The Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II—“a framework for providing ongoing support to areas . . where broadband service is not currently provided”—was the subject of a Public Notice released by the FCC on Friday, June 8, 2012. More specifically, the Public Notice seeks comment regarding additional development of the “forward-looking cost model” which will be used to “offer each price cap carrier a model-derived support amount in exchange for a commitment to serve all locations in its service territory in a state that, based on the model, fall within the high-cost range (above the specified cost benchmark but below the ‘extremely high-cost’ benchmark) and are not served by a competing, unsubsidized provider.”
With two forward-looking cost models already in hand, the FCC now “seeks comment on specific proposals for the design of the model and the data inputs to be used,” which may be submitted on or before July 9, 2012.
