Mercury, PVT, Cable One, and Fidelity RDOF Defaults

The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau announced that certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) census block groups (CBG) are now eligible for other funding programs. Specifically, Mercury Wireless Indiana has notified the FCC it will not fulfill its commitment to offer voice and broadband service to certain CBGs within its RDOF support service areas in Indiana (study area code (SAC) 329028) and Michigan (SAC 319048).  Further, Mercury Wireless Kansas (Mercury Kansas) has notified the FCC of its decision to withdraw from the RDOF support program in all of the CBGs covered by its authorized winning bids in Illinois (SAC 349051), Kansas (SAC 419045), and Missouri (SAC 429042).  PVT NetWorks (PVT) has also notified the FCC that it will not fulfill its commitment to offer voice and broadband service to certain CBGs within its RDOF support service area in New Mexico (SAC 499026). Additionally, Cable One VOIP d/b/a Sparklight has notified the FCC of its decision to withdraw from the RDOF support program in all of the CBGs covered by its authorized winning bids in Idaho (SAC 479030), and Fidelity Cablevision has notified the FCC of its decision to withdraw from the RDOF support program in all of the CBGs covered by its authorized winning bids in Missouri (SAC 429002). The carriers will be subject to penalties for their defaults. The FCC also referred Mercury Indiana and Mercury Kansas’ defaults to its Enforcement Bureau for further consideration.