WEBVTT 00:00:08.739 --> 00:00:11.278 The feed for this streaming event brought to you by 00:00:11.288 --> 00:00:15.560 admin monitor.com will begin momentarily. Welcome to 00:00:15.569 --> 00:00:19.179 the California Public Utilities Commission Public Forum 00:00:19.190 --> 00:00:22.280 on the broadband equity access and deployment program 00:00:22.420 --> 00:00:26.649 on this day, Wednesday, November 8th, 2023. Today's 00:00:26.658 --> 00:00:29.469 call is being recorded. If you have any objections 00:00:29.478 --> 00:00:31.839 you may disconnect at this time. Your honor you may 00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:36.298 be getting. 00:00:36.298 --> 00:00:39.429 Thank you, operator. Could our court reporters please 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:43.348 confirm that you can hear me and are ready. I I can 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:48.109 hear you judge and I'm ready. Excellent. And Commissioner 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:53.090 Hauck or um are are, are you ready? 00:00:53.090 --> 00:00:58.418 Ok. 00:00:58.418 --> 00:01:01.918 Yes, I'm sorry. Yes, we can. Can a court report it 00:01:01.929 --> 00:01:06.218 here, Commissioner. How clearly? Uh no, the audio is 00:01:06.227 --> 00:01:10.319 a little choppy. Um Can you hear me better now? Yes 00:01:10.329 --> 00:01:16.299 I can. Ok. Ok, great. And thank you. So we will be 00:01:16.308 --> 00:01:19.959 we will now be on the record. The commission will come 00:01:19.969 --> 00:01:24.579 to order. Good afternoon, everyone. This is the time 00:01:24.588 --> 00:01:29.040 and place set for a public participation hearing on 00:01:29.049 --> 00:01:33.049 the California Public Utilities Commissions. Proceeding 00:01:33.058 --> 00:01:38.049 to develop rules to implement the broadband equity 00:01:38.058 --> 00:01:42.980 access and employment program, also known as bead the 00:01:42.989 --> 00:01:50.808 proceeding number is rulemaking 23-02 dash 016. I'm 00:01:50.819 --> 00:01:54.959 Thomas Glia, the assigned administrative law judge 00:01:54.969 --> 00:01:59.058 for this proceeding. We are also joined by the honorable 00:01:59.069 --> 00:02:02.528 Darcy Hau who is the assigned commissioner for this 00:02:02.540 --> 00:02:08.479 case to those listening in who wish to speak. Please 00:02:08.490 --> 00:02:21.250 call 1 800 8571917 and use the following passcodes 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:30.169 for English. It's passcode 176 75 67 and then hit pound 00:02:31.778 --> 00:02:41.990 for Spanish. It is 3799627 and then pound and for Russian 00:02:42.179 --> 00:02:50.838 it is 171054 £4. After that press star one on your 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:54.830 phone to be placed in line and after pressing star 00:02:54.838 --> 00:02:58.838 one, you'll be prompted for your name. He's also alert 00:02:58.849 --> 00:03:02.008 our operator. If you are an elected official, you may 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:05.409 decide at any time before we end today's forum to speak 00:03:05.419 --> 00:03:08.699 simply by pressing star one. 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:12.020 The purpose of today's hearing is to hear directly 00:03:12.028 --> 00:03:15.399 from the public about what rules the commission should 00:03:15.808 --> 00:03:21.449 adopt when implementing this new broadband equity access 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:24.129 and deployment program, which as I said is also known 00:03:24.139 --> 00:03:28.629 as be California is scheduled to receive up to $1.8 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:32.308 billion in federal funds to provide grants to build 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:36.500 out internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved 00:03:36.508 --> 00:03:41.050 communities. By way of background. The Public Utilities 00:03:41.058 --> 00:03:44.270 Commission has five commissioners who are appointed 00:03:44.278 --> 00:03:47.830 by the governor and confirmed by the State Senate This 00:03:47.838 --> 00:03:51.399 includes Commissioner Hau. My responsibility is to 00:03:51.409 --> 00:03:54.788 manage the day to day activities of this case and to 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:57.830 help Commissioner Hauck evaluate all of the evidence 00:03:57.838 --> 00:04:01.169 in the proceeding including your input. Commissioner 00:04:01.179 --> 00:04:05.330 Hauck will issue a proposed decision for the other 00:04:05.338 --> 00:04:09.038 commissioners to consider. The five commissioners ultimately 00:04:09.050 --> 00:04:13.838 are the ones who will decide and vote whether to approve 00:04:13.849 --> 00:04:17.377 or not approve any 00:04:17.377 --> 00:04:22.769 changing new rules. Each piece of the of information 00:04:22.778 --> 00:04:27.399 on which the commission bases its decision is listed 00:04:27.410 --> 00:04:31.290 and available for you to review on a commission web 00:04:31.298 --> 00:04:34.449 page. We call the docket card. In fact, your comments 00:04:34.459 --> 00:04:38.230 today will also be listed and published on the docket 00:04:38.238 --> 00:04:42.009 card because our court reporters are transcribing today's 00:04:42.019 --> 00:04:46.209 hearing, taking down everything that is said. So today's 00:04:46.220 --> 00:04:50.028 transcript will be available on the docket card. I 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:52.608 thank you for spending your precious time with us today 00:04:52.619 --> 00:04:56.949 to share your experiences. If you've attended any of 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.259 the almost 20 public forums, the commission has either 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:04.319 hosted or co-hosted with the California Department 00:05:04.329 --> 00:05:09.750 of Technology. I thank you for making aa effort 00:05:09.750 --> 00:05:12.678 day is not your only opportunity to tell us how this 00:05:12.689 --> 00:05:15.600 proceeding will affect you throughout the proceeding 00:05:15.608 --> 00:05:20.278 We will accept written public comments on our website 00:05:20.778 --> 00:05:24.470 in particular, the public comments section of the DACA 00:05:24.500 --> 00:05:28.399 card for this proceeding to access the public comments 00:05:28.410 --> 00:05:41.269 section of this proceeding. Go to a pps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/r 00:05:42.809 --> 00:05:47.928 2302016. 00:05:47.928 --> 00:05:50.250 For now, I'm going to ask speakers to limit their remarks 00:05:50.259 --> 00:05:54.028 to three minutes. If you, uh, if we have more people 00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:56.588 join in the discussion, please know that we'll need 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:59.488 to change that. I appreciate your patience in helping 00:05:59.500 --> 00:06:02.959 us make sure we hear from everyone. Again. We are very 00:06:03.009 --> 00:06:05.899 very appreciative that you have joined us today and 00:06:05.910 --> 00:06:10.819 now we will hear from Commissioner Hauck. 00:06:10.819 --> 00:06:14.439 Thank you, Judge Gula. Um, good Mor, good afternoon 00:06:14.449 --> 00:06:17.778 everyone. Um, again, I'm Commissioner Ha, one of the 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:20.428 five commissioners at the Public Utilities Commission 00:06:20.829 --> 00:06:23.759 I'm the lead commissioner as Judge Gula said for the 00:06:23.769 --> 00:06:27.480 broadband equity access and deployment or be proceeding 00:06:27.988 --> 00:06:30.819 Um I'm also the lead commissioner on our California 00:06:30.829 --> 00:06:34.459 Advanced Services Fund and Telecommunications service 00:06:34.470 --> 00:06:38.088 quality proceedings. Broadband is a top priority for 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:40.178 me as a commissioner and I believe we are going to 00:06:40.189 --> 00:06:43.259 be able to accomplish historic deployment of broadband 00:06:43.949 --> 00:06:49.319 um during my term and I want to as Judge Maola recognize 00:06:49.329 --> 00:06:54.509 the events that we've held with CDT. Um So we are working 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:57.649 in partnership with the California Department of Technology 00:06:57.670 --> 00:07:00.988 with Caltrans, our local regional and tribal government 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:04.420 partners, telecommunications carriers and of course 00:07:04.428 --> 00:07:07.329 our community-based partners that we rely on to ensure 00:07:07.338 --> 00:07:09.850 we address the needs of communities that are currently 00:07:09.858 --> 00:07:14.439 unserved and underserved. Be it is a $42 billion program 00:07:14.449 --> 00:07:17.459 created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 00:07:17.470 --> 00:07:19.959 administered by the National Telecommunications and 00:07:19.970 --> 00:07:24.119 Information Administration or NTI A. And the goal of 00:07:24.129 --> 00:07:26.660 the program is to bring everyone in the nation online 00:07:26.670 --> 00:07:29.298 by building infrastructure and increasing adoption 00:07:29.309 --> 00:07:32.500 of high speed internet. 00:07:32.500 --> 00:07:35.730 The central goal of be is to deploy reliable last mile 00:07:35.738 --> 00:07:38.869 service to all unserved and underserved locations with 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:42.579 wire line connection or licensed fixed wireless. Federal 00:07:42.588 --> 00:07:46.319 rules require prioritization of end to end fiber deployments 00:07:46.329 --> 00:07:50.750 But there is also if that's not feasible. Fixed wireless 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:54.608 can be used as an alternative NTI A through the BEAD 00:07:54.619 --> 00:07:58.920 program has allocated $1.86 billion to the state of 00:07:58.928 --> 00:08:02.129 California to go towards eliminating the digital divide 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.639 We will be able to award sub grants through the bead 00:08:05.649 --> 00:08:08.778 program to carry out broadband deployment activities 00:08:08.790 --> 00:08:11.238 such as planning for the deployment of infrastructure 00:08:11.250 --> 00:08:15.629 deploying or upgrading internet infrastructure, deploying 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:18.350 infrastructure and multi tenant buildings, implementing 00:08:18.358 --> 00:08:21.178 adoption and digital equity programs and workforce 00:08:21.189 --> 00:08:23.939 and job training. However, before that can happen, 00:08:23.949 --> 00:08:26.709 we must develop a plan and a process for implementing 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:29.660 bead in California. The commission has opened this 00:08:29.670 --> 00:08:34.288 rule making R 23 02016 to set out the program rules 00:08:34.298 --> 00:08:37.729 for bead. The puc completed its initial wave of public 00:08:37.739 --> 00:08:41.070 engagements that were jointly coordinate with CDT over 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:44.808 the summer feedback received from these 21 engagements 00:08:44.820 --> 00:08:47.700 in our tribal consultations have informed the staff 00:08:47.710 --> 00:08:52.989 proposal that um for our initial plan which was um 00:08:53.000 --> 00:08:57.038 recently released as part of this rulemaking. Um Communications 00:08:57.048 --> 00:09:01.989 division staff is continuing to um work on the staff 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.369 proposal and we will be looking forward to seeing comments 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:08.788 that we get on the proposal as they come in. So today's 00:09:08.798 --> 00:09:15.889 public participation hearing um is an um and in looking 00:09:15.899 --> 00:09:18.288 forward to the continued coordinations with community 00:09:18.298 --> 00:09:21.710 stakeholders, including our commu the community organizations 00:09:21.719 --> 00:09:25.070 carriers and the public. Um to ensure that this funding 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:27.798 contributes to our greater broadband infrastructure 00:09:27.808 --> 00:09:32.090 deployment, um digital equity and affordability objectives 00:09:32.158 --> 00:09:35.389 Um We need to hear from you and these PPHS are a 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:38.808 key opportunity to inform the development of this initial 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:42.219 proposal. Today's public participation hearing is an 00:09:42.229 --> 00:09:45.048 opportunity for the public to provide comment on your 00:09:45.058 --> 00:09:48.349 expectations for the B program and what you would like 00:09:48.359 --> 00:09:52.690 to see prioritized as we develop uh the program. Over 00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:56.729 the next couple of months, we encourage you to provide 00:09:56.739 --> 00:09:59.879 comments today and or to provide written comments through 00:09:59.889 --> 00:10:03.219 