Federal Communications Commission

I have raised a number of concerns about the Federal Communications Commission’s new rural broadband experiments.

First, I worry how the new experiments will fit together with the high-cost universal service reforms that the FCC already adopted in 2011 and, despite my best efforts, I have not received an adequate explanation to date. Second, as configured, these experiments could divert needed funds away from expanding broadband access for all Americans in favor of funding very high-capacity projects for a select few anchor institutions. Third, I am very concerned about the ability of these experiments to succeed with one-time funding. And now, I believe that these experiments could duplicate the Congressionally-mandated gigabit pilot program.

Instead of going down this path, the FCC should rethink the need for these experiments. If the FCC does decide to press forward with its own rural broadband experiments, I will be looking to ensure that we abide by the following principles when deciding upon any final rules or approving any experiments:

• No Duplication. First, the FCC’s experiments must accomplish something very different from the US Department of Agriculture’s pilot program. Second, the FCC must not fund experiments in areas that are served or will be served by USDA’s pilot program or existing providers. Such duplication makes no sense and goes against our obligation to spend every consumer dollar as efficiently and effectively as possible.
• Rationalize Spending. In its Notice, the FCC contemplated spending between $50 - $100 million (or more) on its new experiments.
• Ensure Qualified Participants. The Farm Bill requires that those participating in the USDA pilot program demonstrate that they are capable of providing service. The FCC should do no less. We must not dedicate limited funding to wishes and whims, but only to verifiable, concrete plans from companies that can actually build and operate a sustainable broadband network after the one-time FCC support ends -- because it will end.
• Don’t Zap Focus. The high-cost programs account for $4.5 billion annually and require considerable attention. Staff workshops, webinars, presentations, guidance and oversight will be needed to achieve success on any new experiments. But these take significant time and staff hours.

[March 7]

Delivering on the announcement made by Chairman Wheeler in his Digital Learning Day remarks, the Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice seeking more focused comment on a set of key issues initially raised in the E-Rate Modernization notice of proposed rulemaking. The Notice seeks to strengthen the record on four important issues:

• how to best structure the program in a way that places a greater focus on connectivity inside the walls of classrooms and libraries in an equitable manner to all eligible schools and libraries; whether and how to establish a one-time deployment initiative within the structure of the existing program providing targeted additional funding for those schools and libraries who remain without access to a high-speed broadband connection;
• phasing out or reducing support for legacy voice services; and
• ideas on potential demonstration projects.

Additional focused comment on these topics will help the Commission tackle some difficult issues necessary to accomplishing the program goals laid out in the E-Rate Modernization NPRM. While we seek answers to these questions, by no means does this Notice represent the full set of issues that may be addressed in a future order. Working with E-rate supported companies, schools and libraries, we are working to better understanding current connectivity levels and pricing, as well as the potential one-time and recurring costs of paying for scalable high-speed connections to and within all schools and libraries. We have repeatedly emphasized the Commission’s commitment to data-driven decision making throughout the E-rate modernization process.

[March 7]

I had the privilege of meeting Pervis Parker, the General Manager and Chief Creative Officer of WLOO TV.

During our conversation, Parker recounted with great pride all that his station had been able to accomplish since it was acquired by Tougaloo College in 2012 -- and made by possible by WLOO’s Joint Sales Agreement (JSA) with another Mississippi station, WDBD.

As Tougaloo College has put it, “the JSA has permitted WLOO to become a real success story, enabling a new, minority station owner to reinvigorate this station and expand its local services.” Parker stated that he was very concerned about what would happen to WLOO if the Federal Communications Commission were effectively to require the station to terminate its JSA.