this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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This is the best summary I could come up with:
A group calling itself the "Coalition of RDOF Winners" has been meeting with FCC officials about their requests for more money or an amnesty window, according to several filings submitted to the commission.
A different group of ISPs urged the FCC to reject the request, saying that telcos that win grants by pledging to build networks at a low cost are "gaming" the system by seeking more money afterward.
There appear to be at least two members: Arkansas-based wireless broadband provider Aristotle Unified Communications and a Texas ISP called TekWav both joined the meetings at which the coalition asked the FCC for more money or an amnesty window.
In late 2020, the FCC tentatively awarded $9.2 billion over 10 years to 180 Internet providers that agreed to deploy broadband to over 5.2 million unserved homes and businesses.
But after seeing evidence that the program was mismanaged under former Chairman Ajit Pai, the current FCC re-evaluated the grants and authorized payments of $6 billion to a smaller group of ISPs.
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So basically they are once again scamming the tax payers of money. Pull their funding and then sue them into bankruptcy.
I think the WTA (group representing other rural providers) has a point. Likely several of the ISPs represented by the RDOF did underbid, so now they are asking for the amount of money it would really take to finish the work they bid on. Except now with rising inflation it gives them better cover to ask for more money, they still should be held accountable or at least forced to give back all the money.