Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC's Pai Announces Departure Date, FCC Announces Results of 2021 Urban Rate Survey
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced he intends to leave the Federal Communications Commission on January 20, 2021. He issued a statement thanking his fellow Commissioners, FCC staff and his family, saying, in part: “Together, we’ve delivered for the American people over the past four years: closing the digital divide; promoting innovation and competition, from 5G on the ground to broadband from space; protecting consumers; and advancing public safety. And this FCC has not shied away from making tough choices. As a result, our nation’s communications networks are now faster, stronger, and more widely deployed than ever before.
In response to the announcement, FCC Commissioners Rosenworcel, Carr, Starks, O’Rielly issued statements wishing him well and acknowledging his accomplishments as did House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican leaders. Meanwhile, the Senate Commerce Committee has announced it will convene an executive session on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 to consider the nomination of Nathan Simington to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (taking the seat to be vacated by Commissioner O’Rielly).
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) and the Office of Economics and Analytics (Office) announced the 2021 reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed voice and broadband services for eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that are subject to broadband public interest obligations. These ETCs include ILECs receiving Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II support, Rural Broadband Experiment providers, CAF Phase II Auction (Auction 903) winners, and Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction winners. In addition, they announced the required minimum usage allowance for ETCs subject to public interest obligations for fixed broadband and posted the fixed voice and broadband services data collected in the most recent urban rate survey, and explanatory notes regarding the data here
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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.