The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has announced various benchmarks for Alaska Plan rate-of-return carriers and Alaska Communications Systems (ACS), including the “reasonable comparability” voice and broadband rate benchmarks and the minimum usage allowance requirement. For voice rates, the reasonable comparability voice benchmark for these carriers for 2017 is $49.51, to which Alaska Plan carriers and ACS must certify in their July 1, 2017 Form 481 annual reports. For broadband rates, the Bureau calculated an Alaska-specific formula based on the 2017 Urban Rate Survey formula but allowing four standard deviations (instead of two) to account for unique geographical and infrastructure challenges. Depending on the offered broadband speeds and technologies, Alaska Plan carriers and ACS can determine their broadband rate benchmarks using the FCC’s website and online tool. As for the minimum usage allowance, the Bureau confirms that the allowance is 160 GBs, depending on the technologies of their offerings.
