Washington Watch 04/23/2014
| April 23, 2014 | |
Contents
Open Meeting
FCC Adopts Orders, Declaratory Ruling, FNPRM on CAF Program Reforms
FCC Deletes Items from April 23 Open Meeting Agenda, Adopts FNPRM on Spectrum
USF/ICC Transformation Order
FCC Adopts Modifications to Connect America Cost Model
Wireline Competition Bureau Submits Updates to CACM Default Inputs
Open Internet
Cisco Discusses Open Internet Order Remand Proceeding
Universal Service
Replies Filed on Issues Raised in E-rate Modernization NPRM
Broadband
Oneida County Rural Telephone to Detariff Wireline Broadband Internet Access Service
Inmate Calling Rates
FCC Releases Small Entity Compliance Guide on Rules for Interstate Inmate Calling Services
Today’s News Clips
FCC Hit Over ‘Rate Floor’ Increase
AT&T to Expand Fast Web Service in Race Against Google
Open MeetingFCC Adopts Orders, Declaratory Ruling, FNPRM on CAF Program Reforms At its April 23, 2014 Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, Order, Memorandum Opinion and Order, and Seventh Order on Reconsideration on the Connect America Fund program (not yet released). The Report and Order streamlines the process for allowing non-traditional providers to become eligible for support. The FCC also took steps to improve the climate for broadband investment in areas served by rate-of-return carriers by modifying or eliminating rules established in the 2011 Transformation Order that are not serving their intended purpose. The FNPRM proposes to establish a CAF for rate-of-return carriers and seeks comment on how to do so within the current budget for the program and how to transition rate-of-return carriers to new forms of support. The FCC also delayed implementation of the new local service rate floor until January 2015 and will phase in the full impact over a multiyear period. FCC Deletes Items from April 23 Open Meeting Agenda, Adopts FNPRM on Spectrum The FCC deleted two media consent agenda items from the April 23, 2014 Open Meeting agenda. These two items have already been considered and adopted. The FCC will hear the remaining three applications for FM broadcast station permits presented as consent agenda items. The FCC also adopted an FNPRM that would make up to 150 megahertz of spectrum available for wireless broadband use in the 3550-3700 MHz band. (items not yet released).USF/ICC Transformation OrderFCC Adopts Modifications to Connect America Cost Model The Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Report and Order on April 22, 2014, adopting modifications to the Connect America Cost Model platform that the Bureau has made since the 2013 CAM Platform Order and the inputs reflected in CACM version 4.1.1 that will be used to estimate the forward-looking cost of building voice and broadband-capable networks in areas served by price cap carriers, including price cap carriers that serve areas outside the contiguous United States. The Bureau set the funding benchmark for CAF Phase II support at $52.50 per location and estimated that the extremely high-cost threshold will be $207.81 per location. The Bureau found approximately $1.782 billion is available for the Phase II budget, and estimated that 0.37 percent of all locations in price cap areas are presumed to be extremely high cost. It forecasts that approximately 4.25 million locations will be in areas eligible for the offer of CAF Phase II model-based support. Wireline Competition Bureau Submits Updates to CACM Default Inputs The Wireline Competition Bureau filed a letter on April 21, 2014, formally submitting into the record minor updates to the default inputs for the Connect America Cost Model version 4.1.1. The Bureau said CACM v4.1.1 incorporates minor corrections to the broadband coverage used by the model, and also contains updates to the TelcoMaster table to incorporate corrections to certain holding company names. The Bureau also submits into the record updated model documentation for CACM v4.1.1.Open InternetCisco Discusses Open Internet Order Remand Proceeding Cisco Communications met with General Counsel and Wireline Competition Bureau staff on April 17, 2014, to discuss the Open Internet Order remand proceeding and the specialized services exemption. Cisco urged the FCC not to pursue a constricting definition of special services, but rather adopt an approach to promote the development and deployment of specialized services without impacting broadband Internet access services. In response to a staff proposal that specialized services might be defined to include any IP-based services that are not broadband Internet access service, Cisco stated such an approach could be workable as long as it was flexible enough to accommodate ongoing technological and market developments.Universal ServiceReplies Filed on Issues Raised in E-rate Modernization NPRM Replies were filed on April 21, 2014, on issues raised in the E-rate Modernization NPRM, including how best to focus E-rate funds on high-capacity broadband, and whether and how the FCC should begin to phase down or phase out support for traditional voice services in order to focus more funding on broadband. NTCA said a lack of funding for internal connections plagues schools and libraries, noting these internal connections are necessary to deliver to each and every student and library patron full access to all that a high-capacity broadband connection can make possible. GVNW recommended an emphasis on scalable infrastructure rather than specific speed targets. ACA asserted the FCC needs to collect data about specific problems with bringing high-speed connectivity to schools and libraries, and needs to address the discrepancy among interested parties about the state of high-speed connectivity to schools and libraries. Public Notice | List of all replies filed Other replies filed by: Affiniti ALA Alliance for Excellent Education CENIC Cisco Systems Code.org and Computing in the Core Connected Nation Conterra Ultra Broadband Council of the Great City Schools Digital Public Library of America EducationSuperHighway E-rate Central E-rate Reform Coalition Funds for Learning International Society for Technology in Education Internet2 Iowa Dept. of Education Iowa Library Services Jive Communications Kellogg and Sovereign Consulting Kentucky Dept. for Libraries and Archives New America Foundation PAIU PCIA SouthernLinc Wireless State Consortia Group State of Arkansas Synesys Telepak Networks University of Illinois Urban Libraries CouncilBroadbandOneida County Rural Telephone to Detariff Wireline Broadband Internet Access Service Oneida County Rural Telephone filed a notice on April 21, 2014, to inform the FCC that as of July 1, 2014, it will discontinue offering wireline broadband Internet access service on a tariffed basis and will offer WBIAS on a permissive detariffed, common carriage basis in its Holland Patent and Westernville exchanges.Inmate Calling RatesFCC Releases Small Entity Compliance Guide on Rules for Interstate Inmate Calling Services The FCC released a Small Entity Compliance Guide on April 22, 2014, to help small entities and small governmental jurisdictions comply with the new rules for Interstate Inmate Calling Services. The FCC’s September 2013 Report and Order brought high inmate calling services rates into compliance with the statutory mandate of being just, reasonable, and fair.Today’s News ClipsFCC hit over ‘rate floor’ increase By Julian Hattem The Hill The Federal Communications Commission is coming under pressure for its attempt to raise the minimum amount that companies can charge for basic phone service and still get a government subsidy. The commission’s “rate floor” is scheduled to go up from $14 to $20.46 this year, despite protest from members of both parties. Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) has previously protested the FCC action, and last week received a letter from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who has pledged to phase in the increase. http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/203994-fcc-hit-over-rate-floor-increase AT&T to Expand Fast Web Service in Race Against Google By Scott Moritz Bloomberg AT&T Inc. (T) plans to extend its fastest fiber-optic Internet service to 21 major cities, further ramping up competition with Google Inc. (GOOG) and cable providers. The largest U.S. phone company said in a statement today that it plans to expand its GigaPower fiber-optic service to as many as 100 cities and municipalities. To provide service in select communities, AT&T will have to get approval from local officials. AT&T’s proposal is to deliver Internet speeds of as fast as 1 gigabit a second, about 100 times faster than standard Web access, along with U-verse television and other services to residents and businesses. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-21/at-t-plans-to-expand-fast-web-service-ramping-up-google-rivalry.htmlEditor: Teresa Evert | Assistant Editor: Shawn O'Brien |
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