the mechanisms that um were described by Judge Lagoa 00:10:03.599 --> 00:10:07.609 and before closing and turning back to um Judge Gli 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.849 Gola, I wanna recognize and thank our Commission Communications 00:10:10.859 --> 00:10:14.494 division staff for their work. Um I want to thank Judge 00:10:14.715 --> 00:10:17.695 Guolla for all of his work on the proceeding and organizing 00:10:17.705 --> 00:10:20.625 and facilitating today's public participation hearing 00:10:20.875 --> 00:10:24.744 and my staff for all of their work um on moving this 00:10:24.754 --> 00:10:27.734 proceeding forward as well as my badly ke partner, 00:10:27.744 --> 00:10:31.065 President Alice Reynolds and her adviser Michael Mulaney 00:10:31.619 --> 00:10:34.690 and again, my adviser Nikki Bala is the lead on this 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:37.649 for my office. So thank you to everyone. Thank you 00:10:37.658 --> 00:10:40.928 to the IT staff and our Public Advisor's office for 00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:43.359 ensuring that we're able to have these opportunities 00:10:43.369 --> 00:10:46.119 to hear from the public. And with that, I will turn 00:10:46.129 --> 00:10:52.298 back over to you, Judge Glia. 00:10:52.298 --> 00:10:57.359 Thank you, Commissioner. We now will turn to the public 00:10:58.168 --> 00:11:01.440 if you want to speak and have not already done. So 00:11:01.450 --> 00:11:06.288 please press star one on your phone now and the operator 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:11.918 will add you to our queue of speakers. If you do speak 00:11:11.928 --> 00:11:16.379 We ask that you speak slowly and clearly so that our 00:11:16.389 --> 00:11:20.009 court reporters and interpreters are able to capture 00:11:20.019 --> 00:11:23.200 everything that is said. We ask that you state and 00:11:23.210 --> 00:11:26.440 spell your name. And if you'd like to provide the city 00:11:26.450 --> 00:11:30.500 you're calling from, you may decide any time before 00:11:30.509 --> 00:11:33.629 we end this forum to speak simply by pressing star 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:39.259 one at this time, each speaker will have a time limit 00:11:39.269 --> 00:11:42.918 of three minutes. As I mentioned, that may change depending 00:11:42.928 --> 00:11:49.979 on how large RQ gets a chime will be sounded when uh 00:11:50.359 --> 00:11:54.759 when uh uh when you have 15 seconds left and we ask 00:11:54.769 --> 00:11:59.288 that you wrap up then um we will be able to hear 00:11:59.298 --> 00:12:03.359 you most clearly. If you speak directly into your phone 00:12:03.369 --> 00:12:07.629 or headset, it is best to not use a speakerphone with 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:10.340 that operator. Could you please proceed to the first 00:12:10.349 --> 00:12:15.349 speaker in our queue? Thank you. Our first caller is 00:12:15.359 --> 00:12:19.639 Daniella Espinoza. Your line is open. 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:23.678 Hi, thank you. Um So my name is Daniela Espinoza. Um 00:12:23.690 --> 00:12:32.418 It is spelled Daniell Aes Pinoz A uh and I'm the tech 00:12:32.428 --> 00:12:35.609 equity Fellow at the Green Mining Institute. In alignment 00:12:35.619 --> 00:12:37.879 with the goals of closing the digital divide within 00:12:37.889 --> 00:12:40.408 the state. It's imperative for the commission to consider 00:12:40.418 --> 00:12:43.729 and increase acceptable minimum, internet speeds above 00:12:43.739 --> 00:12:45.979 the federal minimum and prioritize speeds that are 00:12:45.989 --> 00:12:49.460 higher than 100 megabits per second in many communities 00:12:49.469 --> 00:12:51.658 which have been historically affected by practices 00:12:51.668 --> 00:12:54.369 such as redlining. We're still seeing trends where 00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:57.869 critical tools such as internet access is being withheld 00:12:57.879 --> 00:12:59.989 from the very groups who have endured long lasting 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.158 effects of discrimination in our state to battle this 00:13:03.168 --> 00:13:06.070 It's not enough just to set higher standards. Further 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.058 action also needs to be taken and the burden of responsibility 00:13:09.070 --> 00:13:11.609 needs to be placed on the service providers when it 00:13:11.619 --> 00:13:14.960 comes to meeting needs. Thus be funding should create 00:13:14.969 --> 00:13:17.960 teams within the state to enforce and audit these requirements 00:13:17.969 --> 00:13:20.719 at any point so that there is transparency between 00:13:20.729 --> 00:13:24.379 service providers and the communities they serve. Additionally 00:13:24.389 --> 00:13:26.840 such entity needs to bridge the needs of the people 00:13:26.849 --> 00:13:29.149 and demand that service providers prove their claims 00:13:29.158 --> 00:13:32.509 of service match the determined standards on a consistent 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:35.090 basis. And if this isn't the case, it should be up 00:13:35.099 --> 00:13:37.889 to this entity to then determine and enforce appropriate 00:13:37.899 --> 00:13:41.269 regulation of the Beat program so that the money invested 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:44.710 does not go to waste in a different but equally important 00:13:44.719 --> 00:13:47.109 vein. I raised the issue of focusing on certain areas 00:13:47.119 --> 00:13:50.158 of the state for far too long communities such as mine 00:13:50.168 --> 00:13:53.000 the Central Valley have been overlooked in favor of 00:13:53.009 --> 00:13:56.279 advancing the needs of larger cities. In my own experience 00:13:56.288 --> 00:13:58.859 of living and growing up in Fresno, I experienced firsthand 00:13:58.869 --> 00:14:01.960 how the lack of access to devices and adequate internet 00:14:01.969 --> 00:14:04.950 service negatively affected my ability to succeed in 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:07.489 school in the years since I finished schooling in the 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:10.869 area. This reality has only grown and been exacerbated 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:14.000 by the COVID-19 pandemic as a result. It's critical 00:14:14.009 --> 00:14:16.178 that the commission heavily prioritizes areas like 00:14:16.190 --> 00:14:19.029 the Central Valley when implementing B dollars and 00:14:19.038 --> 00:14:21.330 specifically, the funding should be used to ensure 00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:24.239 that people residing in the designated areas have access 00:14:24.250 --> 00:14:27.950 to devices such as routers and laptops to allow for 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:31.428 adequate internet service and its usage. Lastly, in 00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:34.668 order to achieve the goals pertaining to public participation 00:14:34.719 --> 00:14:37.408 bead funding should also be allocated to community 00:14:37.418 --> 00:14:40.639 outreach and engagement efforts. Grounded in goal five 00:14:40.649 --> 00:14:44.109 of the environmental and social justice action plan 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:46.558 which aims to enhance outreach and public participation 00:14:46.913 --> 00:14:50.913 opportunities for es communities to participate in 00:14:50.923 --> 00:14:54.884 decision making processes and benefit from CPUC programs 00:14:54.955 --> 00:14:57.254 The commission has the opportunity to ensure that the 00:14:57.264 --> 00:15:00.234 public is well prepared to benefit from and provide 00:15:00.244 --> 00:15:03.629 input on technological programs in the state. Specifically 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:05.950 funding should be directed to workshops that not only 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:08.469 serve as a place for comment, but more importantly 00:15:08.479 --> 00:15:11.080 spaces for learning where participants can learn how 00:15:11.090 --> 00:15:14.080 to report challenges with internet access, how to access 00:15:14.090 --> 00:15:16.918 and navigate low cost internet options available and 00:15:16.928 --> 00:15:19.750 even how to use and set of devices that are provided 00:15:19.879 --> 00:15:22.259 Moreover, these workshops should be advertised through 00:15:22.269 --> 00:15:24.989 channels that haven't historically been utilized and 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:28.139 meet people where they're currently examples of this 00:15:28.149 --> 00:15:31.178 can be social media ads or text messaging campaigns 00:15:31.190 --> 00:15:33.500 in partnership with groups that can reach users in 00:15:33.509 --> 00:15:36.739 their respective languages such as El Danno which connects 00:15:36.750 --> 00:15:40.080 users in the Bay Area to resources and news in Spanish 00:15:40.629 --> 00:15:42.889 Adequate funding should be allocated to the thoughtful 00:15:43.558 --> 00:15:45.820 through basic knowledge of programs and procedures 00:15:45.830 --> 00:15:48.239 Community members can then have the tools to benefit 00:15:48.250 --> 00:15:51.369 from state offerings and then have the drive to participate 00:15:51.379 --> 00:15:57.158 in future program improvements. Thank you. 00:15:57.158 --> 00:15:59.320 Thank you for sharing. Could we have our next speaker 00:15:59.330 --> 00:16:03.279 please? Yes, our next comment comes from land. The 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:10.788 group, your line is open. Hi, this is Ldy Groot Lendegroot 00:16:11.048 --> 00:16:14.000 I'm a broadband project manager from Plume County and 00:16:14.009 --> 00:16:16.668 thank you for the opportunity to speak. Um I would 00:16:16.678 --> 00:16:18.940 like to encourage the commission to include in the 00:16:18.950 --> 00:16:22.538 rules, a mechanism for municipalities including cities 00:16:22.548 --> 00:16:25.989 and counties to respond to beat applications prior 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:29.340 to the negotiation phase. Uh These key stakeholders 00:16:29.349 --> 00:16:33.139 often possess valuable insights into existing infrastructure 00:16:33.369 --> 00:16:36.168 and the needs of their residents and businesses given 00:16:36.178 --> 00:16:38.408 that the commission will have the ability to develop 00:16:38.418 --> 00:16:42.288 solutions for conflicts and applications. This input 00:16:42.298 --> 00:16:45.719 would provide additional context especially in extremely 00:16:45.729 --> 00:16:49.558 high cost per location areas. Um And then secondly 00:16:49.570 --> 00:16:52.889 during a previous rulemaking hearing a representative 00:16:52.899 --> 00:16:56.369 from Comcast proposed a phased approach to be that 00:16:56.379 --> 00:16:59.619 prioritizes the expansion of internet access in areas 00:16:59.629 --> 00:17:03.349 that are partially served. Uh I encourage the commission 00:17:03.359 --> 00:17:05.818 to reject a phased approach as it would delay work 00:17:05.828 --> 00:17:09.259 in low or it could delay work in low income areas while 00:17:09.269 --> 00:17:12.380 there are valuable cost savings in building out existing 00:17:12.390 --> 00:17:16.559 infrastructure. I SPS have historically built in higher 00:17:16.568 --> 00:17:19.939 income areas. So adjacent areas are more likely to 00:17:19.949 --> 00:17:23.019 be higher income as well. Uh That's all I have and 00:17:23.029 --> 00:17:25.900 thank you for your time. 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:27.789 Thank you so much for calling in to share. Could we 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:49.469 have our next speaker, please? 00:17:49.469 --> 00:17:52.459 Thank you, 00:17:52.459 --> 00:17:56.328 Lola. Your line is open. 00:17:56.328 --> 00:18:01.199 Hi. Um My name is Rola Masri. Rol A ma Sr I 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:03.818 and I am the Director of Government Outreach for the 00:18:03.828 --> 00:18:06.969 Environmental Health Trust, a scientific nonprofit 00:18:06.979 --> 00:18:09.828 think tank that publishes research on environmental 00:18:09.838 --> 00:18:13.479 health. We urge the commission to ensure bead funding 00:18:13.489 --> 00:18:17.140 is only used for fiber all the way to homes and businesses 00:18:17.150 --> 00:18:19.809 and do not give in to corporate entities that wish 00:18:19.818 --> 00:18:22.689 to divert this funding to wireless infrastructure. 