On September 25, 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill (SB) 1040, which codified the CASF program and expanded it to include three accounts: (1) the Grant Account, (2) the Consortia Grant Account, and (3) the Revolving Loan Account. The latter two accounts are intended to address the needs that were unmet under the original CASF program. SB 1040 also expanded the CASF fund from $100 million to $225 million, adding $100 million to the Infrastructure Grant Account and allocating $10 million and $15 million to the Consortia Grant Account and the Revolving Loan Account, respectively. On February 1, 2012, the Commission approved D.12-02-015 to implement new guidelines for the Infrastructure Grant and Revolving Loan Accounts. Key provisions of the decision include: A maximum CASF grant award of 70 percent of project costs for unserved areas and 60 percent for underserved areas; and, A definition of an underserved area, “where broadband is available, but no wireline or wireless facilities-based provider offers service at advertised speeds of at least 6 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1.5 Mbps upstream (6 Mbps /1.5 Mbps).” Subsequently, on June 26, 2014, the Commission approved Resolution T-17443, which (relevant to this resolution) opened the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account to new applications as of December 1, 2014, and offered existing providers a “right of first refusal” to upgrade service in unserved and underserved areas. On December 8, 2014, Ultimate Internet Access submitted an application for CASF funding to bring symmetrical 1 gigabit-per-second broadband service to the homes and businesses of the unincorporated community of Wrightwood via a FTTP connection. No existing provider made a commitment to upgrade service before the Nov. 1, 2014, “first refusal” deadline and the Wrightwood area has been determined by CD staff to be “underserved” and thus eligible for new CASF grant applications. Notice/Protests On December 15, 2014, Communications Division (CD) posted the proposed project area map, census block groups (CBGs) and zip codes for the Wrightwood Project on the Commission’s CASF webpage under “CASF Application Project Summaries” and also
On September 25, 2010, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill (SB) 1040, which codified the CASF program and expanded it to include three accounts: (1) the Grant Account, (2) the Consortia Grant Account, and (3) the Revolving Loan Account. The latter two accounts are intended to address the needs that were unmet under the original CASF program. SB 1040 also expanded the CASF fund from $100 million to $225 million, adding $100 million to the Infrastructure Grant Account and allocating $10 million and $15 million to the Consortia Grant Account and the Revolving Loan Account, respectively. On February 1, 2012, the Commission approved D.12-02-015 to implement new guidelines for the Infrastructure Grant and Revolving Loan Accounts. Key provisions of the decision include: A maximum CASF grant award of 70 percent of project costs for unserved areas and 60 percent for underserved areas; and, A definition of an underserved area, “where broadband is available, but no wireline or wireless facilities-based provider offers service at advertised speeds of at least 6 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1.5 Mbps upstream (6 Mbps /1.5 Mbps).” Subsequently, on June 26, 2014, the Commission approved Resolution T-17443, which (relevant to this resolution) opened the CASF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account to new applications as of December 1, 2014, and offered existing providers a “right of first refusal” to upgrade service in unserved and underserved areas. On December 8, 2014, Ultimate Internet Access submitted an application for CASF funding to bring symmetrical 1 gigabit-per-second broadband service to the homes and businesses of the unincorporated community of Wrightwood via a FTTP connection. No existing provider made a commitment to upgrade service before the Nov. 1, 2014, “first refusal” deadline and the Wrightwood area has been determined by CD staff to be “underserved” and thus eligible for new CASF grant applications. Notice/Protests On December 15, 2014, Communications Division (CD) posted the proposed project area map, census block groups (CBGs) and zip codes for the Wrightwood Project on the Commission’s CASF webpage under “CASF Application Project Summaries” and also