FCC Releases A-CAM Election Results, Encourages Ex Partes by November 14
With less than a week to go before the 2016 Presidential election, the FCC revealed the election results that rate-of-return carriers have been anxiously awaiting for most of the year – the Alternative Connect America Fund (A-CAM) election. The deadline for submitting notices of A-CAM election was on November 1, 2016, and according to the FCC’s November 2 Public Notice, 216 rate-of-return carriers elected A-CAM for 274 separate study areas. The most significant piece of news about the A-CAM election is that the electing carriers exceed the 10-year budget by more than $160 million annually. This means that the FCC may allocate an additional $50 million, and also will need to take “other measures that may be necessary.”
Ex Partes by Nov. 14
The FCC likely intends to decide how to move forward with altering A-CAM metrics and prioritizing electing carriers. Because of this, the FCC has encouraged carriers to submit ex partes by Monday, November 14.
As such, JSI strongly encourages its clients that elected the A-CAM to submit written ex parte letters or schedule meetings with the Wireline Competition Bureau. If you are interested in submitting an ex parte or scheduling a meeting, please contact one of our experts by clicking the button below.