Today's Regulatory Mix:  California Opens Small LEC Areas to CLEC Competition, USDA Announces Funding For Rural Broadband in Missouri

California Opens Small LEC Areas to CLEC Competition

The Public Utilities Commission of California (PUC) has opened the service territories of 13 Small Local Exchange Carriers (Small LECs) to wireline competition from CLECs.  CLECs seeking to compete in the service territories of the Small LECs must satisfy a modified version of the current local competition rules applicable to CLECs.  This includes expanded mapping and revised reporting requirements.  As discussed further below, when an individual application for competition by a CLEC is considered by the PUC, the PUC will determine whether any additional conditions are warranted on a location-specific basis given the physical and demographic characteristics of the Small LEC territory and other relevant factors.  Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 8/19/20

USDA Announces Funding For Rural Broadband in Missouri

The USDA announced it is investing nearly $3 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Missouri.  Specifically, Big River Broadband will use a $2.9 million grant to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network to connect 4,839 people, 54 farms, 27 businesses, two public schools and one fire station to high-speed broadband internet in Cape Girardeau County. 

“The need for rural broadband has never been more apparent than it is now – as our nation manages the coronavirus national emergency. Access to telehealth services, remote learning for school children, and remote business operations all require access to broadband,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “I am so proud of our rural communities who have been working day in and day out, just like they always do, producing the food and fiber America depends on. We need them more than ever during these trying times, and expanding access to this critical infrastructure will help ensure rural America prospers for

years to come.”

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.