Western Telecommunications Alliance

Go to the NTIA website for more information.

On February 15th, a diverse groups of communications associations and companies, including WTA, sent a letter to the FCC’s Wireline Bureau in response to the Bureau’s attempt to create new Lifeline rules without the benefit of a public rulemaking process.  The letter states, in part, “While we fully recognize the Commission’s desire to implement a solution to the duplicate Lifeline problem, it is a problem with broad ramifications and thus it can only be addressed in a rulemaking proceeding. The Bureau, which lacks authority to promulgate substantive Lifeline rules, developed these rules without public input. At a minimum, implementation of the new Bureau rules must be suspended pending a rulemaking.”

The industry letter can be found here.  The Bureau’s letter giving USAC guidance can be found here.

Today, USDA announced it is accepting applications for loans and grants to create jobs and spur economic development.  More information can be found here.

On February 9th, the FCC released its NPRM and FNPRM on USF and ICC reform.  After it is published in the Federal Register, there is a 30-day comment period for the section pertaining to phantom traffic, access stimulation and intercarrier compensation obligations for VOIP traffic (followed by a 15-day reply-comment period) and a 45-day comment period for the remaining sections (followed by a 35-day reply comment period).

Following remarks today by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the rural associations released this statement.

On January 26, 2011, representatives of rural service providers met with Commission staff to discuss aspects of the National Broadband Plan, including the proposed Connect America Fund (CAF) and its interaction with a revised Universal Service Fund.  A copy of the notice of ex parte, including slides used during the meeting, can be found here.