The FCC Wireline Bureau extended several comment deadlines concerning pending proceedings on incarcerated people's communications services, said an order Friday in docket 23-62. Public interest groups sought the extension (see 2411040059). Reply comments on the commission's NPRM are now due by Dec. 17. Replies on the commission's annual reports public notice are now due by Dec. 9. Paperwork Reduction Act comments are due by Jan. 7.

Mercury Broadband surrendered dozens of additional census block groups it won in the FCC's Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction (see 2410250006). In a letter posted Wednesday in docket 19-126, the ISP said that a dramatic increase in deployment costs and "competitive encroachment" rendered many of the census block groups "economically unviable and ultimately unachievable."

Securus backed a request from a coalition of public interest groups to extend until Dec. 17 the deadline for reply comments on its Further NPRM on incarcerated people's communications services (see 2410280015). Securus said the "confluence of comment deadlines" comes as IPCS providers are "working to implement the massive changes wrought by" the Martha Wright-Reed Act, per a filing posted Monday in docket 23-62.

With the submarine cable license for NorthStar License's Alaska-to-Oregon system seemingly expired, the company is asking the FCC for special temporary authority to continue operations pending the filing and processing of a renewal application. In its STA application last week, NorthStar said that while FCC records don't indicate the in-service date for the 25-year license, that date was likely Oct. 1, 1999. NorthStar said it anticipates filing its license renewal application ASAP.

Starfish Infrastructure is seeking FCC approval for a private, non-common carrier submarine cable connecting the U.S. to French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia. The Honomoana cable system -- named for the Polynesian words for "link" -- hono -- and "ocean" -- moana -- would land in San Diego County, it said in an application posted Thursday. The new direct connection between Australia and the continental U.S. would come as capacity demand on that route is growing substantially year over year. Starfish said it hopes to install and test the Honomoana system in U.S. waters in Q1 2026 and start commercial operation of the U.S. landing point by 2026's end.

Broadband VI asked the FCC this week to extend its deadline to reach its next deployment obligation under the Connect USVI Fund. The company must reach a 40% deployment obligation by Dec. 31 (see 2304190063). In a petition posted Tuesday in docket 18-143, Broadband VI cited "continuous unforeseeable, uncontrollable, and unavoidable delays" in deploying fiber. The company said it's also yet to receive permits from the USVI Department of Public Works and has "faced difficulties in securing pole attachment authorizations to install fiber on Water and Power Authority."

AT&T inked a multiyear purchase agreement exceeding $1 billion with Corning for fiber and cable for the carrier's fiber network expansion, the two said Monday. The agreement could accelerate AT&T's network expansion, they said. The Corning-supplied material would meet broadband, equity, access and deployment program buy-American provisions.

Firefly Broadband asked the FCC to intervene in FiberLight's surrender of certain Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction bids (see 2410250006). The company said in a letter Monday in docket 10-126 that discussions for it to assume Firefly's 463 locations at issue have stalled. FiberLight "has recently been unresponsive and has shown no inclination to move forward" despite its own letter to the FCC, said Firefly. "If FiberLight is unwilling to assign its RDOF obligations," Firefly urged the FCC to "take note of this fact when it considers the appropriate forfeiture penalties to impose."

Public interest groups asked the FCC for an extension until Dec. 17 of the deadline for reply comments on its Further NPRM regarding incarcerated people's communications services (see 2409200019). The motion -- from the Wright Petitioners, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Pennsylvania Prison Society, United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, Public Knowledge and Stephen Raher -- cited "multiple overlapping comment periods and deadlines." Deadlines in such "close proximity involving these complicated issues will likely pose certain challenges to some commenters," said the motion posted Monday. They added that an extension will "allow interested parties to fully evaluate and respond to issues raised in the comments while also responding to the other issues at play in this docket."

AT&T will pay a nearly $2.3 million fine under a settlement with the FCC for violations in the emergency broadband benefit program and affordable connectivity program. A Friday order said an Enforcement Bureau investigation found that AT&T sought and received funding for improperly enrolled non-subscriber benefit qualifying persons between "at least" May 2021 and December 2023. AT&T violated rules that require in-store sales personnel to obtain a representative accountability database identification number. The bureau also found that the ISP collected funds for subscribers who had not used their service for at least 45 days. Providers can receive reimbursement for "offering the ACP benefit when the subscriber has used the service at least once every 30 days or has cured their non-usage during a subsequent 15-day cure period."