Charter still hates broadband competition, asks FCC to help prevent it

Charter Communications is asking the Federal Communications Commission to block government funding for Internet service providers that want to build networks in parts of New York where Charter is required to offer broadband. An FCC rule for Phase 1 of the commission's $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) bans funding in census blocks where at least one ISP has been awarded money from any federal or state broadband-subsidy program "to provide 25/3Mbps or better service," and it also bans funding in areas that already have home-Internet access at those speeds. But that rule would not prevent ISPs from getting funding to serve parts of NY where Charter is required by the state government to offer service but in which it hasn't yet finished construction. Charter on April 10 thus petitioned the FCC for a rules waiver that would ban funding in 2,400 census blocks "in which Charter has unfunded but nonetheless binding state obligations to deploy at least 25/3 Mbps broadband service." The FCC announced April 14 that it is seeking public comment on the Charter petition, which the FCC said would "exclude from eligibility census blocks in New York in which Charter will deploy broadband service to satisfy its commitments to the state."