businesses. The state commission reopened review after the carriers signed pacts with Dish and DOJ (see 1909200033). Administrative Law Judge Karl Bemesderfer "would have to draft a proposed decision by mid December if it's going to make the one January meeting, and that's all but impossible," emailed Tellus Venture Associates President Steve Blum. "But a February decision is very possible if there are no glitches. If a hearing is scheduled, if discovery is ordered, if T-Mobile tries another document dump, if everyone at the CPUC wants to take a couple of weeks off for the holidays, then it starts to look like March or later."
California public safety power shutoffs left 11,476 cable and wireline subscribers without service, the FCC said Friday in a disaster information reporting system communications status report. “This may include the loss of telephone, television, and/or Internet services.” The power outages caused no 911 outages, but 0.5 percent of cellsites were out of service. Four of 18 reporting FM radio stations were off air. The FCC activated DIRS for 14 California counties Thursday (see 1910240075). Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Friday he launched a $75 million grant program for state and local governments to mitigate shutoff’s impact, including to fund backup emergency communications equipment.
The Lifeline national verifier launched Wednesday in Arizona “using data provided on the federal level by” Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, an Arizona Department of Economic Security spokesperson emailed. The Arizona department “continues to work with its state and federal partners, as well as the Universal Service Administrative Company, to ensure that their Lifeline National Verifier meets all necessary data compliance before integrating state systems.” The FCC denied waivers Tuesday to five other states with a Wednesday deadline but wanted more time to connect state databases, which sparked states' frustration (see 1910230057).
The U.S. District Court in Vermont dismissed a state cable case on the legality of the Public Utility Commission's cable franchise agreement requirement that Comcast build 550 miles of new cable and enhance support for public, educational and governmental channels. Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford signed the Wednesday order (in Pacer). Comcast and Vermont Access Network asked to dismiss after the PUC cleared a settlement among the parties (see 1910030039).
The Vermont Public Utility Commission proposed a single pole-attachment presumption of 1.25 feet for any attacher. CLEC Association of Northern New England asked to amend the rules, which previously let pole owners bill traditional phone service providers for using 2 feet of usable space on a pole but required them to bill cable providers for 1 foot (see 1811060028). “This change will result in improved competition among market participants, increased investment in Vermont, a Rule more closely aligned with the practices of the FCC and other nearby jurisdictions in New England, and fewer disputes,” said Thursday's order in docket 19-3603-RULE, signed by all three commissioners. Presuming 1.25 feet “does not necessarily result in revenue neutrality,” but that would be “too administratively complex,” the PUC said. “The data we received was problematic because the attachment numbers submitted were incomplete.” The PUC said it will soon seek comment and have hearings.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) committed $6.5 million to upgrading public safety communications among local, state and federal first responders. Part of Virginia’s 2018-20 biennial budget, the funding will support implementing the Commonwealth Link to Interoperable Communications, his office said.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau seeks comment by Nov. 5 on a draft framework for publishers and tech companies to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act. IAB plans to finalize the guide before CCPA takes effect Jan. 1.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission seeks more state USF comments by Nov. 15 in docket 201800066-PUD, the agency said Monday. Verizon resisted using Oklahoma USF money for broadband, in comments earlier this month (see 1910110059).
The FCC Wireline Bureau designated Mid-Hudson Data an eligible telecom carrier in high-cost areas within New York state, in an order Friday. Mid-Hudson can receive federal Connect America Fund support to deploy broadband in coordination with New NY Broadband.