An FCC order establishing an enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (ACAM) program is effective Thursday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the order in July (see 2307240064).
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appointed additional members to the North American numbering council, said a public notice Monday in docket 23-1 (see 2303080039). The first meeting of the rechartered NANC will take place virtually on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. EDT.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Sept. 11, replies Sept. 26, on whether it should extend its waiver of letter of credit rules for the Connect America Fund Phase II and rural broadband experiment support recipients in 2020 and 2021, said a public notice Friday in docket 10-90.
The proposed North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund size for FY24 will be $8.68 million with a contribution factor of 0.0001047, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Thursday in docket 92-237 (see 2208080064).
Comments are due by Sept. 8, replies Sept. 25, in docket 23-62 on proposed revisions to the FCC's annual reports and certifications for providers of incarcerated people's communications services, per a notice in Wednesday's Federal Register (see 2303290072).
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved Aureon's refund plan and ended its tariff investigation, in an order Tuesday in docket 18-60. Commissioners approved an order last year requiring the company to submit certain cost and demand data needed to calculate refunds to its customers (see 2202180054).
The FCC Wireline Bureau released "illustrative results" for the enhanced alternative connect America cost model adopted last month (see 2307240064). “These results utilize three different combinations of per-location funding caps for unserved locations and funding percentages for locations already deployed by the incumbent local exchange carrier,” said a Monday notice from the bureau: “These results are based on Version 2 of the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric and incorporate currently served locations from Version 2 of the Broadband Data Collection.”
The FCC seeks comment by Sept. 6 on a proposal to amend its rules to ensure interoperable videoconferencing services are “accessible to people with disabilities and to facilitate the integration and appropriate use of telecommunications relay services” with videoconferencing, said a Federal Register notice Monday. Reply comments are due Oct. 6
Consumers' Research filed an objection against the FCC's proposed Q4 2023 USF contribution factor and asked the Office of Managing Director to set the factor at zero. The USF "has been established and operates in excess of statutory authority and the commission ... should not permit further collections," the group said in comments posted Friday in docket 96-45, citing the nondelegation doctrine.
Nokia will domestically manufacture fiber products for use in the infrastructure buildout connected with the broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program, the company announced at an event in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, with remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. Nokia is the first telecom company to announce domestic manufacturing of network electronics products for BEAD, said a company release. Requirements that the BEAD program use products made in America are intended to boost the U.S. economy and promote American manufacturing, Harris said. “We knew there would be an increased demand for fiber optic cable and for products that connect people to the Internet,” she said. “In the 21st century, high-speed internet isn’t a luxury, it's a necessity,” Harris said. Finland-based Nokia will build the fiber products in Pleasant Prairie in a facility owned by international manufacturing company Sanmina. The effort is expected to create up to 200 new jobs, Nokia said in the news release. “Having access to technology that is built in the U.S. is an important requirement for states and infrastructure players seeking to participate in BEAD.”