00:18:23.078 --> 00:18:26.608 Only fiber will meet the speed, latency, reliability 00:18:26.838 --> 00:18:30.279 for security and privacy demands of our future networks 00:18:30.410 --> 00:18:34.299 Fiber is 50 times more energy efficient than wireless 00:18:34.309 --> 00:18:37.459 and has the potential to reduce our carbon footprint 00:18:37.469 --> 00:18:41.039 Unlike five G and wireless infrastructure which significantly 00:18:41.049 --> 00:18:45.380 increases energy consumption today, massive regulatory 00:18:45.390 --> 00:18:49.019 gaps exist regarding the health effects of radio frequency 00:18:49.029 --> 00:18:53.299 radiation emitting from cell towers and wireless infrastructure 00:18:54.608 --> 00:18:57.838 This puts public health and the environment at risk 00:18:58.259 --> 00:19:02.019 The FCC'S refusal to update the current radio frequency 00:19:02.029 --> 00:19:06.390 limits that were set in 1996 was recently ruled as 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.789 arbitrary and capricious by the US Court of Appeals 00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:14.549 DC Circuit and eh, trust versus the FCC. The court 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:18.368 found the FCC ignored studies associating wireless 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:22.640 health effects such as impact to the neurological immune 00:19:22.650 --> 00:19:25.949 and reproductive systems as well as children's unique 00:19:25.959 --> 00:19:30.118 vulnerabilities. Long term exposure and impacts to 00:19:30.130 --> 00:19:33.868 the environment, allowing wireless infrastructure near 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:37.049 homes and schools will put the government at increased 00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:41.910 liability insurance. Authorities rank five G and wireless 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:47.029 as a high risk and compare the issue to lead and asbestos 00:19:47.529 --> 00:19:50.959 insurance carriers currently define it as a type of 00:19:50.969 --> 00:19:54.799 pollution and exclude damages to health from general 00:19:54.809 --> 00:19:59.489 liability coverage. Companies themselves themselves 00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:03.630 warn shareholders about the risk but they do not warn 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:06.368 the people most exposed to the emissions from their 00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:10.390 infrastructure. Thank you for your time. And I urge 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:14.880 you to um to put fiber all the way to every home 00:20:14.890 --> 00:20:19.348 in uh the unite in California. Um I would like to also 00:20:19.358 --> 00:20:23.410 add other countries such as China, Korea, even the 00:20:23.420 --> 00:20:26.890 United Arab Emirates and most of Europe are putting 00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:30.209 fiber to every single home and making it a priority 00:20:30.509 --> 00:20:36.430 and we hope the CPUC will do the same. Thank you. 00:20:36.430 --> 00:20:38.390 Thank you for calling in. Could we please have our 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:42.189 next caller? Thank you. Our next comment comes from 00:20:42.390 --> 00:20:46.959 Joe Tom Sanchez. Your line is open. Hi, my name is 00:20:46.969 --> 00:20:53.328 Joe Tom Sanchez. Joat A MS A nchez. I am a resident 00:20:53.338 --> 00:20:56.959 of Riverside. I have been for a year. I currently live 00:20:56.969 --> 00:21:01.750 in a very underserved area for internet. Um Currently 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:06.680 our area, my complex specifically the entire complex 00:21:06.689 --> 00:21:14.049 of 750 units has uh speeds of 25 down and five up 00:21:14.529 --> 00:21:18.910 And I believe that is way below what the standard should 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:23.380 be at this age because I have two other roommates and 00:21:23.390 --> 00:21:27.039 we are constantly having to battle with AT&T over data 00:21:27.049 --> 00:21:31.140 caps and price because they are charging us fiber prices 00:21:31.219 --> 00:21:38.130 for these very slow speeds. And we live about a mile 00:21:38.140 --> 00:21:42.229 away from where they actually do have fiber. And since 00:21:42.239 --> 00:21:46.068 October of last year, I have been promised every month 00:21:46.078 --> 00:21:50.818 that fiber will be coming to our area and they keep 00:21:50.828 --> 00:21:53.368 moving the goal posts telling me, ok, you can sign 00:21:53.380 --> 00:21:56.549 up at the end of the month and it has been a 00:21:56.559 --> 00:22:02.660 year since then and still nothing. So I hope that all 00:22:02.670 --> 00:22:06.289 this funding will light a fire in the companies that 00:22:06.299 --> 00:22:10.930 serve our area and we'll get them to actually provide 00:22:10.939 --> 00:22:15.400 us with uh internet that's appropriate for our day 00:22:15.410 --> 00:22:18.289 and age considering some of us had to work from home 00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:25.858 for a little while 00:22:25.858 --> 00:22:32.699 and I will. Hello. Hello, 00:22:32.699 --> 00:22:34.959 I hear someone else on the line so I'm not sure what's 00:22:34.969 --> 00:22:38.729 going on. 00:22:38.729 --> 00:22:42.358 By the way, Mr Sanchez, if you can still hear me, I 00:22:42.368 --> 00:22:45.358 will, we can still hear you. Can you please continue 00:22:45.368 --> 00:22:47.459 sir? I'm not sure what's going on, but if you could 00:22:47.469 --> 00:22:50.219 continue, I heard a Russian voice on the other end 00:22:50.229 --> 00:22:57.689 Sorry. Um I just want to say I will, I will hope 00:22:57.699 --> 00:23:01.900 that you use this funding to actually put fiber in 00:23:01.910 --> 00:23:04.568 our homes too, not wireless because currently they 00:23:04.578 --> 00:23:10.068 are trying to offer us wireless. But aside from like 00:23:10.078 --> 00:23:13.630 costs and energy, I think wireless would be the best 00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:17.959 for stability. And that's what I would personally like 00:23:17.969 --> 00:23:21.259 to see me and my friends in our area have because right 00:23:21.269 --> 00:23:27.009 now, we we can hardly uh sustain our internet usage 00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:29.380 in our place because I have to go to a friend's house 00:23:29.818 --> 00:23:33.709 just so I don't go over data caps to uh to do 00:23:33.719 --> 00:23:37.400 my hobbies. And I don't think that's a great way to 00:23:37.410 --> 00:23:40.750 live right now, but that's all I got to say. Thank 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:43.939 you for your time. Thank you for calling in to share 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:48.009 Could we have our next caller, please? Thank you. Our 00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:51.578 next comment comes from Mark Tower. Your line is open 00:23:53.358 --> 00:23:57.489 Hi, good afternoon. My name is Mark Cert uh cow A RT 00:23:57.500 --> 00:24:00.759 I am the Director of Administrative Services Department 00:24:00.769 --> 00:24:04.400 and Chief Information Officer for Merced County. Thank 00:24:04.410 --> 00:24:07.489 you for the opportunity to speak. Merced County is 00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:11.848 requesting the CPUC allocate be funding utilizing the 00:24:11.858 --> 00:24:14.660 formula used for the federal funding account grant 00:24:15.150 --> 00:24:18.410 We further request the inclusion of provision for a 00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:21.650 hybrid approach to accepting and approving applications 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:24.670 that includes support for applications from existing 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:27.640 service providers where they are available so that 00:24:27.650 --> 00:24:30.390 funds are effectively utilized following the requirements 00:24:30.529 --> 00:24:33.519 included in the notice of funding opportunity. Document 00:24:34.269 --> 00:24:37.618 leveraging existing infrastructure will reduce cost 00:24:37.689 --> 00:24:40.709 and maximize the implementation of last mile broadband 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:43.539 to underserved and underserved areas of our county 00:24:43.838 --> 00:24:46.489 Furthermore, we're supporting collaboration and coordinations 00:24:46.529 --> 00:24:50.799 between local jurisdictions and providers will ensure 00:24:50.809 --> 00:24:54.039 that we maximize the outreach and the implementation 00:24:54.049 --> 00:24:56.489 of last mile broadband to our residents, which is the 00:24:56.500 --> 00:25:00.348 goal and the spirit and intent of the, of the program 00:25:00.358 --> 00:25:02.930 in general. Thank you for the opportunity to speak 00:25:05.809 --> 00:25:07.959 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 00:25:07.969 --> 00:25:11.640 our next caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:25:11.650 --> 00:25:21.848 comes from Max White. Your line is open. 00:25:21.848 --> 00:25:26.759 Max White, your line is open. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:37.469 Please hit your mute button. 00:25:37.469 --> 00:25:39.199 Mr White. We're unable to hear you. Please hit your 00:25:39.209 --> 00:25:46.809 mute button. 00:25:46.809 --> 00:25:50.420 We'll go to the next commenter. Our next comment comes 00:25:50.430 --> 00:25:54.890 from Yvonne Melton. Your line is open. Hi, good afternoon 00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:59.640 My name is Yvonne Melton spelled Yvonnem as in Mary 00:25:59.650 --> 00:26:04.729 Elton. I live in Long Beach, California. Um It's important 00:26:04.739 --> 00:26:07.219 to me that this broadband funding creates good jobs 00:26:07.229 --> 00:26:10.209 for Californians and that the work is done safely. 00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:13.348 I am a union member and I know that when there isn't 00:26:13.358 --> 00:26:16.640 a union on the job, bosses cut corners and put worker 00:26:16.650 --> 00:26:20.729 safety at risk. So the CPUC needs to do everything 00:26:20.739 --> 00:26:23.049 it can to make sure that the workers are building. 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:25.939 These networks have a safe workplace and good working 00:26:25.949 --> 00:26:29.250 conditions. Uh That does mean choosing companies that 00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:32.799 will use a directly employed workforce and that have 00:26:32.809 --> 00:26:36.108 proper training programs for the workers that provide 00:26:36.118 --> 00:26:39.640 family, sustaining wages and benefits and that support 00:26:39.650 --> 00:26:43.608 uh jobs for disadvantaged communities. Um I do believe 00:26:43.618 --> 00:26:46.699 that this program can close the digi digital divide 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:50.140 and support good labor standards at the same time. 00:26:50.729 --> 00:26:53.608 Thank you for your time. 00:26:53.608 --> 00:26:56.078 Thank you as well for your time. Can we have our next 00:26:56.088 --> 00:27:00.328 caller, please? Yes. Our next commenter comes from 00:27:00.338 --> 00:27:05.519 Marian. E your line is open. Hi. Hello. Can you hear 00:27:05.529 --> 00:27:09.650 me? Yes, we can please continue. Hi, good afternoon 00:27:09.660 --> 00:27:12.848 And thank you for this opportunity. I am calling as 00:27:12.858 --> 00:27:16.170 someone who has benefited greatly from the current 00:27:16.368 --> 00:27:20.559 use of bead. I work at home as an archivist in the 00:27:20.568 --> 00:27:24.709 prior internet. Some of the issues that were mentioned 00:27:24.719 --> 00:27:28.699 before with regards to data caps and loss of wireless 00:27:28.939 --> 00:27:35.074 have have impacted my ability to work from home. My 00:27:35.084 --> 00:27:39.693 hope is that the current programming will be able to 00:27:40.525 --> 00:27:44.055 not only shore up some of these drops. I mean, I'm 00:27:44.064 --> 00:27:48.894 a spectrum customer, ma'am, ma'am, I'm sorry to interrupt 00:27:48.904 --> 00:27:53.199 you. We were having a hard time hearing you. Oh, yeah 00:27:53.209 --> 00:27:55.259 No, it's ok. It's ok. We're just, we're, we're trying 00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:57.400 to make sure that you're transcribed. You, you, you'll 00:27:57.410 --> 00:28:00.390 still have your full time but please, if you can continue 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:04.608 and speak louder. Ok. Uh I will speak. How is this 00:28:04.618 --> 00:28:06.949 for volume? 