WTA Comments on Alaska Connect Fund FNPRM

Today, WTA filed comments in response to the FCC’s Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Alaska Connect Fund (ACF). In its comments WTA said that it would be premature “for the FCC to try to design a subsidy program for the ACF in light of all of the presently unknown conditions that will affect deployment. The necessary maps to understand the areas that will need support and the extent of that support have not yet been finalized.  Moreover, there are significant synergies between deployment of fiber broadband networks to serve fixed locations and the deployment of facilities to support mobile services, because fiber broadband service might be readily extended to wireless towers to provide necessary backhaul (and middle mile) service.  But the BEAD program, with over $1 Billion in funding for Alaska, has yet to be implemented.  As a result, the extent of additional fiber deployment in Alaska is also unknown.”