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On March 28, 2024, USAC released Lifeline Program News in its March Lifeline Newsletter.
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On March 6, 2024, in an Order (DA 24-209), the WCB approved a revised compliance plan of AirVoice Wireless, LLC who submitted modifications to reflect an internal reorganization and to make other updates to its plan.
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On March 6, 2024, the WCB issued an Order (DA 24-208) granting New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Inc.’s request for limited designation as an ETC for the purpose of providing Lifeline services in New Hampshire. The petitioner was previously authorized as a high-cost ETC provider participating in Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF)-supported areas.
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On March 4, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-195), the WCB announced the last fully funded month for the ACP benefit is April 2024. The Public Notice also provided guidance on the May 2024 for partial reimbursement of ACP claims. Providers participating in the partial reimbursement were required to elect to participate and provide written notice to qualifying households that the ACP benefit amount for May bills may be less than the full ACP benefit amount the household had been receiving. On March 19, 2024, the WCB announced in a Public Notice (DA 24-274) the reimbursement rate estimate for the partial ACP reimbursement month of May 2024 is $7 to $16 for non-tribal partial ACP participants.
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USAC previously announced the reverification “Group One” de-enrollment window closing date. De-enrollments for reverification “Group One” participants occurred February 9, 2024, through February 17, 2024. In addition, USAC reminded service providers that document submission for “Group Two” continues to be suspended, service providers must collect and submit documentation by June 28, 2024, for “Group Three”, and no action is required for “Group Four” at this time. Additional information about the reverification process is available.
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On March 29, 2024, in an Order (DA 24-312), the WCB granted a petition filed by Filer Mutual Telephone Company, a rate-of-return incumbent local exchange carrier, for waiver of certain National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA) tariff participation notices.
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On March 21, 2024, USAC published the latest reports of the Connect America Fund (CAF) compliance process. USAC published the reports as part of the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan, the initiative launched in early 2022 to oversee compliance with CAF deployment obligations.
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On March 21, 2024, USAC announced that CAF deployment verification reviews may be required for carriers receiving funds with 2023 broadband deployment milestones in the Original Alternative Connect America Cost Model (ACAM), Revised ACAM, ACAM II, CAF II Auction, and CAF Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) programs. Additional information is available of these verification reviews.
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On March 14, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-250), the WCB sought comment on a petition filed by Hilliary Communications LLC seeking a declaratory ruling that the Commission’s rules and the Enhanced A-CAM Order do not compel its local exchange carrier affiliates to convert their business data service (BDS) offerings from rate-of-return to incentive regulation. Comments are due April 15, 2024; Reply comments are due April 30, 2024.
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On March 12, 2024, in an Order (DA 24-244), the WCB temporarily waived the CAF Phase II Auction (Auction 903) and RDOF (Auction 904) rules requiring banks issuing Letters of Credit maintain a Weiss bank safety rating of B- or higher. The limited waiver only applies to banks that previously issued LOCs to Auction 903 or 904 support recipients.
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On March 12, 2024, the WCB issued an Order (DA 24-239) denying petitions filed by Colo Telephone Company and South Canaan Telephone Company seeking a waiver of the requirement that rate-of-return carriers annually file by December 31 the data necessary to calculate its CAF BLS.
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On March 12, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-238), the WCB approved a transfer of RDOF support from Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC to R.M. Greene, Inc. aka Beam.
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On March 4, 2024, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-202) seeking comment on a letter from 69 Internet Service Providers, Trade Associations, State and Local Officials, School Districts, Unions, and Civil Society Organizations requesting an extension for RDOF and CAF Auction awardees who cannot or do not intend to build their networks to allow them to relinquish all or part of their winning areas without being penalized. Comments were due on March 26, 2024; Reply comments are due April 9, 2024.
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On March 19, 2024, the WCB notified USAC of approval for the Schools and Libraries Funding Year 2024 Program Integrity Assurance FCC Form 471 Review Procedures in Procedures Review Letter (DA 24-273).
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On March 13, 2024, USAC announced a webinar on the Program Integrity Assurance Review and Selective Review Process. The webinar will take place on April 18, 2024.
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On March 8, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-229), the WCB announced E-Rate inflation-based caps for funding year 2024. The adjusted amounts represent a 3.6% inflation-adjusted increase to both programs’ funding year 2023 annual caps. The E-Rate program funding cap for funding year 2024 is $4,940,076,139.
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On March 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the ECF Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, and in the RHC program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-176) announcing the grant, dismissal, or denial of various requests (such as requests for review, requests for waivers, and petition for reconsideration) related to actions taken by USAC.
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On March 8, 2024, in a Public Notice (DA 24-229), the WCB announced RHC inflation-based caps for funding year 2024. The adjusted amounts represent a 3.6% inflation-adjusted increase to both programs’ funding year 2023 annual caps. The RHC program funding cap for funding year 2024 is $706,926,603.
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On March 7, 2024, the WCB issued an Order (DA 24-214) extending the close of the funding year 2024 application filing window for RHC until May 1, 2024 because of two outages that delayed some program participants’ ability to begin competitive bidding.
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On March 7, 2024, USAC related RHC Program News in its March Newsletter.
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On March 2, 2024, in the School and Libraries docket, CC Docket No. 02-6, in the ECF Program docket, WC Docket No. 21-93, in the Contribution Methodology docket, WC Docket No. 06-122, and in the RHC program docket, WC Docket No. 02-60, the WCB issued a Public Notice (DA 24-176) announcing the grant, dismissal, or denial of various requests (such as requests for review, requests for waivers, and petition for reconsideration) related to actions taken by USAC.
