The FCC released a small entity compliance guide Monday on revised 911 outage reporting rules approved by commissioners 4-0 in November (see 2211170051). Section 1 of the Communications Act charges the FCC with “promoting safety of life and property through the use of wire and radio communications,” the guide says: The rules “impose more stringent reporting requirements” on covered 911 service providers “in terms of notification content, timing, means, and frequency.”
An FCC Wireline Bureau order extending the service and equipment delivery deadlines for Emergency Connectivity Fund recipients is effective Monday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and the Consortium for School Networking's joint petition on the issue in May (see 2305120061).
The North American Numbering Council will meet June 28 at 2 p.m., said a public notice Thursday in docket 23-1. It's the first time the group will meet in person in the commission meeting room since the group began meeting virtually. The group will consider two reports and recommendations from the numbering administration oversight working group and a report from billing and collections agent Welch.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau proposed a $1.4 million fine against PayG for failing to timely file telecom reporting worksheets with the Universal Service Administrative Co. between 2018 and 2021, said a notice of apparent liability Tuesday. The notice said PayG failed to file and pay on time for the USF, Telecom Relay Service Fund, North American numbering plan and federal regulatory fees.
The FCC's final rule on information collection for the Lifeline program takes effect Wednesday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. Commissioners adopted the rule in 2018 (see 1801120046).
The FCC issued two additional notices of funding opportunity for outreach grants to promote the affordable connectivity program (see 2304100010). Applications for the up to $5 million national competitive outreach program are due by June 30 at 6 p.m. EDT. Applications for the up to $5 million tribal competitive outreach program are due by July 8 at 6 p.m. EDT, said a Thursday news release. “We’ve had great success so far -- with more than 18 million households enrolled," said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, "but we know there are many more households we can reach with help to get online and stay online."
USTelecom sought redesignation of its Industry Traceback Group as the FCC's registered traceback consortium, in a letter posted Friday in docket 20-22 (see 2208220055). The group said its tracebacks "aid in the ongoing fight against fraudulent, abusive, and unlawful robocalls in several ways," noting ITG data resulted in "an eight-fold decline in the number of student loan robocalls over the course of 2022." The ITG "continues successfully to meet the criteria established in the Traced Act for the registered consortium" and its track record "demonstrates that it remains the right entity for the role," USTelecom said.
The FCC committed more than $12 million in additional Emergency Connectivity Fund support Wednesday. The new funding will support 45 schools, five libraries and one consortium from the third application filing window, said a news release. “While the school year is winding down, the need to get all our students connected remains a priority so kids can access online assignments and engage with teachers,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
An illegal robocalls complaint brought this week in U.S. District Court in Arizona by attorneys general from 48 states and the District of Columbia (see 2305230069) "is predicated on factual allegations that the Attorneys’ General know, or should know, cannot be sustained as a matter of fact and which do not support the legal claims presented," defendant Avid Telecom emailed us Tuesday. Avid said it "operates in a manner that is compliant with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations." It said it "has never been found by any court or regulatory authority to have transmitted unlawful traffic and it is prepared to meet with the Attorneys General, as it has on many occasions in the past, to further demonstrate its good faith and lawful conduct." It said it's "disappointed that the Attorneys’ General chose not to communicate their concerns directly before filing the lawsuit [and that it will] defend itself vigorously and vindicate its rights and reputation through the legal process."
The Rural Utilities Service confirmed its final rule published on Jan. 30 and effective May 1 without change on the ReConnect program's definition of non-funded service area and audit submission requirements, per a notice for Thursday's Federal Register (see Ref:2301270069]).