00:28:06.949 --> 00:28:12.469 It's, we need a little bit more. Ok. I um, ho hold 00:28:12.479 --> 00:28:16.900 on, please. Let me, hi. How is this? Can you hear me 00:28:16.910 --> 00:28:21.209 better now? Ok. All right. I'll start over. I apologize 00:28:21.219 --> 00:28:27.689 Uh, so my name is Marian. E, that's Ma Ria. N. The 00:28:27.699 --> 00:28:35.618 last name is Ekweogwu. I am calling as someone who 00:28:35.630 --> 00:28:39.449 has been affected by the beep program. I have gone 00:28:39.459 --> 00:28:44.390 to school. I went to school online. I work online and 00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:49.328 so I require constant access, wireless or internet 00:28:49.338 --> 00:28:53.338 access. One of the issues that I'm hoping will be helped 00:28:53.670 --> 00:28:57.779 with the current program is shoring up access to the 00:28:57.789 --> 00:29:01.279 internet. I'm currently a spectrum customer and there 00:29:01.289 --> 00:29:05.019 are times where I hit unknown data caps that make it 00:29:05.029 --> 00:29:09.019 difficult to work as well. I think that expanding the 00:29:09.029 --> 00:29:12.699 current credits that we are provided are very useful 00:29:12.709 --> 00:29:16.630 for workers like myself who work in not high paying 00:29:16.900 --> 00:29:21.608 jobs but have to do them. My hope is that the commission 00:29:21.618 --> 00:29:27.348 will maintain those credits along with expanding access 00:29:27.358 --> 00:29:31.108 to internet users. Thank you very much for the time 00:29:33.049 --> 00:29:37.410 Thank you so much for calling in. Do we have any callers 00:29:37.420 --> 00:29:45.630 on our Spanish or Russian lines? 00:29:45.630 --> 00:29:49.209 No commenters on either of those lines right now. Ok 00:29:49.219 --> 00:29:51.838 Thank you very much. Could we please continue with 00:29:51.848 --> 00:29:56.170 our next caller then. 00:29:56.170 --> 00:29:59.358 Yes, thank you. Our next commenter comes from Crystal 00:29:59.368 --> 00:30:02.459 Romero. Your line is open. 00:30:02.459 --> 00:30:05.180 Yes, hi. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. That is 00:30:05.189 --> 00:30:12.108 Krystal Kristal last name Romero Rom as in Mary, er 00:30:12.118 --> 00:30:16.890 O and I am speaking on behalf of the Los Angeles County 00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:21.239 Federation of Labor A FL CIO, we represent over 800,000 00:30:21.250 --> 00:30:25.009 members across 300 affiliates across L A county. And 00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:27.680 it is incredibly important to us as a county labor 00:30:27.689 --> 00:30:31.410 federation that the CPUC does everything it can to 00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:33.670 make sure that the workers building these critical 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:37.309 networks have a safe workplace and good conditions 00:30:37.318 --> 00:30:40.500 particularly. So that means choosing companies using 00:30:40.509 --> 00:30:44.000 a directly employed workforce. We've seen a lot of 00:30:44.009 --> 00:30:47.348 issues around independent contracting and skirting 00:30:47.358 --> 00:30:50.750 wages and safety regulations. So we want to ensure 00:30:50.769 --> 00:30:53.630 a directly employed workforce that has proper training 00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:57.039 programs, family sustaining wages and benefits and 00:30:57.049 --> 00:31:00.568 support for our disadvantaged communities. This is 00:31:00.578 --> 00:31:04.759 public dollars and good public works and it is critical 00:31:04.769 --> 00:31:08.170 that we ensure that these are good jobs for Californians 00:31:08.219 --> 00:31:11.259 And that means ensuring that they have a voice and 00:31:11.269 --> 00:31:14.430 their union represented on the job. So we urge the 00:31:14.439 --> 00:31:18.209 CPU to do everything in its power to ensure that these 00:31:18.219 --> 00:31:20.750 workers are skilled and trained and have access to 00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:23.469 the representation that they need. Thank you so much 00:31:25.809 --> 00:31:27.920 Thank you for calling in today. Could we have our next 00:31:27.930 --> 00:31:32.459 caller, please? Yes, our next comment comes from Jory 00:31:32.469 --> 00:31:38.509 poem. Your line is open. 00:31:38.509 --> 00:31:45.549 Hi. Uh my name is Jabari Pulliam. That is Jabar. I 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:52.489 uh Pulliam is Pull. I am as in Mary. Uh and I'm 00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:56.160 calling from Vallejo. Uh I'm calling because to stress 00:31:56.170 --> 00:32:01.250 the importance of uh the puc regulating I SPS uh for 00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:05.279 the past year or two years now, I've been dealing with 00:32:05.289 --> 00:32:09.229 a situation with Comcast Xfinity where I've been a 00:32:09.239 --> 00:32:12.549 customer of them for over 10 years. Uh, moved to a 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:15.578 new address in Vallejo, uh, less than a mile away from 00:32:15.588 --> 00:32:19.549 my old address. But there was an issue transferring 00:32:19.994 --> 00:32:23.265 and that there's a damaged line going across the street 00:32:23.276 --> 00:32:27.615 uh, that, uh, they needed to replace in order to get 00:32:27.625 --> 00:32:31.714 a service at our new home. Uh, it turns out that, uh 00:32:31.724 --> 00:32:34.445 they had to basically dig a new line and they were 00:32:34.455 --> 00:32:40.185 uh, requiring us to pay out of pocket $13,000 for them 00:32:40.195 --> 00:32:43.816 to fix their line. I called the P the puc and the 00:32:43.826 --> 00:32:45.816 puc informed me that they could do nothing about it 00:32:45.826 --> 00:32:51.442 because, uh, the puc did not regulate I SPS. Uh, and 00:32:51.471 --> 00:32:55.451 uh, uh, since have no redress, uh, there's been no 00:32:55.461 --> 00:32:58.540 ability to kind of get movement and we are the only 00:32:58.551 --> 00:33:00.631 uh, people on our street that are unable to get cable 00:33:00.641 --> 00:33:03.471 internet access and it's been an issue because both 00:33:03.481 --> 00:33:06.290 of, uh, my wife and I rely on the internet for a 00:33:06.301 --> 00:33:09.000 living. Uh, we both work from home and cable internet 00:33:09.010 --> 00:33:12.842 is the only thing fast enough uh to support our, our 00:33:12.852 --> 00:33:17.789 uh our way we make our, our living. Um And since uh 00:33:17.799 --> 00:33:21.410 AT&T only offers up to 75 meg megabits per second, 00:33:21.420 --> 00:33:24.559 which is uh under the, the actual broadband cap of 00:33:24.588 --> 00:33:27.509 100 megabits per second. Uh So I just wanted to stress 00:33:27.519 --> 00:33:30.838 the importance of before we give any money uh to these 00:33:30.848 --> 00:33:32.920 companies which are already basically operating as 00:33:32.930 --> 00:33:37.189 monopolies, uh that we make sure that the puc is uh 00:33:37.199 --> 00:33:41.618 regulates them as uh as public utilities and provides 00:33:41.699 --> 00:33:47.479 the ability for, for uh uh the public to, to uh basically 00:33:47.489 --> 00:33:50.449 get redress on, on situations like these. Uh Thank 00:33:50.459 --> 00:33:53.368 you. 00:33:53.368 --> 00:33:56.549 Thank you so much for calling in to share your experiences 00:33:56.559 --> 00:34:01.150 Uh Before moving to our next caller, I just want to 00:34:01.160 --> 00:34:04.059 note that I, I've been informed that we do have uh 00:34:04.068 --> 00:34:10.250 a longer line of callers in the queue. So I am going 00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:15.188 to ask callers to limit their comments to two minutes 00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:19.309 not the three minutes that we were uh previously using 00:34:19.769 --> 00:34:26.619 And you will still hear a tone at um when you have 00:34:26.628 --> 00:34:29.958 15 seconds left. So now we're moving from 3 to 2 minutes 00:34:29.969 --> 00:34:34.378 due to the number of callers in. Um Also, I, I've been 00:34:34.389 --> 00:34:39.219 informed that we have a Spanish language caller. Could 00:34:39.228 --> 00:34:45.978 we uh move to that caller, please? Yes, our commenter 00:34:45.989 --> 00:35:15.699 comes from Karma Carmen Acacia. Your line is open 00:35:15.699 --> 00:35:21.438 of the mobile homes and we are very close to the Light 00:35:21.449 --> 00:35:25.039 Towers. This causes interference in such a way that 00:35:25.050 --> 00:35:27.599 the computer turns on and we need to wait from 10 to 00:35:27.610 --> 00:35:34.099 15 minutes for the computer to connect, having Children 00:35:34.590 --> 00:35:39.668 with trouble taking online classes and having a nearby 00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:43.000 library. My comment is take away the monopoly from 00:35:43.010 --> 00:35:47.780 at and t in my area and have fiber optic come in 00:35:47.789 --> 00:35:52.469 Why? Because all of the communications right now are 00:35:52.478 --> 00:35:57.668 via internet and the internet you're offering is insufficient 00:35:57.889 --> 00:36:00.728 I applied for the programs and if I had the program 00:36:00.739 --> 00:36:04.510 they charge me, I paid about an hour. I don't know 00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:07.148 why there's this disconnect in the communication. So 00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:11.208 the at and T monopoly is insufficient for my area. 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:14.840 That's my comment. Thank you. 00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:17.188 Thank you so much for calling in to share. Could we 00:36:17.199 --> 00:36:21.418 have our next commenter, please? 00:36:21.418 --> 00:36:24.360 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Marilyn Garrett 00:36:24.369 --> 00:36:30.119 Your line is open. Hi. Can you hear me? Yes, we can 00:36:30.128 --> 00:36:38.329 Please continue. Ok. Um I'm a retired teacher and you 00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:42.110 wanted to know about difficulties. I've encountered 00:36:42.369 --> 00:36:47.500 It's with the wireless microwave emitting devices that 00:36:47.510 --> 00:36:52.905 cause me symptom of radiation sickness that include 00:36:52.914 --> 00:36:57.824 headache, fatigue, heart palpitations, et cetera. It's 00:36:57.833 --> 00:37:02.934 a long documented list you can find at cell phone task 00:37:03.023 --> 00:37:09.918 force.org or Bio initiative.org. So I have to avoid 00:37:09.929 --> 00:37:14.559 certain routes on the road by the cell towers. I used 00:37:14.570 --> 00:37:18.489 to go to board of supervisors meetings in person to 00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:23.188 participate in the democratic process. Now, there is 00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:26.679 a cell tower near there numerous an tenants on the 00:37:26.688 --> 00:37:34.128 building, Wi Fi. So, um I, I don't go and we should 00:37:34.139 --> 00:37:42.989 not be armed by involuntary mandatory microwave exposure 00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:49.769 from four G, five G military assault frequencies from 00:37:49.780 --> 00:37:55.050 Verizon and other telecom corporations. These corporations 00:37:55.059 --> 00:38:03.079 do not have a Hippocratic Oath first, do no harm. I 00:38:03.809 --> 00:38:07.739 have gone to school district meetings to advocate for 00:38:07.750 --> 00:38:15.188 removal of the harmful wi Fi. And I asked them, 00:38:15.188 --> 00:38:20.208 I say the most important thing is a safe and healthy 00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:25.688 learning and working environment. Does anyone impose 00:38:25.699 --> 00:38:31.559 that? No one does? But when I point out how harmful 00:38:31.570 --> 00:38:38.239 this radiation is to Children, they continue with increasing 00:38:38.250 --> 00:38:43.378 the Wi Fi and not harm to Children. I find this appalling 00:38:43.699 --> 00:38:47.628 In addition, there was a self side. I lived in AFTA 00:38:50.300 --> 00:38:55.708 and the antennas that are going up massively are very 00:38:55.719 --> 00:38:59.898 damaging to everyone, including the birds and the bees 00:38:59.909 --> 00:39:05.000 and all the Children. This technology needs to be removed 00:39:05.010 --> 00:39:10.110 and replaced with wired internet. Thank you. 00:39:10.110 --> 00:39:13.050 Thank you for calling in and sharing your experiences 00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:16.329 Could we have our next caller, please? Yes. Our next 00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:20.119 comment comes from Anisha Horna. Your line is open 00:39:21.958 --> 00:39:28.519 Good afternoon. My name is Anisha Hirani, a Nishah 00:39:28.550 --> 00:39:34.059 I NGO ran I and I am a policy manager for Chinese 00:39:34.070 --> 00:39:37.918 for affirmative action. We are a direct services and 00:39:37.929 --> 00:39:41.989 policy advocacy organization based in San Francisco 00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:45.789 Chinatown. Where we support very low income and limited 00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:49.159 English proficient clients and community members in 00:39:49.168 --> 00:39:53.820 accessing language services, jobs and educational opportunities 00:39:53.889 --> 00:39:57.559 immigration support and civic engagement opportunities 00:39:58.188 --> 00:40:02.769 San Francisco Chinatown is a digitally redlined community 00:40:02.780 --> 00:40:06.369 where the lack of access to high speed broadband internet 00:40:06.688 --> 00:40:11.179 has serious health, employment, education, social and 00:40:11.188 --> 00:40:15.760 civic engagement, repercussions. Our research and conversations 00:40:15.769 --> 00:40:21.369 show that