The Communications Workers of America asked aides to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to "open a proceeding to determine the full scope its authority" for expanding the USF's contribution base, said an ex parte filing posted Friday in docket 21-476 (see 2202180046). The group said it should include "enterprise-oriented data services that rely on broadband infrastructure." The FCC should also "explore how edge companies can participate in fair cost recovery," the group said.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau extended the Perkins School for the Blind's support for national outreach services through the national deaf-blind equipment distribution program, iCanConnect, by five years to June 30, 2027, said a letter posted Thursday in docket 10-210. The bureau set aside $250,000 last year for national outreach by the school (see 2106040068).
A proposed order filed by the FTC and district attorneys of Los Angeles County and Riverside County, California, to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California would prohibit Frontier from misrepresenting its internet speeds to customers, as part of their complaint that the ISP misled its customers about its DSL speeds, said an FTC news release Thursday. FTC commissioners unanimously approved the order. Frontier would also be required to "substantiate its internet speed claims at a customer-by-customer level for new and complaining customers" and offer its DSL customers the option of changing or ending their service at no charge. The order would require Frontier to pay an $8.5 million fine and an additional $250,000 to affected consumers, said the proposed order, posted Thursday in case 2:21-cv-04155 (see 2203230046). The ISP would also be required to deploy fiber to 60,000 residential locations in California within four years at an estimated cost of $50 million-$60 million. “Frontier lied about its speeds and ripped off customers by charging high-speed prices for slow service,” said FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Director Samuel Levine: "Today’s proposed order requires Frontier to back up its high-speed claims. It also arms customers lured in by Frontier’s lies with free, easy options for dropping their slow service.” A Frontier spokesperson said the company "believe[s] the complaint included baseless allegations and disregarded important facts" and the settlement "stipulates that we admit no wrongdoing." The ISP "settled the lawsuit in good faith to put it behind us so we could focus on our business - that’s in the best interest of all our stakeholders, and especially our customers," she said: "Our commitment is to our customers and providing them with access to high-speed internet and improving our service in rural and underserved areas.”
NTIA awarded an additional nearly $77 million through 19 grants in 10 states as part of its tribal broadband connectivity program, the agency said Wednesday. About $83 million in funding has been granted so far (see 2203010059). The Alaska Federation of Natives received the biggest award, more than $35 million, to "reduce barriers to broadband usage among Native Alaskans" and improve access to telehealth services. Other recipients will use the funding for "workforce development, education, housing, and social services in tribal communities."
The FCC Enforcement Bureau proposed a $100,000 fine against LTD Broadband for violating commission rules on prohibited communications about the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction, said a notice of apparent liability posted Tuesday. LTD "willfully and repeatedly engag[ed] in prohibited communications of its bidding, bidding strategies, and bidding results" to Cox through its investment agent, RJM, the bureau said. The ISP did so for "nearly two months during the post-bidding phase of the quiet period" and failed to report the communications in a timely manner, it said. "We intend to vigorously contest the NAL," emailed LTD CEO Corey Hauer.
Comments are due by May 17, replies by May 24, in docket 02-278 on the Health and Human Services Department's request for clarification that certain automated texts or robocalls on health coverage programs are allowed under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, said an FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau public notice Tuesday (see 2205020059). HHS said the calls and texts were intended to encourage eligible individuals to enroll in healthcare coverage.
Public Knowledge urged the FCC to create a USF device voucher program and modify the Lifeline program to be a successor to the affordable connectivity program, in a call with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “The lack of a device is one of the biggest barriers to connectivity -- and those impacted are primarily low-income or marginalized,” said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-476. “Over half of low-income Lifeline households don't own a computer or tablet. Many more may share just one device amongst a whole household, forcing families to make difficult choices about who can connect at any given time.”
The FCC rejected a request for review by the Wall Independent School District in Texas of an E-rate decision by the Universal Service Administrative Co., in an order Friday by the Wireline Bureau. The order approved dozens of requests for additional time to give USAC more information. The Texas district was found to have failed to “comply with the commission’s basic filing requirements.”
The FTC and DOJ filed a complaint against VoIP provider VoIP Terminator, BLMarketing and their owner, Muhammad Usman Kahn, for apparent violations of the FTC's telemarketing sales rule, said a news release Wednesday. The FTC alleged Kahn and his companies provided VoIP services to customers "despite knowing or consciously avoiding knowing" the numbers called were on the Do Not Call registry and included prerecorded messages. The calls were also spoofed and involved "scams related to credit card interest rate reduction, tech support, and the COVID-19 pandemic," it said. Also Wednesday, FTC commissioners unanimously approved a proposed order to settle the complaint, which would prohibit VoIP Terminator from "assisting and facilitating abusive telemarketing practices," require the company to have "ongoing automated procedures in place to block calls that display unassigned, invalid, or unauthenticated numbers," and ensure it doesn't provide VoIP services to suspected telemarketers. A $3.3 million fine was suspended based on the company's inability to pay, the agency said. “This is our third case in the last two years against VoIP service providers, who should take note of what happens when they ignore the law," said Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine. Kahn didn't comment.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau sought to refresh the record on proposed rules to enable people with disabilities to access and use interoperable videoconferencing. Comment deadlines will be set in a Federal Register notice. “In particular, we invite the public to provide further comment on the kinds of services encompassed by the term ‘interoperable video conferencing service,’ a type of advanced communications service (ACS) subject to section 716 of the Communications Act,” the bureau said Wednesday. The FCC’s Disability Advisory Committee approved a report on telecommunications relay services on videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex in February (see 2202240064).