The FCC's report to Congress on the future of the Universal Service Fund and the record "throw cold water on the idea that the FCC should just start assessing broadband internet access service or BIAS," said Commissioner Brendan Carr in a statement Monday. Commissioners approved the report Friday. Expanding the contribution base to include BIAS "could increase consumers’ monthly broadband bills by as much as $17.96 a month," Carr said: "Put simply, the squeeze is not worth the juice when it comes to replacing the existing telecommunications assessment with one on broadband." Assessing edge providers would "drastically reduce costs for consumers," he said. The report concluded there's "significant ambiguity in the record regarding the scope of the commission’s existing authority to broaden the base of contributors" and recommended Congress give the FCC the "legislative tools needed to make changes to the contributions methodology and base." Carr said he's "very pleased" the report includes "broad-based support" to require that "large technology companies" contribute to USF. Carr initially raised the idea of requiring "big tech" to contribute (see 2105240037). Commissioner Nathan Simington backed Carr's "emphasis on relating funding for connectivity spending to the network effects enjoyed by companies that depend on universal connectivity," in a statement. Commissioner Geoffrey Starks and Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel didn't release statements.

NTIA awarded more than $146 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program support Thursday, totaling more than $290 million so far, to five tribal entities in New Mexico, said a news release. The Santa Fe Indian School received the largest amount, more than $57 million, to deploy fiber with symmetrical speeds of 1 Gbps. The Jicarilla Apache Nation Power Authority, Mescalero Apache Telecom, Pueblo of Isleta and Santo Domingo (Kewa) Pueblo also received funding for deployment.

The FCC extended to Sept. 21 the deadline for nominations to its Consumer Advisory Committee. Nominations had been due Aug. 1. The group last met in April (see 2204260056). The agency plans to renew its charter on or before Oct. 16.

The FCC Public Safety Bureau scheduled a virtual workshop Sept. 7, starting at 10 a.m. EDT, on the commission's network outage and disaster information reporting systems. “The event is designed to help educate participating agencies about the public safety benefits of the information, provide insight on how to best interpret the information, and to review the rules that must be followed to access NORS and DIRS filings,” said a Tuesday notice. Representatives of state public utility commissions, state offices of emergency management and federal government agencies can participate using Microsoft Teams.

NTIA awarded more than $50 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity program grants Monday, totaling more than $143 million so far, to Doyon, the Alaska Native corporation for interior Alaska, and the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission. The new funding will support broadband deployment and adoption efforts, said a news release. “It is humbling to see first-hand how these grants will positively impact the daily lives of Alaskan Natives who have been disconnected for far too long,” said NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson, who traveled to Alaska to "see firsthand the unique challenges and opportunities Alaska faces in implementing high-speed internet service expansion."

The FCC Wireline Bureau, Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force and the Office of Economics and Analytics authorized support for an additional 95 Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I winning bids (see 2206140059). Authorized applicants must report their location data by March 1, said a public notice Friday in docket 19-126. Cebridge Telecom, Megawatt Communications, North Texas Fiber and TCA Communications were among the authorized bidders.

The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments on two recurring caller ID authentication obligations under the Traced Act, said a public notice Friday in docket 17-97. The bureau wants comments whether to extend the Stir/Shaken implementation extension for facilities-based small providers and providers unable to obtain a service provider code to participate in Stir/Shaken. It also seeks comments for the "first triennial assessment of the efficacy of Stir/Shaken" in combating illegal robocalls. Comments are due 30 days after Federal Register publication, 50 days for replies.

The National Association of Attorneys General backed the FTC's proposed amendments to the commission's telemarketing sales rule (see 2206020066). A five-year record-keeping requirement is "necessary to ensure that essential evidence remains available to law enforcement," the group, which included 39 attorneys general, said in comments posted Wednesday. The proposed amendments to call detail records "will greatly assist law enforcement in connecting illegal lead generation robocalls to the companies that profit from them," NAAG said. The FTC should require that sellers and telemarketers "include a campaign ID for each call" and "record the originating or gateway telecommunications provider for each campaign," said a coalition of consumer advocacy organizations, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, National Consumer Law Center and Public Knowledge. The World Privacy Forum backed the proposed changes and asked the FTC to require that telemarketers "retain a record of whether or not voice biometrics ... were used on any calls." The group opposed the proposal to expand the consumer data telemarketers keep. Don't repeal the exemption for business-to-business telemarketing calls, said the Third Party Payment Processors Association: "We believe that removing this exemption will cause more harm than good by unduly burdening legitimate business activities of honest and responsible companies." Sirius XM said the proposed call record retention requirements "can reveal sensitive demographic or financial information and result in customer harm." It also asked the FTC to limit record retention requirements to three years to ensure the commission's access to records doesn't impose "unnecessary burdens on businesses." The proposed amendments "would not protect businesses from any conduct that is not already prohibited by law," said the Revenue Based Finance Coalition. It "lacks adequate justification for both the additional record keeping requirements, as well as the extended duration of retention," said the Ohio Credit Union League.

The FCC Wireline Bureau sought comment Wednesday on a deal in which NCP Mercury would acquire indirect control of Mercury Wireless Indiana and Mercury Wireless Kansas. The companies, which provide wireless broadband in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, have been authorized by the FCC to receive more than $60 million in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support. Comments are due Aug. 17, replies Aug. 24, in docket 22-279.

The FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee will meet Aug. 30, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT, to “consider and vote on a report examining the problem of illegal and unwanted text messages,” the FCC said Monday. The meeting will be virtual.