The Federal Communications Commission has adopted an Order on Reconsideration and Clarification, Waiver Order, and Order refining the Alaska Connect Fund, which extends mobile broadband support in Alaska through 2034. The Order addressed a Petition filed by GCI Communication Corp seeking reconsideration and clarification of various aspects of the Alaska Connect Fund Order, which it granted in part, and a Petition filed by GCI seeking waiver of mobile providers’ compliance obligations under the Alaska Plan, which the Commission also granted in part. These clarifications concerned performance plan deployment goals and commitments, ineligibility for Alaska Connect Fund support due to Alaska Plan noncompliance, eligible area designations, and service obligations for areas ineligible for Alaska Connect Fund support.
Additionally, the Order addressed a proposal from the Alaska Remote Carrier Coalition concerning the Alaska Connect Fund and Alaska Plan, which was dismissed as untimely filed. The Commission also corrected its Alaska Connect Fund rules to ensure consistency with the language of the Alaska Connect Fund Order, specifically to clarify that “single support areas” are covered by one Alaska Plan provider.
