NYC Officials Urge FCC Lifeline 'Subsidy Aggregation,' Back Wheeler Set-top Proposal

The FCC should consider Lifeline USF changes to "allow for subsidy aggregation to support ongoing efforts to bring fast and affordable broadband to public housing residents," New York City officials said in a meeting with staffers for Commissioner Mignon Clyburn summarized in a filing Friday in FCC docket 11-42. The NYC officials shared details of a recent trip to learn more about "Philadelphia's efforts to win unprecedented concessions from Comcast to support low income families," the filing said. They also highlighted "the importance of Wi-Fi networks" to the city's connectivity efforts and updated the status of a franchise contract proposal, "from negotiations with cable providers to efforts to convert payphones on City property to payphone and wi-fi facilities." The NYC officials "voiced strong support" for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposal "to unlock the set top box market to give consumers more choice by allowing for competition," the filing said. The city officials also met with Gigi Sohn and another aide to Wheeler and with Wireline Bureau staff, other filings said (see here and here).