Feb. 9, 2021 - Public Issue
ACA CONNECTS: KEY DEVELOPMENTS
ACA Connects Urges FCC to Adopt Rules for Emergency Broadband Benefit Program that Maximize Eligible Households’ Choice of Service Providers From the Very Start
The $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit Program must ensure that eligible households have sufficient broadband options available when the program starts, including robust wireline options that can support the full range of connectivity needs brought on by COVID- 19. To provide such choice, the FCC must commit itself to this goal and take steps necessary to minimize the barriers to entry for providers of reliable, robust broadband service that are not current or active participants in the agency’s own Lifeline program.
These recommendations came in comments ACA Connects filed Monday in response to an FCC Wireline Bureau Public Notice on the new program, which was created by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
“The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program is a tremendous opportunity to help Americans who are suffering hardship during COVID-19. Many are having trouble affording the level of broadband access that they need for themselves and their families, and this program can connect each eligible household with a broadband offering that meets its needs,” ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said. “To achieve that outcome, the FCC must present households with a range of options for their benefit, and that means creating a streamlined process that encourages service providers of all types to join the program.”
In its comments, ACA Connects focused on ways the FCC can maximize participation from providers, and with it, consumer choice. The trade association stressed the importance of setting a common start date on which all providers can begin participating in the program." Read more.
1/25 ACAC FILING: FCC Comments re Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
ACA Connects Supports Prompt Passage of New Eshoo-Markey Broadband Plan Bill ACA Connects President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement on Feb. 8 on the re-introduction of the National Broadband Plan for the Future Act sponsored by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.):
“ACA Connects applauds Rep. Eshoo and Sen. Markey for introducing legislation that would require the Federal Communications Commission to update the 2010 National Broadband Plan. Government is at its best when it looks ahead at the long-term needs of the country and its citizens, identifies significant problems, and develops serious solutions to address these problems.
“With so many working, learning, and socializing online for the past year, we have learned that our nation’s broadband infrastructure is robust, but that we need to do better. We need to update our universal service programs to connect everyone and maximize use of limited funds." Read more.
ACA CONNECTS: FILINGS
ACA Connects has been actively representing independent cable in many other ways and on many issues in Washington, D.C. Those efforts are described in the filings, letters, and testimonies linked below for your review:
2/3: FCC Ex Parte re Emergency Broadband Benefit Program w/ Offices of Cmmsrs Carr and Starks 2/2: FCC Ex Parte re Emergency Broadband Benefit Program w/ Office of Cmmsr Simington 1/28: FCC Ex Parte (w/ NCTA, INCOMPAS, and WISPA) re Emergency Broadband Benefit Program w/ Wireline Competition Bureau
ATVA: FILINGS
The American Television Alliance (ATVA), of which ACA Connects is a member, filed the ex parte letter below on Feb. 2 to direct the Federal Communications Commission’s attention to the pre-Super Bowl retransmission consent blackout of AT&T-owned multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), including DirecTV, by Cox Media Group, which is owned by private equity giant Apollo Global Management.
2/4: FCC Ex Parte Communications re Various Retransmission Consent Related Proceedings
ACA CONNECTS: NEWS HEADLINES
Shentel To Issue $18.75 Per Share Special Dividend (Release, 2/3) Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) announced the expected uses of the approximately $1.5 billion of after-tax proceeds to be received from the sale of Shentel’s Wireless assets and operations (Shentel Wireless) to T-Mobile US, Inc. Shentel currently expects to use the proceeds to repay approximately $702 million of outstanding term loans and swap liabilities and terminate the respective agreements. It will also issue a special dividend of $18.75 per share to Shentel’s shareholders. Super Bowl Posts Worst Viewer Ratings Since 2007 (CNBC, 2/9) The numbers are in, and the National Football League’s biggest game of the year -- during this season of COVID-19 -- failed to top 100 million viewers this year. Super Bowl LV attracted 96.4 million viewers for ViacomCBS on Sunday as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9. It’s the lowest watched Super Bowl since 2007, when the Indianapolis Colts played the Chicago Bears, another CBS broadcast. That game attracted 93.1 million viewers.
DOJ Drops Challenge to California Net Neutrality Law (Next TV, 2/8) The Biden Justice Department has dropped the Trump Justice Department's challenge to California's net neutrality law. The court issued a one-line statement: "Plaintiff the United States of America, by and through its counsel, hereby gives notice of its voluntary dismissal of this case." Congressional Democrats had pressed the new administration to drop their support of the legal challenge.
