News & Analysis as of

ETCs

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Let Her Rip! FCC Adopts Remove-and-Replace Rules

In a Second Report & Order (Second R&O)—published in the Federal Register January 13, 2021, with an effective date of March 15, 2022—the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously adopted rules that implement the...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Huawei and ZTE Designated as Threats to National Security

On June 30, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) made final the Commission's prior proposed designation of Huawei Technologies Company (Huawei) and ZTE...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Lifeline Port Freeze Eliminated on March 19; 2018 Poverty Guidelines Available; New Standard Forms

2018 Poverty Guidelines - The 2018 Federal Poverty Guidelines (“FPG”) were published in the Federal Register on January 18. Customers may qualify for Lifeline if their gross total household income is at or below 135...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Changes to Lifeline in 2018

Although the future of the Lifeline program is in doubt, business must go on. ETCs should familiarize themselves with two key administrative changes taking place in 2018. The FCC issued a Public Notice last week reminding...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Recertification and Non-Usage Rules Temporarily Waived for Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Following Hurricane...

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has granted temporary waivers of the Lifeline non-usage and recertification rules to help the more than 1.1 million Lifeline customers in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Chairman Pai Directs USAC Action to “Safeguard” the Lifeline Program

On July 11, 2017, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai sent a letter to USAC requesting that it implement various audit mechanisms and safeguards to protect the Lifeline program from waste, fraud, and abuse. This letter comes on the heels...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Reduces Reporting Requirements for High Cost ETCs

Four days after ETCs were required to submit FCC Form 481 (54.313 / 54.422 Data Collection Form); the FCC released an order streamlining the process for high-cost USF recipients by eliminating reporting requirements it deemed...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Adopts Framework for $4.53B Mobility Fund Phase II

After some months of delay, the FCC has launched the second phase in its plans to provide significant subsidies over the next decade to fund the expansion of mobile wireless services to unserved rural areas of the country. ...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Clarifies Lifeline Obligations for High-Cost ETCs

In a brief Order released last Friday, the Wireline Competition Bureau clarified that recipients of high-cost funding were not required to create any standalone Lifeline-specific broadband service offerings. After the...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Guidance Issued for ETCs That Do Not Want to Provide Lifeline Broadband Services

On Nov. 22nd, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice describing the requirement that ETCs who do not want to provide Lifeline-supported broadband internet access services (now known as “BIAS”) file a...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Guidance on New Annual Re-Certification Rules Issued

Late last week, the FCC issued guidance on its new re-certification rules. The current rule requires Lifeline ETCs to conduct their annual re-certification efforts without regard to an individual subscriber’s Lifeline start...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Guidance Issued for Entities Interesting in Becoming Lifeline Broadband Providers

On September 30th the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice describing the new Lifeline Broadband Provider (“LBP”) designation process, including details regarding what applicants should include in their...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Tribal Enrollment Inquiry Leads to $2 Million FCC Settlement with Blue Jay Wireless

On July 15, the FCC issued an Order approving a consent decree between Blue Jay Wireless and the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, ending the Bureau’s investigation into whether Blue Jay’s Tribal Lifeline enrollments in Hawaii from...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

12 States Appeal the FCC’s Lifeline Modernization Order

Twelve states have filed a petition for review with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the FCC’s decision in the Lifeline Modernization Order to create a new type of federal ETC for the provision of...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

ETCs and State Commissions Seek to Overturn Some of the New FCC Lifeline Rules

As was expected after the FCC’s sweeping Lifeline rule changes, several parties filed Petitions for Reconsideration of the controversial Lifeline Modernization Order. Petitioners, consisting of trade associations, ETCs, and...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Down to the Wire – OMB Approves Changes to FCC Form 481

The FCC announced on May 31 that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved changes to the FCC Form 481 (Carrier Annual Reporting Data Collection Form), which is due July 1. The revised Form 481 includes a...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Got a Compliance Plan or ETC Application Pending with the FCC? FCC Seeking Affirmation of Continued Interest from ETCs

On May 18th, 2016, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice informing carriers with pending Lifeline compliance plans or applications for designation as an ETC that they must submit an “affirmative...more

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

Lifeline Modernization and Transition from Voice to Broadband

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) released the Lifeline Modernization Order on April 27, 2016, to modernize the Lifeline program to support broadband Internet access, which “has become a prerequisite...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Commissioner Pai Seeks Information on Potential Lifeline Abuse

Commissioner Pai is seeking to identify other wireless ETCs that were allegedly engaged in practices similar to those detailed in the FCC’s recent Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) issued against Total Call Mobile. In a...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

New Lifeline Rules to Become Effective Beginning February 4

Last summer, the FCC adopted new rules for the Lifeline program in its Second Order and NPRM (see our prior analysis of the order), including: the retention of eligibility documentation (such as scans of food stamp cards); an...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Second Chance to File Oppositions to CTIA Challenge

In its June 2015 Lifeline Order on Reconsideration, the FCC adopted a new rule which requires ETCs to retain documentation demonstrating subscriber eligibility for Lifeline, such as a copy of the applicant’s food stamp card...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Adopts New Rules, Proposes Further Reforms for Lifeline Program

Last week, the FCC released its second major order in the Lifeline reform proceeding: Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Order on Reconsideration, Second Report and Order, and Memorandum Opinion and Order...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

FCC Adopts Major Overhaul of Lifeline Program Including Proposal to Support Broadband

Thursday, the FCC adopted an order and further notice of proposed rulemaking (referred to below as “Order and FNPRM”) that will revise some aspects of the Lifeline program and proposes to make even larger changes, including...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Staff Releases Lifeline Broadband Pilot Report as FCC Gears Up for Vote on Lifeline Support for Broadband

Last Friday, staff in the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a report summarizing the results of the FCC’s Lifeline broadband pilot program. The program was designed to determine how the Lifeline program might address...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

USAC Recertification Guidance Updated

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has released new guidancefcc-logo_white-on-light-blue for ETCs that choose to have USAC recertify their Lifeline subscribers (instead of undertaking the recertification process...more

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