AT&T and Comcast cable is expensive and out 00:40:21.378 --> 00:40:26.280 of reach, it is slow, it is unreliable. Um And again 00:40:26.289 --> 00:40:30.500 out of reach for low income residents and fiber is 00:40:30.510 --> 00:40:35.003 virtually non existent. In addition, short term programs 00:40:35.014 --> 00:40:39.824 like AC P are difficult to access, especially for limited 00:40:39.833 --> 00:40:43.253 English proficient communities and are not enough to 00:40:43.264 --> 00:40:47.625 cover the cost. This exacerbates serious inequities 00:40:47.635 --> 00:40:51.625 um in health, employment, education and civic engagement 00:40:52.309 --> 00:40:56.579 federal investments like the BB program must prioritize 00:40:56.590 --> 00:41:00.148 economically marginalized neighborhoods in both rural 00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:04.519 and urban areas, especially very low income and limited 00:41:04.530 --> 00:41:08.530 English proficient communities with multifamily buildings 00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:12.179 and meaningfully partner with trusted community based 00:41:12.188 --> 00:41:16.119 organizations in order to truly meet the goals of closing 00:41:16.128 --> 00:41:20.289 the digital divide. Uh In addition, I want to know 00:41:20.429 --> 00:41:23.570 that while it's great that this meeting includes Spanish 00:41:23.579 --> 00:41:27.128 and Russian interpretation, there are many historically 00:41:27.139 --> 00:41:30.610 marginalized language communities that need to have 00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:34.369 a voice in spaces like these and share their important 00:41:34.378 --> 00:41:38.199 experiences and we can all do a better job at creating 00:41:38.208 --> 00:41:41.789 more inclusive spaces for folks to participate. Thank 00:41:41.800 --> 00:41:46.019 you. 00:41:46.019 --> 00:41:49.139 Thank you so much for calling in the chair today. Um 00:41:49.148 --> 00:41:52.679 I do want to um because the issue was just raised, 00:41:52.688 --> 00:41:57.619 I do want to uh remind parties that if we do get 00:41:57.628 --> 00:42:03.269 uh an advanced request for translators, we do make 00:42:03.280 --> 00:42:07.320 an effort to accommodate uh those. So with that, can 00:42:07.329 --> 00:42:12.250 we please hear uh from our next caller? Thank you. 00:42:12.260 --> 00:42:15.208 Our next comment comes from Paula Orla. Your line is 00:42:15.219 --> 00:42:20.800 open. Um Thank you. I'm um, I'm a retired teacher and 00:42:20.809 --> 00:42:28.070 also a grandparent and I use the internet often. And 00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:32.619 I'm I'm uh would like to urge along with the other 00:42:32.639 --> 00:42:39.188 voices. I've heard the uh expanding wired connections 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:46.679 to the internet uh as a safer safe wired connections 00:42:47.228 --> 00:42:52.648 Um it is safer than wireless. Uh The wireless age has 00:42:52.659 --> 00:42:56.019 dawned with portable devices, transmitting currents 00:42:56.030 --> 00:43:00.250 at frequency up to billions of cycles per second. Commu 00:43:00.260 --> 00:43:03.489 consumers worldwide are going mobile with little knowledge 00:43:03.500 --> 00:43:09.159 of the effects of microwave radiation on human health 00:43:09.619 --> 00:43:15.260 Uh ionizing or thermal radiation is known to harm um 00:43:15.269 --> 00:43:18.840 living ti tissues. A decade of international research 00:43:18.849 --> 00:43:25.280 now confirms similar damage is caused by non ionizing 00:43:25.429 --> 00:43:31.208 non thermal radio frequency, microwave radiation, Children 00:43:31.219 --> 00:43:35.000 and teenagers whose bodies are developing are the fastest 00:43:35.010 --> 00:43:39.039 growing segment of the wireless market. This wireless 00:43:39.050 --> 00:43:43.679 radiation is linked to irreversible degeneration of 00:43:43.688 --> 00:43:48.829 nervous system neurons, brain cancer is now the leading 00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:55.059 cause of cancer death in Children under 14 tissue damage 00:43:55.070 --> 00:44:01.610 from EMFS is cumulative years of exposure to microwaves 00:44:01.619 --> 00:44:05.619 may cause birth defects and sterility and can also 00:44:05.628 --> 00:44:08.809 lead to higher hearing loss and damage to tissues of 00:44:08.820 --> 00:44:13.438 the eyes or uh clumping of of red blood cells and loss 00:44:13.449 --> 00:44:20.269 of brain function. Um Electro hypersensitivity is an 00:44:20.280 --> 00:44:24.039 allergic autoimmune condition that is now appearing 00:44:24.099 --> 00:44:27.500 all over the world. Its symptoms could be so disabling 00:44:27.510 --> 00:44:30.820 that victims, 00:44:30.820 --> 00:44:35.378 these electro hypersensitive people are like canaries 00:44:35.590 --> 00:44:41.750 in the um in the coal mine, everybody is affected. 00:44:41.949 --> 00:44:48.208 Please support wired uh internet connections. Thank 00:44:48.219 --> 00:44:51.219 you. Thank you so much for calling in. Could we have 00:44:51.228 --> 00:44:55.260 our next caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:44:55.269 --> 00:44:59.820 comes from Caroline Holman. Your line is open. Thank 00:44:59.829 --> 00:45:08.179 you. My name is Caroline Holland Carolineholml UN D 00:45:09.228 --> 00:45:13.699 and uh I'm a person who has worked in, in technology 00:45:13.708 --> 00:45:19.010 for 25 years and I retired from Hewlett Packard about 00:45:19.019 --> 00:45:24.849 10 years ago. I have hypersensitivity to electronics 00:45:24.860 --> 00:45:30.369 of all sorts from working in the labs being unprotected 00:45:30.889 --> 00:45:35.769 and still today, there's no protection. Uh We need 00:45:36.099 --> 00:45:40.050 to remember that people get sick from this stuff and 00:45:40.059 --> 00:45:43.869 it happens every day. Uh Different people get different 00:45:43.878 --> 00:45:48.559 illnesses and um everything from cancer and so forth 00:45:48.750 --> 00:45:53.360 but they can't pinpoint anything. So as a result, it's 00:45:53.369 --> 00:45:57.030 still going on and it's affecting our Children, the 00:45:57.039 --> 00:46:01.208 birds, the bees, the flowers and the trees. We need 00:46:01.219 --> 00:46:06.668 to protect us, the people before it's too late. It's 00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:13.300 affecting the whole world. Um I tried to go to meetings 00:46:13.309 --> 00:46:18.800 uh of the county and uh report uh um my experience 00:46:18.809 --> 00:46:22.309 and learn what's going on and I couldn't stay there 00:46:22.320 --> 00:46:26.168 more than two hours without repercussions for over 00:46:26.179 --> 00:46:29.849 a week. It just took all the energy right out of me 00:46:30.590 --> 00:46:37.219 I had to step down from doing service at the county 00:46:37.228 --> 00:46:41.619 even though I wanted to. And, uh, I'm here to speak 00:46:41.628 --> 00:46:46.909 for those that are, uh, underserved by being protected 00:46:46.918 --> 00:46:51.989 especially Children and butterflies and bees and birds 00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:57.039 and trees. It's affecting even the trees. They're dehydrating 00:46:57.418 --> 00:47:00.539 You understand, we're in a microwave oven. Basically 00:47:01.010 --> 00:47:05.559 it's an open microwave system. What is that going to 00:47:05.570 --> 00:47:09.809 do? What does it do when you put things in the oven 00:47:10.780 --> 00:47:15.059 you cook them? We're getting cooked like it or not 00:47:15.070 --> 00:47:17.739 And some people are being cooked faster than others 00:47:17.750 --> 00:47:22.978 because of their proximity to the various uh devices 00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:28.530 and uh their use. So please commissioners look at that 00:47:28.539 --> 00:47:33.750 and go wireless. Do what you can to not to go wireless 00:47:33.760 --> 00:47:38.378 rather to go to wire or some fiber, fiber is the best 00:47:38.760 --> 00:47:42.929 Thank you very much. Bye now. Thank you for calling 00:47:42.938 --> 00:47:46.090 in to share. Could we have our next commenter, please 00:47:47.349 --> 00:47:50.478 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Satomi Rash 00:47:51.050 --> 00:47:54.599 Ziegler. Your line is open. Hi, my name is Satomi Rash 00:47:55.059 --> 00:48:01.360 Siegler, Satom, I Rash Ziegler, Rash hyphen Zeigl er 00:48:01.539 --> 00:48:03.559 and I'm the managing director of the San Diego and 00:48:03.570 --> 00:48:06.228 Imperial County Labor Council on behalf of the over 00:48:06.239 --> 00:48:09.869 200,000 families we represent uh in the region to express 00:48:09.878 --> 00:48:12.369 our concern about the impact of broadband funding on 00:48:12.378 --> 00:48:14.989 job creation in California. It's crucial that these 00:48:15.000 --> 00:48:17.820 investments result in good union jobs that prioritize 00:48:17.829 --> 00:48:20.539 worker safety. When there is no union presence on the 00:48:20.550 --> 00:48:22.898 job, employers tend to cut corners and compromise worker 00:48:22.909 --> 00:48:24.918 safety. This is why it's imperative for California 00:48:24.929 --> 00:48:28.128 public utilities commission to take all the necessary 00:48:28.139 --> 00:48:31.869 measures to ensure that workers. Excuse me, ma'am. 00:48:33.340 --> 00:48:36.628 I need her to slow down, please. Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry 00:48:36.639 --> 00:48:40.708 Yes. Could you please slow down? Thank you. This is 00:48:40.719 --> 00:48:44.099 why it's imperative for the California for CPUC to 00:48:44.110 --> 00:48:47.289 take all necessary measures to ensure that workers 00:48:47.300 --> 00:48:50.688 who are creating these networks have a safe workplace 00:48:50.699 --> 00:48:53.599 and a favorable and and favorable working conditions 00:48:53.909 --> 00:48:58.918 to achieve this CPUCPUC us carefully select companies 00:48:58.929 --> 00:49:03.519 that employ directly hired workforce, possess comprehensive 00:49:03.530 --> 00:49:07.280 training programs for their employees, offer families 00:49:07.289 --> 00:49:10.260 sustaining wages and benefits and actively promote 00:49:10.269 --> 00:49:13.969 job opportunities for disadvantaged communities. If 00:49:13.978 --> 00:49:17.110 public funding fails to support such conditions and 00:49:17.119 --> 00:49:21.059 uh union jobs, it sets off a detrimental race to the 00:49:21.070 --> 00:49:25.250 bottom eroding standards for all workers. Moreover 00:49:25.260 --> 00:49:28.449 safety should never be overlooked. These networks are 00:49:28.458 --> 00:49:31.760 vital utilities that operate in our public spaces. 00:49:31.829 --> 00:49:35.070 We often witness catastrophic accidents and explosions 00:49:35.079 --> 00:49:37.699 when workers are inadequately trained or pressured 00:49:37.708 --> 00:49:41.809 to work hastily. Like in 20 for instance, in 2019, 00:49:41.820 --> 00:49:45.219 a subcontractor in San Francisco inadvertently hit 00:49:45.228 --> 00:49:49.570 a gas line while pulling fiber, resulting in an explosion 00:49:49.780 --> 00:49:54.449 with towering flames reaching over 50 ft, the significance 00:49:54.458 --> 00:49:57.539 of job site safety cannot be overstated. It can mean 00:49:57.550 --> 00:49:59.978 the difference between life and death for a worker 00:49:59.989 --> 00:50:04.139 and also ensures the safety of general public. Additionally 00:50:04.260 --> 00:50:07.780 prioritizing used to the construction of robust and 00:50:07.789 --> 00:50:10.550 enduring networks which is responsible and efficient 00:50:10.559 --> 00:50:14.208 utilization of public funds. The program, this program 00:50:14.219 --> 00:50:16.929 has the potential to bridge the digital divide while 00:50:16.938 --> 00:50:19.929 simultaneously upholding strong labor standards. Thank 00:50:19.938 --> 00:50:22.110 you for your time and I urge you to make an informed 00:50:22.119 --> 00:50:25.619 decision that prioritize worker safety, create union 00:50:25.628 --> 00:50:28.429 jobs and safeguard the interests of all Californians 00:50:28.438 --> 00:50:30.829 Thank you. 00:50:30.829 --> 00:50:32.800 Thank you for calling in and sharing today. Could we 00:50:32.809 --> 00:50:37.050 please have our next caller? Thank you. Our next comment 00:50:37.059 --> 00:50:40.550 comes from Mike Morales. Your line is open. Hi. Uh 00:50:40.559 --> 00:50:46.039 My name is Michael Morales. M IC Haelmor A Les, I'm 00:50:46.050 --> 00:50:50.570 a citizen of Los Angeles, um California, uh resident 00:50:50.579 --> 00:50:53.978 of the zip code nine triple 01. I hope I speak for 00:50:54.000 --> 00:50:58.228 people in my area. Um And thank you for giving us the 00:50:58.239 --> 00:51:02.659 public an opportunity to speak. Um I live in an area 00:51:02.668 --> 00:51:07.010 under a pathway of airplanes directed towards lax airport 00:51:07.829 --> 00:51:10.688 and the prob the problem for years has been that the 00:51:10.699 --> 00:51:14.610 connection is being disrupted when airplanes pass the 00:51:14.619 --> 00:51:19.329 connection drops. Uh We've tried many different internet 00:51:19.340 --> 00:51:22.769 companies that have had many problems uh with the connection 00:51:23.208 --> 00:51:27.340 Uh We've tried uh wireless currently, we have AT&T 00:51:27.349 --> 00:51:33.530 fiber which has had a lot less uh connection drops 00:51:33.539 --> 00:51:38.039 but still, it has had uh many connection drops. Um 00:51:38.179 --> 00:51:42.989 So the problem is the connection um that I've been 00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:48.039 noticing with wireless and I hope that um we can get 00:51:48.050 --> 00:51:52.659 more uh companies that have uh the fiber optic in our 00:51:52.668 --> 00:51:56.438 area. Uh This problem has been, the connection problem 00:51:56.449 --> 00:52:02.139 has been very big uh problems for our family and maybe 00:52:02.148 --> 00:52:06.139 our neighbors, I'm not really sure. Uh It's unspoken 00:52:06.458 --> 00:52:10.188 uh problems that we have. Uh We pay high prices for 00:52:10.199 --> 00:52:15.539 our internet. Um We work from home and there's connections 00:52:16.090 --> 00:52:19.228 that uh there's times where the connection drops. Um 00:52:19.239 --> 00:52:22.349 Also, there's been times when we've had to take high 00:52:22.360 --> 00:52:27.378 stake uh tests that we have to go to certain locations 00:52:27.590 --> 00:52:33.438 in order for us to um have a good connection and these 00:52:33.449 --> 00:52:38.469 things should be um noted and hopefully that you guys 00:52:38.478 --> 00:52:43.909 can help our area progress and on internet in a safe 00:52:43.918 --> 00:52:48.639 way as well from listening to the other speakers. Safety 00:52:48.648 --> 00:52:53.789 is and should be one of the biggest. 