FCC Maps Inaccurate on Anchor Institutions, SpaceX Requests Licensing, New Consolidated CFO

November 29, 2022 – The Federal Communications Commission’s new broadband maps inaccurately flag all community anchor institutions as non-broadband serviceable locations, according to the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition in an ex-parte letter filed to the FCC on Monday.

According to an FCC website about the map, the agency’s broadband collection “only gathers information on the availability of mass-market broadband internet access service. The Commission has decided that because community anchor institutions generally subscribe to non-mass-market, enterprise-grade services, they would not be identified as BSLs in the initial version of the Fabric.”

But in a meeting with the FCC on November 22, the contents of which are captured in a post-meeting letter, SHLB told the commission that small-scale community institutions – which can include health care facilities, museums, fire stations, K-12 public schools, law enforcement facilities and public libraries – often purchase broadband services from incumbent providers.

If these institutions are not reflected in the map as a result, SHLB said it is concerned that providers will not report on the availability of these services in these locations despite subscription to their service. That could compromise future considerations for these institutions to receive federal broadband funding, according to SHLB.

“We understand that a CAI can challenge an individual location on the current version of the Broadband Map,” SHLB said in the letter. “But the challenge process does not allow a CAI to change its BSL Flag field to ‘True.’ The current location challenge process for a non-BSL location only allows the challenger the ability to change the building type to something other than a CAI (such as a residence or business).

“This process does not explicitly create a separate category for CAIs that subscribe to mass-market services, and will be confusing or misleading for many CAIs, as well as for anyone attempting to track broadband availability at CAI locations.”

SHLB is recommending the FCC’s next version of the fabric – the data underlying the maps – to include these institutions as BSL’s by default, “with the ability to flag locations that subscribe to enterprise services as non-BSL.”

SpaceX urges FCC move quickly on spectrum licensing

SpaceX has requested the FCC grant the company spectrum licenses “expeditiously” for their next generation of satellite broadband services, according to a letter to the FCC on November 23, which followed a meeting call.

“During the calls, SpaceX sought a status update on its Gen2 license application and urged the Commission to grant that application expeditiously and thereby enable rapid deployment of next-generation satellite broadband to American consumers and businesses, no matter where they are,” the letter said.

SpaceX acknowledged the FCC on recent orders, including reducing post-mission orbital life from 25 years to five to mitigate orbital debris.

“SpaceX also appreciates the Commission’s efforts to act on SpaceX’s proposal for fostering competition through updated rules that incentivize spectrum efficiency and good faith coordination among [Non-Geostationary Orbit] systems and urges the Commission to adopt these principles while using a Further Notice to better focus the record and determine what courses of action or defining criteria are appropriate,” the letter said.

Consolidated Communications hires new CFO

Internet service provider Consolidated Communications announced Tuesday it has hired former Comcast executive Fred Graffam as its executive vice president and chief financial officer starting December 1.

Graffam will replace Steve Childers, who stays with the company on an advisory basis until December 31, the company said in a press release.

“Fred has an exceptional track record of creating value with subscription-based communication service providers,” said Consolidated CEO Bob Udell. “His business acumen, industry, and public company expertise as well as his operating experience make him well qualified to help lead Consolidated as we continue the transformation to a fiber-first broadband Company. I’m incredibly pleased to welcome Fred to Consolidated during this pivotal transformation period.”

Graffam said in a statement that, “I strongly believe in Consolidated’s strategy to bring an exceptional fiber broadband service experience to its customers and look forward to helping the Company capitalize on the [fiber-to-the-premises] opportunity and create value for our stakeholders.”

Graffam previously was senior vice president of the North America/Asia Pacific regions at Level 3 Communications and served in finance and operating roles at Comcast. He has over 30 years in financial management, operational leadership and accounting expertise in the tech and telecom files for public and private companies, according to the release. He was most recently executive vice president and CFO at Brinks Home Security.