cpuc – Page 89 – Steve Blum's Blog

CPUC affirms relevance of broadband pricing and caps, approves subsidies for five Californian projects

31 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, cpuc, ftth, pinnacles telephone, ponderosa telephone, public policy, race telecommunications, verizon

The California Public Utilities Commission said yes this morning to spending $4.8 million from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) on five rural broadband projects.
Commissioners approved the subsidies unanimously and without discussion. The resolutions included language rejecting unsupported mobile broadband coverage claims made by Verizon and indicating that the commission considers broadband pricing and data caps to be relevant issues, if not formal criteria, when it decides whether to subsidise competitive broadband projects…

In addition, while the Commission in [its decision setting out rules for the CASF program] did not include broadband performance measure other than speed, the wireless broadband service offerings include data caps and pricing that are more restrictive than the proposed project’s service offerings which has lower prices and no explicit data caps.

… More

CPUC rebukes Verizon, prepares to vote on five broadband projects

30 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, cpuc, ftth, pinnacles telephone, ponderosa telephone, public policy, race telecommunications

No point in kicking if the game is long over.

A series of procedural temper tantrums earned Verizon politely worded advice to pay attention to the rules and nothing more. In revised draft resolutions (still) recommending approval of California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) subsidies for three broadband projects challenged by Verizon, California Public Utilities Commission staff laid out what should have been done. For example, regarding a project proposed for Boonville in Mendocino County…

CD staff reminds Verizon that for all CASF project proposals, a challenge window and deadline is set up for submitting challenges on pending applications.

… More

Two big projects awarded construction subsidies by CPUC

18 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, cpuc, ftth, public policy, race telecommunications

Meeting in Redding yesterday, the California Public Utilities Commission approved requests for a total of $19 million in grants from the California Advanced Services Fund for two projects, one on the far northern coast and the other in the Tehachapi mountains of southern California.
Race Telecommunications received $12.6 million to build a fiber-to-the-home system in the Tehachapi pass area of Kern County. The Karuk and Yurok tribes received $6.6 million for a combination middle and last mile project in Humboldt County.… More

California broadband map opened to comments from customers

17 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, cpuc, public policy

Not a lot of choice, but there’s room for a brief comment at the end.

If you don’t think your broadband provider is telling the truth, or if just want to say how happy you are with the service you’re getting, you can now add your comments to the California Broadband Availability map, published by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Initially restricted to regional broadband consortia, the public comment feature of the CPUC’s map is now open to anyone.… More

Verizon throws three more broadband subsidy tantrums

14 October 2013 by Steve Blum
boonville, boron, broadband, casf, community networks, cpuc, public policy, race telecommunications, verizon, westport

Can you hear me now?

To get a broadband construction subsidy from the California Advanced Services Fund (CPUC), you have to show that the area where you want to build is at least underserved, as defined by the California Public Utilities Commission speed standard of 6 Mbps down and 1.5 Mbps up. Incumbent carriers are then given a chance to prove you wrong.

In the current round of CASF grant and loan applications, submitted last February, some projects – particularly Golden Bear in north California and ViaSat all over the map – drew protests from a wide range of providers.… More

CPUC small business expo draws hundreds to Salinas

10 October 2013 by Steve Blum
business, cpuc, mcbc, ptac, salinas

Giving small business a lift in Salinas.

Rapidly changing business models and utility needs are providing opportunities for small businesses in the twenty-first century. That was Commissioner Catherine Sandoval’s message to several hundred entrepreneurs in Salinas yesterday, at a small business expo and matchmaking fair sponsored by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Sandoval pointed to new rules that were just adopted that allow online ride sharing companies, such as Lyft and Uber, to provide on demand service, despite vehement objections from entrenched – and protected – taxi companies.… More

No quick changes for Californian broadband subsidy program

7 October 2013 by Steve Blum
ab1299, broadband, casf, community networks, cpuc, public policy, sb740

Glaciers are slow, but reliably arrive.

Because it was tagged as urgency legislation and then approved by a two-thirds vote of the California legislature, senate bill 740 took effect the moment it was signed by Governor Brown. Even so, don’t expect any immediate changes to the way the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) is managed or broadband construction subsidies are given out.

Eleven months ago, the California Public Utilities Commission began the lengthy process of changing CASF eligibility rules, under the assumption that the legislature would allow it.… More

Governor Brown signs California broadband subsidy bills into law

3 October 2013 by Steve Blum
ab1299, broadband, casf, community networks, cpuc, public policy, sb740

According to the sponsors of the legislation, Governor Brown has showered affection and money on Californian broadband backers, signing senate bill 740 and assembly bill 1299 into law. We’re all feeling the love now.

“Congratulations everyone, SB 740 has been signed by the Governor”, said SB 740 author senator Alex Padilla (D- Los Angeles). “I know a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience went into the bill, but it’s great to know that all the work has paid off.”… More

CPUC approves $4 million for broadband projects, but tougher decisions are ahead

3 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, community networks, cpuc, golden bear broadband, public policy, sebastian

In a unanimous vote this morning, the California Public Utilities Commission approved $4 million in grants from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) for three projects: $2 million for Winterhaven in Imperial County and $1.8 million for Olinda in Shasta County – both DSL upgrades – and $117,000 for fixed wireless service in Foresthill in Placer County.
These are the first three projects approved from the batch of thirty two applications submitted back in February.… More

The art of estimating broadband subsidy costs by households in rural California

2 October 2013 by Steve Blum
broadband, casf, cpuc, ftth, ponderosa telephone, public policy

It’s one house, but how many homes?

Maybe 800 homes on the western side of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains will get upgraded broadband service, many via fiber to the home connections, if a pair of draft resolutions is approved by the California Public Utilities Commission.

CPUC staff is recommending giving Ponderosa Telephone Company a total of $2.7 million from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF). About $1.8 million would go to an FTTH build in two small Madera County communities, Beasore and Central Camp, and $900,000 would help pay for a DSL upgrade and limited FTTH service in the Big Creek area of Fresno County.… More