Broadband funding details, carrier network breaches, satellite direct-to-cell service, and the fall of the Affordable Connectivity Program were some of the topics dominating FCC news for 2024. Here are some of the hot issues as reported by Inside Towers.
The FCC updated its rules for letters of credit to reduce administrative and financial burdens on broadband providers receiving high-cost support from the Universal Service Fund in December. Historically, carriers had to secure letters of credit from qualified banks to ensure funds for broadband buildouts were used correctly. However, stringent requirements limited the number of eligible banks, increasing costs and complications for providers.
The new rules allow well-capitalized U.S. banks to issue letters of credit, broadening access. Additionally, providers in certain programs can now reduce the value of their letters of credit after meeting deployment milestones, freeing up capital for faster broadband expansion.
The FCC partially approved SpaceX’s request to operate satellite direct-to-cellular service with T-Mobile, In early December. It marked the agency’s first approval of supplemental coverage from space (SCS). This service allows satellites to directly communicate with unmodified cell phones, supplementing mobile network operator (MNO) coverage with voice and text capabilities.
The approval allows SpaceX to use its previously authorized 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites at altitudes between 340 km and 360 km, and to operate in Ku-, Ka-, E-, and V-band frequencies. The approval also includes conditions, such as coordination with NASA to protect the International Space Station and NASA missions due to SpaceX’s operations at altitudes below 400 km. The collaboration between T-Mobile and SpaceX aims to provide cellular service in rural and remote areas, with temporary authority granted for use during hurricanes in 2023.
The FCC’s Rapid Broadband Assessment Team, launched in July, aims to expedite the resolution of pole attachment disputes that delay broadband deployment. This intra-agency group focuses on prioritizing disputes, offering transparency, and providing carriers with information about the status of utility poles they plan to use. The team’s goal is to make the dispute resolution process faster, more transparent, and cost-effective. FCC Commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr supported the changes, noting they should reduce disputes and create a practical solution. Additionally, the FCC updated its policies to clarify when attachers don’t have to pay the full cost of replacing existing poles, building on previous reforms like shot-clocks and one-touch make-ready procedures.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stressed to Congress several times the urgency of providing additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) before the money was exhausted by the end of May. The FCC announced that April would be the last month households could receive the full $30 discount.
Twenty-three million households were enrolled in the ACP. The end of ACP meant “the one in six households that rely on this program will face rising bills and increasing disconnection,” she told lawmakers. Several bills to keep the ACP going were introduced into Congress but none passed. The agency intended to keep the ACP database updated in case some form of the ACP is revived in the future.
In response to recent breaches of U.S. telecom networks by Chinese-backed hackers, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed new measures to protect the nation’s communications systems from cybersecurity threats. The proposal aims to require telecom companies to secure their networks from unlawful access or interception. It includes a plan for carriers to submit annual certifications to the FCC, confirming they have created, updated, and implemented cybersecurity risk management plans. It was not approved by press time.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
Reader Interactions