00:52:53.789 --> 00:52:56.309 Thank you. 00:52:56.309 --> 00:52:58.228 Thank you for calling and sharing. Could we have our 00:52:58.239 --> 00:53:01.030 next commenter, please? 00:53:01.030 --> 00:53:03.599 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Kenneth Williams 00:53:03.610 --> 00:53:07.360 Your line is open. 00:53:07.360 --> 00:53:10.010 Uh Yes. Uh Good afternoon. Thank you for giving me 00:53:10.019 --> 00:53:14.739 the opportunity. My name is Kenneth Williams. Kenneth 00:53:15.110 --> 00:53:21.159 last name Williams Willi A MS. It's important to me 00:53:21.168 --> 00:53:23.969 that broadband funding create good job in California 00:53:24.688 --> 00:53:31.000 I'm a 40 year technician for AT&T retired. I know what 00:53:31.010 --> 00:53:34.688 it takes to put in a proper network. I know that in 00:53:34.699 --> 00:53:38.639 fiber optics as opposed to in copper. If you lose a 00:53:38.648 --> 00:53:43.708 pair, it causes one home, 22 wires, it causes one home 00:53:43.719 --> 00:53:46.070 If this fiber is not installed correctly, you could 00:53:46.079 --> 00:53:49.659 use a town, a city or community. Depending on when 00:53:49.668 --> 00:53:53.539 the fiber is cut, you need to have good training and 00:53:53.550 --> 00:53:57.119 safety training. As a technician, I've seen what happens 00:53:57.128 --> 00:54:00.059 when you are not trained to climb a pole and you climb 00:54:00.070 --> 00:54:03.458 a pole that energized. The injuries are horrible. I've 00:54:03.469 --> 00:54:06.409 seen what happens when you dig into the ground and 00:54:06.418 --> 00:54:08.418 you don't know where, where you're digging at and you 00:54:08.429 --> 00:54:11.409 hit a gas line or you hit electric electricity line 00:54:12.079 --> 00:54:14.780 The other part I want to talk about is being sure that 00:54:14.789 --> 00:54:18.260 there are community workforce agreements in these particular 00:54:18.269 --> 00:54:21.478 arrangements and proper training because if it's install 00:54:21.579 --> 00:54:25.438 rank, this fight will last a lifetime. If it's a party 00:54:25.449 --> 00:54:28.079 it will gradually erode and you will have a lot less 00:54:28.090 --> 00:54:31.398 than if you lost the copper C. There's also a maintenance 00:54:31.409 --> 00:54:34.760 component where we need to be in these communities 00:54:35.019 --> 00:54:37.820 training people in the communities to maintain the 00:54:37.829 --> 00:54:40.590 fiber after the initial investment because nothing 00:54:40.599 --> 00:54:43.398 is worse than making an initial investment, it goes 00:54:43.409 --> 00:54:45.590 bad and you have no way to fix it and communities are 00:54:45.599 --> 00:54:48.820 left in worse shape than they were before. I can't 00:54:48.829 --> 00:54:51.958 emphasize enough for safety. I can't emphasize enough 00:54:52.159 --> 00:54:55.280 the way that good training high road training programs 00:54:55.429 --> 00:54:57.969 and the proper training within communities, not only 00:54:57.978 --> 00:55:00.610 build communities, they build families and there could 00:55:00.619 --> 00:55:04.469 be generational benefits to this by taking up a family 00:55:04.478 --> 00:55:07.579 and giving them a way to earn a living wage. I urge 00:55:07.590 --> 00:55:11.000 the commission in your scoring to take this into consideration 00:55:11.010 --> 00:55:14.059 the safety, the safety record of the company to take 00:55:14.070 --> 00:55:17.648 into consideration of the quality of the work that 00:55:17.659 --> 00:55:20.639 needs to be done. So we only have to do it once 00:55:20.648 --> 00:55:23.929 and we do it correctly. And thank you very much for 00:55:23.938 --> 00:55:26.429 the time. 00:55:26.429 --> 00:55:30.478 Thank you so much for your feedback. Today. 00:55:30.478 --> 00:55:35.050 We please have our next commenter. Thank you. Our next 00:55:35.059 --> 00:55:38.329 comment comes from Steven Nagata. Your line is open 00:55:40.699 --> 00:55:43.978 Hi. Yes. Are you able to hear me? Yes, please continue 00:55:44.668 --> 00:55:49.438 Yes. Hi. My name is Stephen Naga Toshi. That is Stephen 00:55:49.530 --> 00:55:56.610 Nagato Nagat Os H I um I am an audit associate for 00:55:56.619 --> 00:55:58.969 one of the big four accounting firms and I am also 00:55:58.978 --> 00:56:03.510 a previous it technician. Um I believe the biggest 00:56:03.519 --> 00:56:07.728 thing that may or may not be overlooked um for the 00:56:07.739 --> 00:56:12.019 funding at the current moment and for the ISP landscape 00:56:12.030 --> 00:56:16.958 in general is the fact that there is little to no competition 00:56:16.969 --> 00:56:19.500 in many, many areas and especially underserved areas 00:56:19.510 --> 00:56:23.128 There's monopolistic tendencies and monopolies in general 00:56:23.139 --> 00:56:25.679 of ISP. 00:56:25.679 --> 00:56:30.570 I highly highly urge the commission if there is the 00:56:31.269 --> 00:56:35.610 if there is in any way, a way to regulate it or 00:56:35.619 --> 00:56:41.148 to tell the appropriate governing bodies that there 00:56:41.159 --> 00:56:45.579 has to be mandated competition in the ISP market. Just 00:56:45.590 --> 00:56:48.708 like any other market where monopolistic tendencies 00:56:48.840 --> 00:56:53.909 um exist. There is not going to be any, any way that 00:56:54.250 --> 00:56:59.739 um, any of the I SPS are able to lower their prices 00:56:59.750 --> 00:57:06.309 or in good faith. Uh, keep any sort of repairs online 00:57:06.320 --> 00:57:11.320 or keep any sort of, um, updating to fiber in general 00:57:11.329 --> 00:57:16.228 or to any internet line. Um There's going to be loopholes 00:57:16.239 --> 00:57:17.929 there's always going to be, there's always going to 00:57:17.938 --> 00:57:22.030 be work around loopholes, whatever for any IP to do 00:57:22.039 --> 00:57:24.719 what they would like to do for the benefit of the business 00:57:24.728 --> 00:57:27.769 And the only way that we are to get around this is 00:57:27.780 --> 00:57:31.679 to mandate that there be at least two, if not three 00:57:31.688 --> 00:57:35.978 or more isps in a area that will so that there is 00:57:35.989 --> 00:57:40.760 a way for prices to be challenged with within each 00:57:40.769 --> 00:57:44.809 individual ISP people to make decisions based on performance 00:57:44.820 --> 00:57:47.500 and not only performance but price of each of these 00:57:47.510 --> 00:57:53.539 And it will also push each ISP in that area to create 00:57:53.550 --> 00:57:57.878 upgrades over time, to 00:57:57.878 --> 00:58:03.659 openings over time, for prices to go down and for everything 00:58:03.668 --> 00:58:05.719 else, there needs to be competition in the market. 00:58:05.728 --> 00:58:08.739 There is no other way around it. And I urge the commission 00:58:08.750 --> 00:58:11.708 to do what they can to create competition in every 00:58:11.719 --> 00:58:14.418 single market that this funding goes to. Thank you 00:58:17.869 --> 00:58:19.840 Thank you for calling in the share today. Could we 00:58:19.849 --> 00:58:23.708 have our next caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:58:23.719 --> 00:58:26.989 comes from Mark Ellis. Your line is open. Thank you 00:58:27.000 --> 00:58:31.389 My name is Mark Ellis. That's MA R Ce Llis. And in 00:58:31.398 --> 00:58:34.099 the sake of brevity, I just want to say ditto to everything 00:58:34.110 --> 00:58:36.789 that Kenneth Williams said earlier. He nailed it. I 00:58:36.800 --> 00:58:41.378 couldn't say it any better. Thank you. 00:58:41.378 --> 00:58:43.889 Thank you so much for calling and share today. Could 00:58:43.898 --> 00:58:48.679 we have our next caller, please? Thank you. Our next 00:58:48.688 --> 00:58:50.918 comment comes from Brandon Beck. Your line is open 00:58:52.869 --> 00:58:59.398 Hello, thank you. Yes, this is Brandon Beck, Brandonbeck 00:58:59.699 --> 00:59:04.079 and I'm a resident in San Diego County. Uh And I'm 00:59:04.090 --> 00:59:08.079 calling in speaking as a consumer of mobile internet 00:59:08.090 --> 00:59:12.429 and also traditional broadband internet where I live 00:59:12.438 --> 00:59:16.539 The speed that I get from my ISP is about 50 megabits 00:59:16.550 --> 00:59:19.489 per second. However, that's really more of a statement 00:59:19.969 --> 00:59:24.148 than what it is in practice. I tend to get speeds much 00:59:24.159 --> 00:59:27.708 slower than that and countless times the speed of my 00:59:27.719 --> 00:59:34.389 internet is zero. And I found that when I call my ISP 00:59:34.398 --> 00:59:38.679 to request repair or servicing when these incidents 00:59:38.688 --> 00:59:43.918 occur, that the customer service departments provided 00:59:43.929 --> 00:59:49.208 are just for show extended phone trees being transferred 00:59:49.219 --> 00:59:53.610 around to several departments really yielding no results 00:59:54.070 --> 00:59:57.869 other than try turning your modem off and back on 00:59:57.878 --> 01:00:02.548 Which is insufficient. And so I ask that there be some 01:00:02.559 --> 01:00:07.038 kind of an accountability mechanism for when consumers 01:00:07.048 --> 01:00:13.669 in areas that have ISP and perhaps even newer fiber 01:00:13.679 --> 01:00:19.379 ISP, that if their ISP providers do not bring their 01:00:19.388 --> 01:00:24.527 internet up to par, then said consumers can reach out 01:00:24.539 --> 01:00:29.539 to the CPO or some sort of regulatory body to bring 01:00:29.548 --> 01:00:33.359 this accountability to make sure that these Isps who 01:00:33.369 --> 01:00:38.008 are taking funding from these programs are making sure 01:00:38.018 --> 01:00:42.037 that this internet service is adequately available 01:00:42.048 --> 01:00:48.148 at all times. Thank you very much. 01:00:48.148 --> 01:00:50.277 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 01:00:50.287 --> 01:00:53.768 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 01:00:53.777 --> 01:01:02.576 comes from Chris Bell. Your line is open. 01:01:02.576 --> 01:01:07.677 Chris, your line is open. 01:01:07.677 --> 01:01:09.757 We're unable to hear you. Please hit your mute button 01:01:09.769 --> 01:01:14.138 Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Yes. Ok. I I'm 01:01:14.147 --> 01:01:17.049 sorry, I forgot to take it off me. Anyway, my name 01:01:17.058 --> 01:01:19.718 is Cliff Bell. Thank you for the opportunity for me 01:01:20.049 --> 01:01:23.147 to speak today. I want to echo the concerns of some 01:01:23.159 --> 01:01:28.578 of the previous callers regarding um uh speed or you 01:01:28.588 --> 01:01:33.688 know, lack of regarding um incompetence as far as the 01:01:33.757 --> 01:01:37.808 reliability uh, that these internet companies they 01:01:37.817 --> 01:01:42.647 provide, I tried the two top ISP companies, uh, being 01:01:42.659 --> 01:01:45.858 AT&T and Xfinity and neither one of them, as far as 01:01:45.869 --> 01:01:48.468 I'm concerned, it's worth a darn, they're not worth 01:01:48.478 --> 01:01:52.287 the money that, uh, that the California puc is giving 01:01:52.299 --> 01:01:55.918 them. Uh, they claim that they have good responsibility 01:01:55.927 --> 01:02:00.507 but they're not, they have in a, in a to quit services 01:02:00.519 --> 01:02:04.317 There's constant buckling whenever I try to, uh, use 01:02:04.328 --> 01:02:09.038 my internet. Um, and I'm trying to watch programs of 01:02:09.048 --> 01:02:12.518 whatever the case may be and I wish that