USF Tracker - September 2022

General

  • On September 30, 2022, the Office of Chairwoman Rosenworcel issued a statement on Hurricane Ian, describing http://​www​.fcc​.gov/ian as the centralize location for FCC information relating to the hurricane.
 
  • On September 30, 2022, the FCC released a status report on areas impacted by Hurricane Fiona and on September 29, 2022, the FCC released a status report on areas impacted by Hurricane Ian.
 
  • On September 30, 2022, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the ECF docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the RHC Program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, in the Connected Care Pilot Program docket, WC Docket No. 18-213, and in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-1008) announcing the grant, dismissal, or denial of various requests (such as requests for review, requests for waivers, and petition for reconsideration) related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.
 
  • On September 16, 2022, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-967) reminding Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Recipients of their obligation to file status updated with the Commission every 90 days, beginning on the date on which the WCB approved the recipients’ application.  All initial status updates for recipients approved on July 15, 2022 is by October 13, 2022.  The status updates must inform the Commission about the work of the recipient to permanently remove, replace, and dispose of the covered communications equipment or services, which for the purposes of the Reimbursement Program means all communications equipment or services produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation and obtained on or before June 30, 2020.

Lifeline / Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
  • On September 30, 2022, the WCB released an Order (DA 22-1039) extending the waiver of Lifeline recertification and reverification requirements for Lifeline subscribers residing on Tribal lands to January 31, 2022 and expanding the waiver to include ACP participants.
 
  • On September 22, 2022, the WCB issued an Order (DA 22-998) that waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules and deadlines to assist participants and services provides located in areas of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Fiona.
 
  • On September 21, 2022, in a Public Notice (DA 22-992), the WCB approved the updated compliance plan of TAG Mobile, LLC filed pursuant to the requirements for continued provision of Lifeline service.  The revised compliance plan was submitted to reflect a proposed change in ownership.
 
  • On September 21, 2022, in a Public Notice (DA 22-991), the WCB approved the updated compliance plan of Tempo Telecom, LLC filed pursuant to the requirements for continued provision of Lifeline service.  The revised compliance plan was submitted to reflect a proposed change in ownership structure.
 
  • On September 12, 2022, The WCB sought comments in a Public Notice (DA 22-943) on T-Mobile’s request to relinquish its ETC designation to receive high-cost and Lifeline support in Florida, and Lifeline support in Virginia.  Comments are due by September 27, 2022; Reply Comments are due by October 12, 2022.
 
  • On September 8, 2022, the WCB announced in a Public Notice (DA 22-931) program integrity measures for ACP enrollments to ensure that a single Benefit Qualifying Person individual cannot be used to qualify multiple households for program participation.

High Cost Fund Programs
  • On September 22, 2022, the WCB issued an Order (DA 22-998) that waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules and deadlines to assist participants and services provides located in areas of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Fiona.
 
  • On September 14, 2022, USAC announced a Webinar on October 26, 2022 at 3:00 PM EDT discussing common errors discovered during beneficiary audits.
 
  • On September 14, 2022, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-957) seeking comment on the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA) 2023 Modification of the Average Schedule Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula.  The proposed formula, if approved, would take effect on January 1, 2023 and remain in effect through December 31, 2023.  Comments are due by October 14, 2022; Reply Comments are due by November 1, 2022.
 
  • On September 13, 2022, the WCB and the Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force partially granted in an Order (DA 22-951) Point Broadband’s petition requesting a waiver of the requirement that Connect America Fund Phase II auction (Auction 903) and Rural Digital Opportunity Fund auction (Auction 904) recipients obtain letters of credit (LOCs) from banks that maintain a Weiss bank safety rating of B- or better.  The Order permits Point Broadband to maintain letters of credit with its current bank until June 15, 2023.
 
  • On September 13, 2022, the WCB, together with the Rural Broadband Auctions Task Force and the Office of Economics and Analytics, authorized Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (Auction 904) support for 49 winning bids in a Public Notice (DA 22-944).
 
  • On September 9, 2022, LTD Broadband LLC and Starlink Services, LLC separately filed Applications for Review relating to exclusion from Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (“RDOF”) support.  The LTD Broadband LLC AFR has no public version and the Starlink Services, LLC AFR was heavily redacted prompting at least one motion seeking to hold the requests in abeyance.
 
  • On September 7, 2022, USAC announced that carriers authorized to receive Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) support through the program’s first ten authorizations of funding by the Commission may now submit and certify broadband deployment data in USAC’s High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal.
 
