The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has released guidance on how price cap carriers that accepted Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase I incremental support should demonstrate compliance with broadband deployment obligations. First round CAF Phase I recipients are required to certify that they are meeting their deployment obligations and provide the final list of locations as part of their Form 481 submission due July 1, 2016. Second round CAF Phase I recipients must certify on their July 2016 FCC Form 481 that they have deployed broadband to no fewer than two-thirds of the required locations, and submit geocoded deployment information. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will be validating compliance with the deployment milestones and testing the accuracy of CAF Phase I recipients’ certifications. As explained in the Bureau’s guidance, upon request from USAC, support recipients should be prepared to produce, among other things, engineering studies, construction schedules, records of plant placed in service, network maps, advertising materials and/or customer subscription records.