there was 01:02:12.528 --> 01:02:15.518 more competition. I'm trying to look to find competition 01:02:15.848 --> 01:02:18.169 to go along because it seems like these two companies 01:02:18.177 --> 01:02:21.479 they have in a monopoly, they make a lot of promises 01:02:21.538 --> 01:02:24.987 that they don't deliver on. The other thing is I'm 01:02:25.008 --> 01:02:27.508 concerned about rates for seniors. You know, I try 01:02:27.518 --> 01:02:29.998 to get special rates and they're constantly gouging 01:02:30.008 --> 01:02:32.758 me with money. They will go into your bank account 01:02:32.768 --> 01:02:35.919 get your bank account, uh, information and then they 01:02:35.927 --> 01:02:39.688 go in pretty much and take what they want to take and 01:02:39.699 --> 01:02:41.729 say, well, we're charging for this or we're charging 01:02:41.737 --> 01:02:43.949 for that. I think that something needs to be done about 01:02:43.957 --> 01:02:47.147 that. I had to stop having them go in and just pay 01:02:47.157 --> 01:02:50.829 directly myself rather than have automatic payments 01:02:50.838 --> 01:02:54.829 And when they penalize me $10 for that, um, so I had 01:02:54.838 --> 01:02:58.038 to end up paying more. So the bottom line is, is that 01:02:58.048 --> 01:03:01.548 I would just like to have better rates for seniors 01:03:01.778 --> 01:03:06.449 I'd like to see more reliability, uh some consistency 01:03:06.457 --> 01:03:10.808 as far as service and start with the inadequate services 01:03:10.818 --> 01:03:13.897 and the claim of responsibilities of, of what they 01:03:13.907 --> 01:03:16.718 represent and what they will give you when they actually 01:03:16.729 --> 01:03:19.058 don't do it. They don't provide the services that they 01:03:19.068 --> 01:03:23.177 have and if you guys are going to give them 01:03:23.177 --> 01:03:25.798 type of special funding, I wish that you guys would 01:03:25.808 --> 01:03:28.957 look into those. Thank you very much for the opportunity 01:03:28.968 --> 01:03:32.859 of allowing me to speak today. Have a nice day. Thank 01:03:32.869 --> 01:03:35.877 you for calling in. Can we have our next commenter 01:03:35.889 --> 01:03:39.119 please? Thank you. Our next comment comes from Samuel 01:03:39.127 --> 01:03:46.699 Carnes. Your line is open 01:03:46.699 --> 01:03:57.528 Samuel. Please hit your mute button. 01:03:57.528 --> 01:03:59.647 We're unable to hear you, Samuel. Please hit your mute 01:03:59.657 --> 01:04:05.449 button. 01:04:05.449 --> 01:04:07.579 Now 01:04:07.579 --> 01:04:13.669 hear me. Yeah. Yeah, you can hear me. Yes, we can hear 01:04:13.677 --> 01:04:28.698 you. 01:04:28.698 --> 01:04:32.378 I think that call may have dropped off. Ok. Our next 01:04:32.388 --> 01:04:37.828 comment comes from Linda. Your line is open. 01:04:37.828 --> 01:04:43.349 Linda Hobbs. Yes. Thank you. Oh, ok. Good afternoon 01:04:43.647 --> 01:04:48.719 My name is Linda Hobbs. I am a 75 year old African 01:04:48.727 --> 01:04:53.839 American disabled public school teacher who loved teaching 01:04:53.849 --> 01:04:59.808 18 years in South Central Los Angeles. I am a volunteer 01:04:59.818 --> 01:05:03.928 advocate for each of the groups mentioned before. I 01:05:03.938 --> 01:05:11.529 was hospitalized 12 times in 2022 for COPD and my daughter 01:05:11.539 --> 01:05:17.068 had to move me from Los Angeles to Sacramento and then 01:05:17.078 --> 01:05:21.758 return me five months later. So my Los Angeles doctors 01:05:21.857 --> 01:05:28.068 could work with my lung problems. Spectrum told my 01:05:28.078 --> 01:05:32.599 daughter I would only be charged $75 a month for the 01:05:32.607 --> 01:05:38.107 service because of my income spectrum charged me 100 01:05:38.119 --> 01:05:45.909 and $50. The full rate. I feel that spectrum has placed 01:05:45.917 --> 01:05:51.268 negative credit on my credit report and they're continually 01:05:51.428 --> 01:05:55.388 contacting me for the extra money. I am in hopes that 01:05:55.397 --> 01:05:59.748 the commission will resolve this for all seniors and 01:05:59.758 --> 01:06:05.869 disabled people by requiring companies like spectrum 01:06:05.957 --> 01:06:11.058 to automatically apply the $75 per month credit. When 01:06:11.068 --> 01:06:14.558 we prove with our driver's license, we're seniors or 01:06:14.568 --> 01:06:17.768 our doctors established, we're disabled. Thank you 01:06:17.779 --> 01:06:21.328 so much for letting me speak on all the groups that 01:06:21.339 --> 01:06:25.768 I volunteer and help and that's why I need my net to 01:06:25.779 --> 01:06:30.369 keep helping these underprivileged groups. Thank you 01:06:33.008 --> 01:06:36.539 Thank you for calling in today. Do we have our next 01:06:36.547 --> 01:06:39.779 caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment comes from 01:06:39.789 --> 01:06:43.397 Dennis o'flaherty. Your line is open. 01:06:43.397 --> 01:06:48.707 Uh Yes. My name is Dennis o'flaherty oflahe RT Y uh 01:06:48.719 --> 01:06:51.308 I'm an employee of the San Rose Junior College. I work 01:06:51.318 --> 01:06:56.008 in the IT department in 2017. I lost my residence to 01:06:56.018 --> 01:06:59.039 the fires and I had to relocate to my sister's residence 01:06:59.047 --> 01:07:02.678 on Sanford Road. When I got here. I was kind of shocked 01:07:02.688 --> 01:07:05.438 to discover that she did not have internet and the 01:07:05.448 --> 01:07:09.107 only available internet service was from AT&T for a 01:07:09.119 --> 01:07:12.698 maximum of six megabits per second download and one 01:07:12.707 --> 01:07:16.857 megabit up. Uh Since that time, the service has slightly 01:07:16.869 --> 01:07:20.878 improved but has not really improved much at all. So 01:07:21.058 --> 01:07:24.698 I wanted to say that many of us here who are uh 01:07:24.707 --> 01:07:27.498 speaking about issues were kind of an isolated area 01:07:27.508 --> 01:07:30.099 So we can't really congregate and form groups or committees 01:07:30.107 --> 01:07:33.628 or organizations where sort of single voices who are 01:07:33.638 --> 01:07:36.667 trying to reach out for government support to be able 01:07:36.678 --> 01:07:40.828 to come in and oversee these uh supervision of these 01:07:40.839 --> 01:07:44.388 internet services, most mostly which are monopolies 01:07:44.659 --> 01:07:48.839 and assist us in getting some improvement and including 01:07:48.849 --> 01:07:53.378 having a forum where we can go, that's in continued 01:07:53.388 --> 01:07:57.438 uh use where we can report the progress on their uh 01:07:57.448 --> 01:08:00.719 lack of progress or any kind of developments or services 01:08:01.039 --> 01:08:04.138 So that's the primary thing I wanted to say is that 01:08:04.147 --> 01:08:06.938 I've written many letters including to the White House 01:08:06.948 --> 01:08:09.808 And so far, the only uh response I've gotten was from 01:08:09.818 --> 01:08:13.647 the Department of Agriculture of all places. So I would 01:08:13.659 --> 01:08:15.917 like to see that these forums continue and they're 01:08:15.928 --> 01:08:18.797 not one off and people have the opportunity as single 01:08:18.808 --> 01:08:21.678 individuals to come together with government support 01:08:21.688 --> 01:08:24.558 so that they can provide the oversight and the incentives 01:08:24.568 --> 01:08:28.297 for these companies to improve the service. Thank you 01:08:31.968 --> 01:08:33.959 Thank you so much for calling in and sharing today 01:08:33.968 --> 01:08:37.959 Could we hear from our next commenter, please? Thank 01:08:37.968 --> 01:08:40.677 you. Our next comment comes from Delia Johnson. Your 01:08:40.689 --> 01:08:44.787 line is open. 01:08:44.787 --> 01:08:49.228 Good afternoon. Um Thank you. Um My name is Delia Deli 01:08:49.238 --> 01:08:58.579 A Johnson Johnson. I am, I live in Willowbrook, California 01:08:58.588 --> 01:09:02.648 which is a part of Los Angeles County. I'd like to 01:09:02.657 --> 01:09:06.248 know a couple of things. So mine are kind of questions 01:09:06.699 --> 01:09:10.468 Um There was a mention about the staff proposal that 01:09:10.478 --> 01:09:13.037 is supposed to be available so we could see what plan 01:09:13.047 --> 01:09:16.478 has already been drafted. So if that could be made 01:09:16.488 --> 01:09:18.569 available through the internet, we'd appreciate it 01:09:20.069 --> 01:09:24.119 So I've heard some wonderful suggestions and as far 01:09:24.128 --> 01:09:27.959 as accountability, ok, so what we really want is fiber 01:09:28.407 --> 01:09:32.907 because we are in an area that's underground and the 01:09:32.917 --> 01:09:35.848 wiring is underground and it's copper and it's rotting 01:09:35.978 --> 01:09:39.157 It's been in place for years. So fiber is where we 01:09:39.167 --> 01:09:43.968 are and where we want to be. I represent a non profit 01:09:44.888 --> 01:09:48.398 not a nonprofit, sorry, an informal community group 01:09:49.059 --> 01:09:51.968 and I hope many of them are on this call, but we 01:09:51.978 --> 01:09:55.069 will be trying to track this. So we'd like some advice 01:09:55.079 --> 01:09:58.709 on how to do this. Um Some of the things that have 01:09:58.718 --> 01:10:03.209 already been aired as far as a complaint, the accountability 01:10:03.218 --> 01:10:06.709 is essential. So in a a complaint center where people 01:10:06.718 --> 01:10:10.848 can lodge their concerns about what's going on. And 01:10:10.858 --> 01:10:15.008 then I heard also, you know, some reduction to accountability 01:10:15.018 --> 01:10:18.378 as relates to them losing funds if they're not living 01:10:18.388 --> 01:10:21.488 up to the standards that they made in their proposal 01:10:23.069 --> 01:10:26.069 I thank you for this opportunity and I look forward 01:10:26.079 --> 01:10:29.268 to hearing the follow up activities that are going 01:10:29.277 --> 01:10:32.369 to take place with this commission. 01:10:32.369 --> 01:10:35.248 Thank you. 01:10:35.248 --> 01:10:38.358 Thank you so much for calling in today. If I could 01:10:38.369 --> 01:10:42.498 just remind members of the public who are interested 01:10:42.508 --> 01:10:45.369 in reading the staff proposal if you can go to the 01:10:45.378 --> 01:10:51.638 commission's website and uh uh and particularly go 01:10:51.648 --> 01:10:56.998 to the docket card. Um You will then be able to type 01:10:57.008 --> 01:11:01.888 in the proceeding number for this proceeding and get 01:11:01.898 --> 01:11:05.838 access to the staff report. Our proceeding number again 01:11:05.848 --> 01:11:16.598 is R 23 dash 02-016. 01:11:16.598 --> 01:11:20.608 We please hear from our next comment. Thank you. Our 01:11:20.619 --> 01:11:23.037 next comment comes from Matthew Hanley. Your line is 01:11:23.047 --> 01:11:28.369 open. 01:11:28.369 --> 01:11:34.787 Hello, this is Matthew Hanley. Matt M att Hewhanley 01:11:34.797 --> 01:11:38.569 and I am a resident of Anderson, California and uh 01:11:38.579 --> 01:11:42.098 a cybersecurity analyst by profession. I'm calling 01:11:42.108 --> 01:11:46.858 in order to give comments in regards to the um monopolistic 01:11:46.869 --> 01:11:50.108 tendencies of the companies that represent I uh that 01:11:50.119 --> 01:11:54.898 are internet service providers. The companies unfortunately 01:11:54.907 --> 01:12:00.638 are not interested in providing great service or capabilities 01:12:00.648 --> 01:12:05.777 to their customers. Their ultimate incentive is to 01:12:05.787 --> 01:12:08.238 increase their profit sharing or increase their profit 01:12:08.248 --> 01:12:12.547 baseline. Therefore, it is not realistic to assume 01:12:12.559 --> 01:12:17.478 that giving money to these companies will be as utilized 01:12:17.488 --> 01:12:21.559 as effective as it could be in terms of reaching the 01:12:21.569 --> 01:12:24.959 ultimate goal which is reaching customers and uh persons 01:12:24.968 --> 01:12:30.277 that are at risk or not able to access these services 01:12:30.709 --> 01:12:35.898 So it is highly recommended that any funds be distributed 01:12:35.907 --> 01:12:41.309 for um uh with, with all capability to ensure accountability 01:12:41.319 --> 01:12:45.598 of, of this or the ability to deregulate or to regulate 01:12:45.608 --> 01:12:49.699 these uh companies in a way. So they may be changed 01:12:49.709 --> 01:12:54.329 to public utilities or introducing competition. But 01:12:54.338 --> 01:12:57.258 currently the standing is that is not capable for them 01:12:57.268 --> 01:13:00.869 to be um anything other than interested in their own 01:13:00.878 --> 01:13:04.547 profits. Uh The greatest way to accomplish this would 01:13:04.559 --> 01:13:08.858 be public regulation of these companies in terms of 01:13:08.869 --> 01:13:13.329 what to expand fiber optic cable is the definitive 01:13:13.338 --> 01:13:16.939 technology for ensuring cybersecurity distance of transmission 01:13:17.177 --> 01:13:20.329 capacity for scale future expansion, support, maintenance 01:13:20.338 --> 01:13:23.988 and stability. There simply isn't much in the market 01:13:23.998 --> 01:13:26.978 that even comes close. If you need something to go 01:13:26.988 --> 