  • On September 6, 2022, in a Public Notice (DA 22-928), the WCB extended the deadline the October 1, 2022 deadline for the Annual High-Cost Certification due to the extended July 29, 2022 deadline for FCC Form 481.  The new deadline for the Annual High-Cost Certification is October 31, 2022.
 
  • On September 1, 2022, the Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division and the Mobility Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued an Order (Docket 22-921) GCI Communications Corp waiving the requirement under the Alaska Plan to conduct drive-tests by permitting it to collect drive-test data via unmanned aircraft in particular rural Alaska grid cells where there are no accessible roads, and also waiving the requirement that 800 Mhz cellular telephones may not be operated while aircraft are airborne for the duration of the drive test.
 
  • Previously, the WCB, sua sponte, issued a Public Notice (DA 22-896) waiving the annual reporting deadlines of Section 54.1514 of the Commission’s rules and establishes uniform reporting deadlines for the Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund and the Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 mobile support recipients.  All carriers must file all previously required reports by November 16, 2022.
 
  • The WCB previously issued a Public Notice (DA 22-879) seeking comments on whether to extend the letter of credit waiver for Connect America Fund Phase II Auction (Auction 903) support recipients.  The WCB previously waived the Commission’s letter of credit rules for CAF Phase II auction and Rural Broadband Experiments support recipients through the end of 2022.  Comments are due on September 21, 2022; reply comments are due on October 6, 2022.

Schools and Libraries (E-Rate)/Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF)
  • On September 30, 2022, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the ECF docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the RHC Program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, in the Connected Care Pilot Program docket, WC Docket No. 18-213, and in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-1008) announcing the grant, dismissal, or denial of various requests (such as requests for review, requests for waivers, and petition for reconsideration) related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.
 
  • On September 22, 2022, the WCB issued an Order (DA 22-998) that waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules and deadlines to assist participants and services provides located in areas of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Fiona.
 
  • On September 21, 2022, the WBC issued an Order (DA 22-993) granting three petitioners’ request for waiver of the ECF Program’s third and final application filing window deadline because the three petitioners were unable to timely file their ECF FCC Form 471 applications due to the USAC delays in resolving technical issues that prevented these three petitioners from being able to access the ECF Portal before the May 13, 2022 filing deadline.
 
  • On September 19, 2022, the WCB issued an Order (DA 22-976) extending the E-Rate service implementation to September 30, 2023 for certain funding year 20202 and 2021 applicants with non-recurring service deadlines that expire on September 30, 2022.
  
  • Previously, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-878) seeking comments on the proposed E-Rate Program eligible services list for Fiscal Year 2023.  Comments were due by September 21, 2022; Reply Comments are due by October 6, 2022.

Rural Health Care (RHC)
  • On September 30, 2022, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the ECF docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the RHC Program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, in the Connected Care Pilot Program docket, WC Docket No. 18-213, and in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 22-1008) announcing the grant, dismissal, or denial of various requests (such as requests for review, requests for waivers, and petition for reconsideration) related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.
 
  • On September 29, 2002, USAC announced the availability of the FCC Form 463 is now available in RHC Connect for Funding Year (FY) 2022 funding commitment.
 
  • On September 22, 2022, the WCB issued an Order (DA 22-998) that waives certain E-Rate, Emergency Connectivity Fund, Rural Health Care, COVID-19 Telehealth, Lifeline, and Affordable Connectivity Program rules and deadlines to assist participants and services provides located in areas of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Fiona.
 
  • All Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) participants receiving Rural Health Care (RHC) program funds were required to submit an annual report by September 30, 2022 following the funding year in which funding was provided.
  
  • The Wireline Competition Bureau previously announced in a Public Notice (DA 22-805) an extension to the deadlines for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program Round to October 31, 2022 for recipients to purchase eligible devices and implement eligible service, and an extension of the deadline for submitting invoices for reimbursement by three months.
 
  • The WCB previously issued a Public Notice (DA 22-560) that summaries upcoming Connected Care Pilot Program deadlines, and waives and extends the end date of the Pilot Program to conduct a full three year Pilot project.  The following Connected Care Pilot Program deadlines apply to all projects:  August 18, 2022 is the last day to post the initial FCC Form 461 to the USAC website; September 16, 2022 is the deadline to submit initial Form 461 to USAC; and December 31, 2025 is the last date for Pilot Program participants to end their project.
 
  • The OMB and WCB established via Public Notice (DA 22-582) a July 31, 2022 deadline for Round 2 COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding recipients and provide recipients with additional information for the post-program report which is due on January 31, 2024.