Kris Anne Monteith

FCC Provides Additional Guidance on Affordable Connectivity Program

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau offers clarity on the rules that will govern the Affordable Connectivity Program before new rules are in effect.

New Guidance for Transition to Affordable Connectivity Program

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau waives certain rules governing the enrollment freeze and notice requirements for the end of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, which will cease no later than December 31, 2021 as a result of the text in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

FCC OKs Comcast's Lift Zone Pilot Project

In this Order on Reconsideration, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau reconsiders one aspect of its decision to extend the waiver of certain E-Rate rules until June 30, 2022, and to partially grant Comcast’s request for a waiver of this rule to expand its Lift Zone initiative at seven proposed library systems. The bureau clarifies that Comcast may continue to provide broadband and other services to the seven library systems identified in its petition for the three-year term of its Lift Zone library pilot without running afoul of the E-Rate program gift rule. 

FCC Designates 5 Carriers as Eligible for Universal Service Support

The Federal Communications Commission designated five carriers across six states as eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) in eligible high-cost areas within the specified states. Designation in these areas is conditioned upon, limited to, and effective upon petitioners’ authorization to receive support under the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) program. Any such ETC designation covering RDOF supported areas, however, should not be interpreted as an entitlement to support or an indication that the Bureau will ultimately authorize the petitioner for support.

FCC Releases Report on the State of the Lifeline Marketplace

In this report, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau provides a summary of the state of the Lifeline marketplace as directed by the 2016 Lifeline Order.

FCC Extends Lifeline Waivers to September 30, 2021

In response to the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau has waived certain Lifeline program rules in seven previous Orders to provide necessary relief for low-income households. Although vaccination efforts have been underway for several months and overall cases have decreased, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt by many Americans.

FCC Grants Limited Waiver on Emergency Broadband Benefit Device Rule

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau addressed the petitions of Cox Communications and the National Lifeline Association (NaLA)  seeking an expedited grant of a limited waiver of the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program) reimbursement rules as they apply to the connected device discount.

FCC Extends COVID Lifeline Program Waivers to June 30, 2021

In light of the ongoing pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau finds good cause to extend, on its own motion, its prior waivers of the Lifeline program rules governing documentation requirements for subscribers residing in rural areas on Tribal lands, recertification, reverification, general de-enrollment, and income documentation through June 30, 2021.1 However, the bureau declines to further extend the existing waiver of the FCC's Lifeline usage requirement beyond May 1, 2021. At the expiration of the current waiver period on February 28, 2021, the r

Lifeline Program Data Collection

The Federal Communications Commission is directing a group of mobile service providers to respond to a questionnaire about customer usage and costs. The responses of this group, encompassing a significant portion of the Lifeline marketplace by subscribership, will aid the development of the State of the Lifeline Marketplace Report. The FCC also expects this data to inform the policy choices before the FCC regarding the mobile broadband minimum service standards—standards established in 2016 and annually updated.

FCC Clarifies Connect America Fund Performance Measures

In 2018, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Office of Engineering and Technology (collectively, the Bureaus) adopted performance requirements establishing a uniform framework for measuring speed and latency performance for recipients of high-cost support to serve fixed locations. Later, the Bureaus addressed certain issues regarding testing to be conducted by high-latency bidders in the Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II auction.

FCC Waives Some Broadband Rate Reporting Requirements

By its own motion, the Federal Communications Commission waived its rules to allow rate-of-return carriers (i.e. a telephone company that provided local service prior to the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which owns most of the local loops and facilities in a serving areato include their actual rates for consumer broadband-only lines for the first three months of 2019 on their FCC Form 509, rather than imputing revenues based on the maximum rate that would have been assessable.

FCC Extends COVID Related Lifeline Program Waivers through Feb. 2021

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau has waived certain Lifeline program rules in five previous orders to provide necessary relief for low-income households.

