FCC Seeks Comment on EMPOWER's ETC Expansion Application

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB or Bureau) seeks comment on the petition of EMPOWER Broadband (EMPOWER) to expand its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designated service area in Virginia.  EMPOWER seeks to expand its ETC designated service area to become eligible to receive Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II Auction (Auction 903) support associated with certain census blocks (constituting complete census block groups (CGBs)) in Virginia, a subpart of an original CAF II support award authorized to RiverStreet Communications of Virginia.  In connection with this ETC petition, EMPOWER and RiverStreet have sought WCB’s approval of a section 214 authorization transfer application to assign this support in addition to all rights, obligations, and conditions associated with the receipt of this support, which remains pending. Accordingly, the expansion of EMPOWER’s ETC designated service area to include the Assigned CGBs will be conditioned upon approval of the 214 Transfer Application.  EMPOWER also seeks to expand its designation to include additional areas that are not eligible for high cost support but for which it intends to seek Lifeline support, which the FCC will evaluate separately from the general ETC designation request to become eligible to receive support for areas where it may be authorized to receive high cost support.