USF Tracker January 2024

RECENT NEWS

General

  • On January 25, 2024, in an Order (DA 24-15), the FCC announced the appointment of Commissioner Simington and Commissioner Gomez to serve on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Universal Service Joint Board) and the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations (Separations Joint Board), with Commissioner Gomez serving as the federal chair of the Universal Service Joint Board as wells as the Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Services (Advanced Services Joint Conference), and Commissioner Geoffrey Starks serving as the federal chair of the Separations Joint Board.

Lifeline/ Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)

  • On January 30, 2024, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) released its January Lifeline Newsletter.
  • On January 16, 2024, USAC provided a Lifeline reverification update. USAC states that the document submission for Group Two” is postponed for an indefinite period to coordinate with service providers and that service providers should disregard Group Two reporting referenced on the Reverification Subscriber Status Report in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) until further notice. In addition, USAC reminded service providers that the window for all final documentation for Group One” closes February 10, 2024, service providers must collect and submit all final documentation for Group Three” by June 28, 2024, and that no action is required for Group Four” at this time. Additional information about the reverification process is available.
  • On January 11, 2024, in an Order (DA 24-23), the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) announced guidance for the ACP wind-down. The Order forecasts that the last fully-funded month for ACP reimbursements will be April 2024 without additional federal funding, and requires ACP providers to issue multiple notices to ACP subscribers (including an initial notice by January 25, 2024) informing subscribers about the end of the ACP. WCB also announced a freeze on additional ACP enrollments after February 7, 2024. The WCB will provide additional instructions for the ACP wind-down following the enrollment freeze. Previously, on January 8, 2024, in a Fact Sheet, the FCC announced that it will begin taking steps to wind-down the ACP because funding will run out soon. The FCC expects current funding for the program to last through April 2024, running out of funds in May 2024. The ACP has enrolled nearly 23 million households.
  • On January 10, 2024, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 25-24) seeking comment on a petition from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority seeking a declaratory ruling allowing it to cease participation as a state-approved Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) under Section 214(e)(2) of the Communications Act, and allowing it to petition the FCC to be re-designated as a federally-approved ETC under section 214(e)(6) of the Communications. Comments are due February 12, 2024; Reply Comments are due February 26, 2024.
  • On January 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the High-Cost Program (Connect America Fund (CAF) docket, WC Docket No. 10-90, in the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, and in the Rural Health Care (RHC) program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-1) 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 USAC.
  • USAC, in its December Newsletter, previously reminded participants about Lifeline compliance – including that the FCC Form 555 (Annual Lifeline ETC Certification Form) is due January 31, 2024.

High Cost Fund Programs

  • On January 26, 2024, USAC released an updated version of the CAF Broadband Map providing information about CAF-supported broadband deployment.
  • On January 25, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-78), the WCB provided guidance on outstanding location and broadband coverage issues in the Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) program, including which Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (Fabric) location and Broadband Data Collection (BDC) availability data should be used to determine final deployment obligations and support amounts, and on other outstanding issues related to the assignment of specific locations to Enhanced A-CAM recipients’ study areas.
  • On January 25, 2024, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-77) seeking comment on using the data included in the Fabric to update and verify compliance with certain High-Cost program support recipients’ deployment obligations, and to revise and verify deployment obligations for a number of the high-cost support mechanisms, including for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), A-CAM I and II, the Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund, the Connect USVI Fund, and the Alaska Plan. Comments are due 30 days after publication in the Federal Register; Reply Comments are due 45 days after publication in the Federal Register.
  • On January 11, 2024, the WCB announced in a Public Notice (DA 24-29) that carriers that have elected to receive Enhanced A-CAM support must certify and submit their cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans by 11:59 p.m. EST on February 12, 2024. The FCC previously required A-CAM carriers to implement operational cybersecurity and supply chain risk management plans by January 1, 2024.
  • On January 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the High-Cost Program (CAF) docket, WC Docket No. 10-90, in the ECF Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, and in the RHC program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-1) 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 USAC.
  • USAC previously reminded participants that the annual High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) submission is due March 1, 2024, for carriers participating in CAF programs with defined fixed broadband buildout obligations.
  • In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and Report and Order (FCC 23-87), the FCC previously sought comments on how the universal service high-cost support program can continue funding fixed and mobile broadband services in Alaska. Specifically, the NPRM initiates a rulemaking to understand all the technological and broadband availability and funding changes that have occurred in Alaska since the inception of the Alaska Plan and ACS Order in 2016, which adopted CAF Phase II obligations in Alaska. In the Report and Order, the FCC amends and streamlines existing rules and requirements governing the management and administration of the high-cost program. Comments were due on January 16, 2024; Reply Comments are due on February 15, 2024.

Schools and Libraries (E-Rate) / Emergency Connectivity Fund

  • On January 29, 2024, USAC announced that February 28, 2024 is the last available day to submit and certify an FCC Form 470 while still complying with the required 28 day wait period before submitting and certifying an FCC Form 471 by March 27, 2024. March 27, 2024 is the last date of the FY2024 FCC Form 471 application filing window.
  • On January 29, 2024, USAC announced a webinar event designed to answer E-Rate questions about the competitive bidding process and filing FCC Form 471. Registration for the webinar is required and training material is available.
  • On January 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the High-Cost Program (CAF) docket, WC Docket No. 10-90, in the ECF Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, and in the RHC program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-1) 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 USAC.
  • The WCB previously announced, in an Order (DA 23-1201), the extension of the comment deadlines for the NPRM (FCC 23-91) proposals to permit eligible schools and libraries to receive E-Rate support for Wi-Fi hotspots and wireless Internet services that can be used off-premises, and sought comment on the applicability of the Children‘s Internet Protection Act requirements and the off-premises use of E-Rate-supported hotspots and services. Comments were due January 26, 2024; Reply Comments are due February 9, 2024.
  • The FCC previously proposed in a NPRM (FCC 23-92) the creation of a Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program to collect data on the most effective way Universal Service Fund (USF) support can be used for cybersecurity and advanced firewall services to protect K12 schools and libraries against cyber threats and attacks and to the E-Rate program’s goal of promoting basic connectivity. Comments were due January 29, 2024; Reply Comments are due February 27, 2024.

Rural Health Care (RHC)

  • On January 4, 2024, USAC released RHC Program News in its January Newsletter.
  • On January 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the High-Cost Program (CAF) docket, WC Docket No. 10-90, in the ECF Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, and in the RHC program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-1) 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 USAC.
  • USAC previously announced the funding year (FY)2024 Filing Window is open. Applicants can now submit FY2024 funding requests in RHC Connect using the FCC Form 462 (Funding Request Form) for the Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program and the FCC Form 466 (Funding Request Form) for the Telecommunications Program. Requests for the FY2024 opened on December 1, 2023, and closes on April 1, 2024.