Wireline Bureau Upholds USAC Decisions Against 3 Providers

The FCC Wireline Bureau on Friday denied requests for review by Dish Wireless, AT&T and Excess Telecom concerning Universal Service Administrative Co. decisions seeking to recover funds disbursed under the emergency broadband benefit program. On April 3, 2023, USAC sent letters to AT&T, Dish and Excess “notifying them of non-compliance with the EBB Program rules” and alleging that they failed to "ensure certain households were eligible for the Emergency Broadband Benefit pursuant to claimed enrollment at” a community eligibility provision school, the bureau said. “With respect to AT&T and DISH, we find that USAC properly determined that the Petitioners failed to demonstrate the households’ eligibility for the EBB Program,” the bureau said: “We find that Excess has failed to show that good cause exists to waive the deadline to submit an appeal to USAC, and therefore deny their request as well.”