Vexus Fiber Begins Construction In Wichita Falls, Texas (Release, 2/2) Vexus Fiber, a leading fiber service provider in West Texas, began construction to build a 10 Gigabit fiber-to-the-home network in Wichita Falls, Texas. The network will connect more than 30,000 new homes and businesses in the area to Vexus’ 100% pure fiber network. This network expansion is part of on-going construction that will bring Vexus services to more than 19,000 homes and businesses in Wichita Falls before the end of 2021.
Fidelity Comm. Invests $1.5M To Upgrade Nevada, Mo., Network (Release, 2/4) Fidelity Communications will begin construction in mid-February on a $1.5 million upgrade to its robust, fiber-rich network in Nevada, Missouri. The project will further strengthen the reliability of Fidelity’s high-speed Internet service, while also preparing for the future connectivity needs of the Nevada community. Work on these upgrades is expected to be completed by the Cable One affiliate in late summer.
Comcast Suspends Data Caps, Fees For Northeast Customers (Wash. Post, 3/3) Comcast said it would suspend its new fees on heavy home Internet users in more than a dozen Northeastern states, reversing course on a policy that threatened higher bills for some families amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Philadelphia-based cable giant said it would postpone the new charges after Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) raised concerns.
Small ISPs Gone from Netflix Speed Index (Cablefax, 2/1) Netflix’s ISP Speed Index has returned, but the smaller ISPs who once dominated it did not. Netflix paused its monthly ISP speed index in February last year, with the streamer saying it would instead focus on work with governments and ISPs around the world to temporarily reduce strain on telecom networks during the pandemic. The index is now back, but with some changes—most notably it now includes only broadband ISPs that consistently have >1% of Netflix view hours in the country.
Starlink Passes 10K Users, Fights Opponents At FCC (Ars Technica, 2/4) Lobby groups for small ISPs are urging the FCC to investigate whether SpaceX can deliver on its broadband promises and to consider blocking the satellite provider's rural- broadband funding. Meanwhile, SpaceX says the Starlink beta is now serving high-speed broadband to 10,000 users. SpaceX was one of the biggest winners in the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), winning $885.51 million over 10 years to bring Starlink broadband to 642,925 homes and businesses in 35 states.
Gray TV To Pay $925 Million For Quincy Media (Next TV, 2/1) Gray Television said it reached an agreement to buy Quincy Media for $925 million in cash, continuing the consolidation of the local broadcast business. The combined companies would own TV stations in 102 markets and reach 25.4% of U.S. TV households. It would own the No.1 station in 77 markets.
ACA CONNECTS: ACTION BRIEF TOP THREE Most-Clicked Links From Jan. 26, 2021 ACAction Brief:
1. Netflix Tops 200M Subs With Year-End Flourish (MarketWatch, 1/20)
2. Locast Touts 2.3 Million Registered Users (Next TV, 1/15)
3. NBCU To Shut Down NBCSN By Year-End (WSJ, 1/22)
ABOUT ACA CONNECTS
Across this vast country, small and rural markets participate in the digital revolution by receiving video, broadband, and phone services from more than 700 small and medium-sized independent operators represented by ACA Connects - America’s Communications Association.
ACA Connects' members -- cable, phone, and fiber-to- the-home operators and municipalities -- deliver affordable basic and advanced services to nearly 8 million households and businesses. ACA Connects members operate in every state, offering high-definition television, next generation Internet access, and digital phone service.
Access to advanced communications is not a luxury but a critical necessity for consumers and companies, schools and hospitals. America's economic prosperity in smaller markets and rural areas depends on the growth and success of ACA Connects members, who believe a connected nation, is a united nation.
ACA Connects asks lawmakers and regulators to ensure fair treatment so that small and medium-sized independent operators may continue to supply affordable video, broadband, and phone services to Main Street America. Through active participation in the policymaking process, ACA Connects members and leaders advocate for the interests of their customers, their companies, and their communities to help ensure the continued viability of their way of life in hometown America.
For more information, visit www.acaconnects.org, or contact:
Ross Lieberman, SVP Government Affairs 202-494-5661 | [email protected]
Ted Hearn, VP Communications 202-713-0826 | [email protected]
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