Mixed Decision on Waiver of Lifeline Minimum Service Standards

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau addresses the petition of the National Lifeline Association (NaLA), seeking a waiver of the FCC’s rules updating the Lifeline program’s minimum service standard for mobile broadband usage, which otherwise would take effect on December 1, 2020. NaLA also seeks to halt the phase-down of the support amount for Lifeline service that does not meet the broadband minimum standard, which will decrease from $7.25/month to $5.25/month on December 1, 2020.

FCC Opens Second E-Rate Application Window for Funding Year 2020

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau opened a second funding year 2020 filing window to allow schools to request additional E-Rate funding specifically to address increased on-campus bandwidth needs. Schools across the United States continue to face unprecedented disruptions and challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the school year begins, many school districts are relying on remote learning, either in whole or in part, to educate students.

FCC Extends Lifeline Program Waivers Due to COVID-19

In light of the ongoing pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission finds good cause to extend its prior waivers of certain Lifeline program rules governing recertification, reverification, general deenrollment, subscriber usage, income documentation, and documentation requirements for subscribers residing in rural areas on Tribal lands through November 30, 2020. The FCC will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether any additional extension of these waivers is appropriate.

Declaratory Ruling Regarding CTIA Infrastructure Petition

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau clarified that 

Keeping Lifeline Subscribers Connected During COVID-19

To help Americans stay connected during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau:

FCC Ensures Americans Can Access Zoom and WebEx During COVID-19 Crisis

The Federal Communications Commission issued a temporary waiver of its access arbitrage rules to Inteliquent, a telecommunications company that carries traffic for two of the nation’s largest conference calling providers, Zoom Video Communications and Cisco WebEx. Absent this waiver, the massive increase in conference calls made by American consumers using Zoom and WebEx to work and attend classes from home during the COVID-19 pandemic would likely result in Inteliquent being deemed an “access-stimulating” carrier under the FCC’s rules.

Comment Deadline Extended in Net Neutrality Proceeding

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau grants a 21-day extension of time for filing comments and reply comments on the Public Notice seeking to refresh the record in the Restoring Internet Freedom and Lifeline proceedings. With this 21-day extension, comments are due on April 20, 2020, and reply comments are due on May 20, 2020.

FCC Acts to Support Telehealth and Remote Learning During Coronavirus

The Federal Communications Commission announced important changes to the Rural Health Care (RHC) and E-Rate programs that will make it easier for broadband providers to support telehealth and remote learning efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has waived the gift rules until Sept 30, 2020 to enable service providers to offer, and RHC and E-Rate program participants to solicit and accept, improved connections or additional equipment for telemedicine or remote learning during the coronavirus outbreak.

FCC Waives Lifeline Rules to Help Keep Low-Income Consumers Connected

The Federal Communications Commission announced changes to the Lifeline program to assist program participants potentially affected by the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and aid community efforts to slow its spread. The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau waived the Lifeline program’s recertification and reverification requirements for participating low-income consumers for 60 days.

FCC Grants Petitions for Waiver of Rural Broadband Experiment Obligations

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued an order granting two petitions seeking waiver of obligations to provide service to a specific number of locations as part of the rural broadband experiments program, filed by Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative and Consolidated Communications Networks. The bureau said petitioners demonstrated the required number of locations exceeds the actual number the petitioners have been able to identify within their respective study areas.

FCC Extends Comment Cycle Deadline for USF Cap NPRM

On May 31, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on establishing a cap on the Universal Service Fund (USF) and ways it could enable the FCC to evaluate the financial aspects of the four USF programs in a more holistic way, and thereby better achieve the overarching universal service principles Congress directed the FCC to preserve and advance. The Notice set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 days and 60 days, respectively, after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register.

FCC Releases Report on E-Rate Category 2 Budgets

Since 1998, the E-Rate program (more formally known as the schools and libraries universal support mechanism) has provided support for connectivity to and within schools and libraries.