Federal Communications Commission	DA 20-1052


DA 20-1052
Released:  September 8, 2020

WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU APPROVES GCI’S REVISED PERFORMANCE PLAN PURSUANT TO THE ALASKA PLAN ORDER
WC Docket No. 16-271
                 
By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) approves GCI Communication Corp.’s (GCI) revised performance plan, filed pursuant to the terms set forth in the Alaska Plan Order. Connect America Fund et al., WC Docket No. 16-271 et al., Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 31 FCC Rcd 10139 (2016) (Alaska Plan Order); Letter from Julie A. Veach, Counsel to GCI Communication Corp., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 16-271, Attach. (filed July 1, 2020) (GCI 2020 Commitments).  
  The approved performance plan is included in the attached Appendix.
	The Alaska Plan Order requires eligible wireless service providers participating in the Alaska Plan to submit for Bureau approval individual performance plans with their service commitments. See Alaska Plan Order, 31 FCC Rcd at 10166-67, para. 85.
  The Bureau approved wireless service providers’ initial performance plans in 2016. Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Approves Performance Plans of the Eight Wireless Providers That Elected to Participate in the Alaska Plan, WC Docket No. 271, Public Notice, 31 FCC Rcd 13317, Appx. (WTB 2016) (approving GCI’s and seven other providers’ plans); see also Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Approves ASTAC’s and GCI’s Revised Performance Plans Pursuant to the Alaska Plan Order, WC Docket No. 16-271, Public Notice, 34 FCC Rcd 12183, Appx. (WTB 2019) (approving GCI’s and ASTAC’s revised plans).
  Participants that in their initial plans did not commit to providing 10/1 Mbps LTE for any portion of the population in their service area (because they relied on performance-limiting satellite backhaul to serve that area) must revise their performance commitments when new terrestrial backhaul or new-generation satellite backhaul becomes commercially available in that area. Alaska Plan Order, 31 FCC Rcd at 10172, para. 102.
 
GCI submitted an updated performance plan pursuant to this requirement to reflect that new microwave backhaul is commercially available to Nuiqsut, Alaska. Letter from Julie A. Veach, Counsel to GCI Communication Corp., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC, WC Docket No. 16-271, at 1 (filed July 1, 2020) (GCI July 1, 2020 Ex Parte).
  GCI’s new commitments reflect that it will upgrade the service made available to the population of Nuiqsut from 2G to 4G LTE technology using the new microwave backhaul. GCI 2020 Commitments.  GCI’s performance plan reflects that it will upgrade 402 people—the Nuiqsut population according to 2010 U.S. Census Bureau Data.  GCI July 1, 2020 Ex Parte; GCI 2020 Commitments. 
  We approve GCI’s revised performance plan.  
Additional Information.  For additional information on this proceeding, contact Matthew Warner of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Competition and Infrastructure Policy Division, Matthew.Warner@fcc.gov, (202) 418-2419.
- FCC -Appendix