On May 30, 2019, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comment on a Texas Carriers’ Petition to prohibit use of E-rate Funds to build fiber networks in areas where fiber networks already exist. Central Texas Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Peoples Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and Totelcom Communications, LLC met with FCC Wireline Competition Bureau on June 17, 2019 to further urge the FCC to release a Notice of Public Rulemaking as soon as possible. The Texas carriers also stated that “….the use of E-rate funds to overbuild existing networks is not just happening in Texas, but is happening in other states as well…”
The Texas Carriers Overbuilding Petition to FCC can be found here.
The FCC Overbuilding Public Notice can be viewed here.
The FCC Overbuilding Public Notice can be viewed here.
The Commend Deadline is July 1, 2019 and the Reply Comment Deadline is July 16, 2019.
