I want to get this out because it’s something we’ve all been waiting for – and it’s important. At highest level – looks like Consolidates and Farmers have gotten word to move ahead on some projects. (Not sure if it’s all projects.) It looks like Aspire was offered (and took) the opportunity to withdraw. Nothing about LTD in Minnesota. However, LTD was denied its extension to get ETC designation in California, Kansas and Oklahoma so is in default there. FCC deferred for five other states where LTD requested extension for getting ETC designation (Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas).
Side note: I’m going to ask for some generous leniency here – if I got something wrong please let me know and I’ll fix it. I really wanted to get this out but there has been a disturbing incent across the street from my house. (It was a shooting in St Paul that will likely be covered in News.) So my concentration is not stellar.
Today’s action represents the first funding to be approved through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. As a result of today’s announcement, 48 broadband providers will bring 1 Gbps broadband speeds to nearly 200,000 homes and businesses over the next 10 years. Here are the Ready to Authorize Long-Form Applicants and Winning Bids (in MN):
(Info on each line – Applicant Name, FRN, Winning Bid Name, State, Area Codes, # of Census Blocks, #of Eligible Census Blocks, # of locations, Winning Bid over 10 yrs, Amt due on LOC – easier to read in PDF – but now search able here.)
- Consolidated Communications 0003713930MN-103-4805021Minnesota 361375 1 2 12 $ 11,126.00 $ 1,112.60
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1801001Minnesota 369020 1 2 2 $ 7,626.00 $ 762.60
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1801002Minnesota 369020 1 11 26 $ 21,054.00 $ 2,105.40
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1801003Minnesota 369020 1 3 6 $ 2,294.00 $ 229.40
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1802001Minnesota 369020 1 13 119 $ 216,152.00 $ 21,615.20
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1802002Minnesota 369020 1 21 37 $ 166,258.00 $ 16,625.80
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1803001Minnesota 369020 1 19 39 $ 152,096.00 $ 15,209.60
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1803002Minnesota 369020 1 36 78 $ 177,172.00 $ 17,717.20
- Farmers Mutual Telephone 0003747722MN-073-1803003Minnesota 369020 1 11 25 $ 17,170.00 $ 1,717.00
At the same time, the FCC also took steps to clean up the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund program. In light of complaints that the program was poised to fund broadband to parking lots and well-served urban areas, the FCC sent letters to 197 winning bidders. The letters offer providers an opportunity to withdraw their funding requests from those places already with service or where significant questions of waste have been raised. Here are the Bids in Default (in MN):
(Info on each line – Applicant Name, FRN, Winning Bid Name, State, Area Codes, # of Census Blocks, #of Eligible Census Blocks, # of locations, Winning Bid over 10 yrs – easier to read in PDF – but now search able here.)
- Aspire Networks 2, LLC 0030311583MN_05b Minnesota 2 155 1,150 $ 6,709,428.00
Next, the FCC made clear that it will not tolerate any provider participating in the program that is not serious about providing broadband service or has not made appropriate efforts to secure state approvals. To this end, the FCC rejected requests from AB Indiana in Florida and LTD Broadband in California, Oklahoma, and Kansas to waive program deadlines, in light of their failure to act in a timely way to seek state certification.