The Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) has just released the final list of CAF II eligible areas, as well as the reserve price for each block group for the upcoming CAF II Auction. VPSs initial analysis indicates a nationwide decrease in the CAF II reserve price of $323 million or 34%. In total 42 states saw…
Continue ReadingOn Monday, September 18, Vantage Point Solutions filed comments with the FCC on the upcoming CAF II auction rules. This auction will be one of the most complex auctions in the history of humankind, and shaping the rules of the process is critical to ensuring reasonable, well-developed, and effective procedures. To that end, there are…
Continue ReadingOriginally written July 13, 2015 Re: Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90 Broadband is a vital part of our modern economy, education, and everyday life. The FCC is to be commended for their efforts to achieve additional fiber deployment across rural America. At Vantage Point we’ve helped hundreds of rural telecommunications providers in more…
Continue ReadingAt the FCC’s Open Meeting held on April 20, 2017, the Commission granted the Petition for Reconsideration filed by NTCA of the Commission’s Rate‐of‐Return Reform Order with respect to the average per location, per project construction limitation on universal service support. Background: In the Rate‐of‐Return Reform Order, the Commission adopted a Capital Investment Allowance (CIA)…
Continue ReadingVantage Point Solutions has analyzed USAC’s newly released budget control mechanisms (BCMs) taking effect on July 1, 2017. There are a number of key takeaways evident from the data: System wide impacts are modest Per line impacts are substantial Demand for HCLS and BLS-Voice are flat Budget shortfall (and budget controls) are driven by CBOL…
Continue ReadingIn today’s May 18, 2017 Open Meeting, the FCC voted to freeze the current rate floor at $18 and potentially later this year eliminate the local service rate floor rule and accompanying reporting obligations. Since 2012, the FCC began the phase in of a national rate floor for carriers receiving high cost support. RLECs were…
Continue ReadingUnder the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Internet Service Providers (ISPs) may be afforded safe harbor protections from copyright infringement liability if they meet certain requirements including electronically designating an agent to receive takedown notices and other notices of infringement. The Copyright Office has implemented a new electronic registration process and all ISPs must file…
Continue ReadingOn May 12, 2017, a new ransomware program was discovered known as WannaCry, WCry, or Wanna Decryptor. As of May 16, there are over 374,000 unique addresses infected – and growing every minute. WannaCry attacks by encrypting and holding data for ransom, currently set at 0.1781 bitcoins (approximately $300 USD). According to the FBI Cyber…
Continue ReadingSummary Each individual company differs when it comes to Internet pricing. Many factors must be considered depending on the region the company is providing services. Vantage Point’s purpose of this survey is to help RLEC/CLEC/ISPs remain competitive. There are further studies that can be done to examine, in high level detail, the prices set by…
Continue ReadingCitizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) Grandfathered Protection Zones Filing Window and Procedures Announced On April 7, 2017, the FCC released its Public Notice, DA 17‐340, in which the FCC has opened the four month filing window for Part 90 licensees to submit the required supplemental information in order to define their Grandfathered Wireless Protection Zones….
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