01:13:32.157 over 10,000 kilometers to a further uh space, there's 01:13:32.167 --> 01:13:36.268 only one technology that can accomplish that. In addition 01:13:36.277 --> 01:13:38.809 I'd like to second all of the information provided 01:13:38.819 --> 01:13:42.338 by the think tank earlier in this call. Uh un evaluated 01:13:42.348 --> 01:13:45.268 health concerns are an issue. Thank you for your time 01:13:47.248 --> 01:13:49.738 Thank you so much for calling in and for that feedback 01:13:49.748 --> 01:13:54.478 Could we please have our next caller? Thank you. Our 01:13:54.488 --> 01:13:59.699 next comment comes from Tim Wu your line is open. 01:13:59.699 --> 01:14:02.537 Hello, panel. Hello everybody. My name is Tim Vu, that's 01:14:02.547 --> 01:14:06.468 Tim. And then last name is Vu Victor, uh V as in 01:14:06.478 --> 01:14:09.689 Victor, U as in uniform. And uh I'm here representing 01:14:09.699 --> 01:14:13.329 my company, uh deeply human and you know, we're just 01:14:13.338 --> 01:14:16.369 not innovators in the A I space. But we hope to be 01:14:16.378 --> 01:14:19.959 frontrunners of, you know, just this commitment to 01:14:20.329 --> 01:14:23.348 universal access for, you know, of the internet. And 01:14:23.358 --> 01:14:25.748 we really believe that, you know, this progress that 01:14:25.758 --> 01:14:29.287 we all see, it should lift up everybody. And, you know 01:14:29.297 --> 01:14:32.657 our mission is really just to be proactive in our pledge 01:14:32.667 --> 01:14:35.547 to kind of ensure that communities are not left behind 01:14:35.559 --> 01:14:39.167 in this imminent A I revolution, right? So, like, you 01:14:39.177 --> 01:14:41.988 know, the first caller, uh she was just mentioning 01:14:41.998 --> 01:14:46.888 her own story and, you know, it really kind of um touched 01:14:46.898 --> 01:14:50.138 on our vision of the future where, you know, a lot 01:14:50.148 --> 01:14:54.167 of these underrepresented communities become the thriving 01:14:54.177 --> 01:14:57.287 hub of talent. You know, we we recognize that everybody 01:14:57.297 --> 01:15:00.768 needs fiber, right? You know, just for near and long 01:15:00.777 --> 01:15:04.018 term growth. And you know, even here in the heart of 01:15:04.027 --> 01:15:06.199 Silicon Valley, up here in Northern California, we're 01:15:06.209 --> 01:15:10.157 witnessing like gaps in high speed internet and connectivity 01:15:10.547 --> 01:15:13.518 You know, there's a major need to train people as somebody 01:15:13.527 --> 01:15:16.768 had said earlier to grow this fiber network and the 01:15:16.777 --> 01:15:19.138 infrastructure. You know, there are, you know, we just 01:15:19.148 --> 01:15:21.709 don't have that conversation. I think we need to start 01:15:21.718 --> 01:15:24.699 pushing that. Like personally, for me, I'm experiencing 01:15:24.709 --> 01:15:28.008 you know, 75 megabits download speed in my neighborhood 01:15:28.488 --> 01:15:31.338 in a household of five and without, you know, kind 01:15:31.348 --> 01:15:34.459 of waxing internet lingo, you know, the struggle is 01:15:34.468 --> 01:15:39.128 absolutely real and you know, just imagine larger families 01:15:39.138 --> 01:15:41.848 or communities under one roof experiencing this daily 01:15:41.858 --> 01:15:44.459 It's, you know, really not about convenience, it's 01:15:44.468 --> 01:15:48.148 about unlocking the full potential of a person in this 01:15:48.157 --> 01:15:50.748 digital age. And, you know, we live in this great state 01:15:50.758 --> 01:15:53.338 and, you know, we kind of wonder are we collectively 01:15:53.348 --> 01:15:57.297 falling behind some countries who have fewer resources 01:15:57.309 --> 01:15:59.998 in both human capital and funding because we don't 01:16:00.008 --> 01:16:02.927 have this internet. You know, I encourage AT&T and 01:16:02.939 --> 01:16:05.819 other telecom companies to start along for benefits 01:16:05.829 --> 01:16:09.518 And I just want to end this uh discussion with or on 01:16:09.527 --> 01:16:11.619 my part. At least, you know, in the words of Helen 01:16:11.628 --> 01:16:15.657 Keller alone, we can do so little together, we can 01:16:15.667 --> 01:16:19.027 do so much. And I thank you for your time and consideration 01:16:19.037 --> 01:16:21.959 in joining us on this crucial endeavor. Thank you. 01:16:24.119 --> 01:16:26.417 Thank you so much for sharing your time today. Could 01:16:26.427 --> 01:16:29.888 we have our next commenter, please? Yes, thank you 01:16:29.898 --> 01:16:33.138 Our next comment comes from Tim Aer. Your line is open 01:16:34.527 --> 01:16:36.988 Hello, judge. Hello, commissioners. My name is Tim 01:16:36.998 --> 01:16:40.608 Alborn spelled T I MA lb as in boy, org as in 01:16:40.619 --> 01:16:43.498 girl. I am the Director of Government Affairs at the 01:16:43.508 --> 01:16:46.699 National Nonprofit Education Super Highway. And our 01:16:46.709 --> 01:16:49.098 mission is to close the digital divide and level the 01:16:49.108 --> 01:16:52.388 playing field of opportunity for every American, you 01:16:52.398 --> 01:16:54.787 know, education superhighway. We began our mission 01:16:54.797 --> 01:16:58.968 back in 2013 by closing the K through 12 public school 01:16:58.978 --> 01:17:01.829 digital divide and ensuring that every student had 01:17:01.838 --> 01:17:05.249 access to educational opportunity. Today, the classroom 01:17:05.259 --> 01:17:08.598 connectivity gap is closed. We have 47 million students 01:17:08.608 --> 01:17:13.759 that are connected and uh 99.3% of Americans uh schools 01:17:13.769 --> 01:17:16.717 have a high speed broadband internet connection. Now 01:17:16.727 --> 01:17:18.717 with the onset of the pandemic, we realized that we 01:17:18.727 --> 01:17:22.128 couldn't stop there. And without broadband at home 01:17:22.138 --> 01:17:24.967 you know, lots of households are shut out of economic 01:17:24.977 --> 01:17:28.009 security and opportunity. So in March 2020 we launched 01:17:28.019 --> 01:17:30.848 a new mission to close the digital divide for the 17 01:17:30.858 --> 01:17:33.269 million households that are offline because they can't 01:17:33.279 --> 01:17:36.529 afford a home internet connection. So I'm here today 01:17:36.539 --> 01:17:39.898 to respectfully request that there's a prioritization 01:17:40.207 --> 01:17:44.207 of multifamily dwelling units or MD and low income 01:17:44.217 --> 01:17:47.687 communities as really a critical component of California's 01:17:47.697 --> 01:17:51.789 speed plan, you know, one out of every four disconnected 01:17:51.799 --> 01:17:55.308 households in California lives in an MD. So we urged 01:17:55.318 --> 01:17:59.808 the CPU to update its beat initial proposal draft that 01:17:59.818 --> 01:18:05.108 just came out to include the NTA MD model challenge 01:18:05.119 --> 01:18:08.707 module in its beat plan. With the modification that 01:18:08.717 --> 01:18:11.977 an MD challenge is initiated by the challenge of three 01:18:11.987 --> 01:18:15.668 MD units or 10% of the building, whichever is smaller 01:18:16.269 --> 01:18:20.838 Also frants optional module two, modify the classification 01:18:20.848 --> 01:18:25.227 of DS L locations from underserved to unserved, include 01:18:25.237 --> 01:18:28.128 a module on cellular license to fix wireless served 01:18:28.138 --> 01:18:31.987 locations and reclassify them as unserved and finally 01:18:31.999 --> 01:18:35.088 expand the state's definition of community anchor institutions 01:18:35.098 --> 01:18:38.428 to include and excuse me to include public housing 01:18:38.789 --> 01:18:41.237 and low income communities, which is currently being 01:18:41.249 --> 01:18:44.019 considered by the CPUC. That definition of low income 01:18:44.029 --> 01:18:47.437 communities education superhighway stands ready with 01:18:47.447 --> 01:18:50.549 our pro bono support for the CPUC in developing and 01:18:50.558 --> 01:18:52.759 implementing these recommendations. I want to thank 01:18:52.769 --> 01:18:55.039 you so much for your consideration and service to the 01:18:55.049 --> 01:18:59.029 most unconnected in our state. 01:18:59.029 --> 01:19:01.178 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 01:19:01.187 --> 01:19:05.138 our next commenter, please? Yes, thank you. Our next 01:19:05.148 --> 01:19:08.058 comment comes from Deborah. I'm sorry, Deborah Tle 01:19:08.068 --> 01:19:13.928 your line is open. 01:19:13.928 --> 01:19:18.308 Yes, I'm Deborah Tyndall. My name is spelled Deborah 01:19:18.638 --> 01:19:25.289 Last name is Tyndall. I am a disabled person with a 01:19:26.519 --> 01:19:29.779 um I would say critically low income. I get roughly 01:19:29.789 --> 01:19:33.737 $800 a month from social security and I have been permanently 01:19:33.749 --> 01:19:37.808 disabled since 2001. So for all the other people like 01:19:37.818 --> 01:19:40.058 me who have been speaking, I'd just like to say that 01:19:40.648 --> 01:19:46.019 monopolies don't have to think about us at all. We 01:19:46.029 --> 01:19:51.549 are completely disregarded in their search for funds 01:19:51.918 --> 01:19:54.937 They don't care about making anything affordable or 01:19:54.947 --> 01:20:00.187 available to anybody like me. I have had AT&T for my 01:20:00.197 --> 01:20:03.428 internet for about six years. I live in hud housing 01:20:04.049 --> 01:20:07.168 and my internet has cost me $10 a month because I am 01:20:07.178 --> 01:20:11.898 on an access program since I tried to get a home phone 01:20:11.908 --> 01:20:17.539 through AT&T. They have been harassing me at least 01:20:17.549 --> 01:20:20.197 every month. I get a bill from them for something when 01:20:20.207 --> 01:20:24.098 I don't have anything other than my access and I do 01:20:24.108 --> 01:20:27.009 not have a phone through AT&T because they lied about 01:20:27.019 --> 01:20:30.437 that as well. I tried to get a home line so that 01:20:30.447 --> 01:20:33.588 in case of a fire, I live in Auburn, California. Lots 01:20:33.598 --> 01:20:37.678 of trees, fires everywhere. I'm trying to make this 01:20:37.687 --> 01:20:42.838 short and they told me that the phone would be $30 01:20:42.848 --> 01:20:46.119 a month. It ended up being $58 a month. They didn't 01:20:46.128 --> 01:20:48.467 send me a phone, they didn't send me a phone number 01:20:48.477 --> 01:20:52.078 to use and they still billed me in one month. They 01:20:52.088 --> 01:20:56.009 took more than $300 out of my checking account to pay 01:20:56.019 --> 01:21:00.009 for my phone service that I didn't have because they 01:21:00.019 --> 01:21:03.848 never told me what I needed. And I put PG and E 01:21:03.858 --> 01:21:07.338 in the same bracket because they have no way for me 01:21:07.348 --> 01:21:13.158 to keep my bill in check as a low income person when 01:21:13.168 --> 01:21:17.957 you're living on roughly $800 a month for utilities 01:21:17.967 --> 01:21:23.869 food and all the other things that go along. It's insane 01:21:23.878 --> 01:21:28.078 that we do not have enough 01:21:28.078 --> 01:21:34.078 persons looking out for low income, disabled individuals 01:21:34.957 --> 01:21:37.098 That's my comment and that's what I'd like you to talk 01:21:37.108 --> 01:21:39.717 about and talk about in your meetings. Thank you very 01:21:39.727 --> 01:21:44.467 much. Bye. 01:21:44.467 --> 01:21:48.999 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 01:21:49.009 --> 01:21:52.838 our next commenter, please? Yes, thank you. Our next 01:21:52.848 --> 01:21:55.789 comment comes from Robert Lighted. Your line is open 01:21:57.098 --> 01:21:59.869 Thank you. Can you hear me? 01:21:59.869 --> 01:22:03.249 Yes, we can, please continue. Ok. Robert Leage. Last 01:22:03.259 --> 01:22:11.128 name Le Id. Igh. Currently a resident in Davis, California 01:22:11.138 --> 01:22:14.947 but purchased a home in Woodland. And in the process 01:22:14.957 --> 01:22:20.158 of relocating there, the prior owner had at and T fiber 01:22:20.168 --> 01:22:22.737 optic, the house isn't that old and the neighborhood's 01:22:22.749 --> 01:22:29.068 wired for it. So I signed up for fiber optic internet 01:22:29.558 --> 01:22:33.029 Uh, when they discovered that the service at Oregon 01:22:33.039 --> 01:22:35.058 connected to the home, they said great. We'll send 01:22:35.068 --> 01:22:37.588 you a modem. We don't have to come out and do anything 01:22:37.598 --> 01:22:40.838 We'll just send you this modem plug and play. Well 01:22:40.848 --> 01:22:43.668 that didn't work out. Well, there's no plug to plug 01:22:43.678 --> 01:22:47.888 into. There's wires in a box inside the house. Their 01:22:47.898 --> 01:22:50.388 service arrives on the opposite side of the house, 01:22:50.398 --> 01:22:56.009 on the external wall. I spent three uh sessions on 01:22:56.019 --> 01:22:59.197 the phone with various people trying to get someone 01:22:59.207 --> 01:23:02.068 to come out and properly orient the service because 01:23:02.078 --> 01:23:04.148 the only way I can get any at all is on the 01:23:04.158 --> 01:23:07.818 bedroom floor which doesn't serve the portions of the 01:23:07.828 --> 01:23:13.378 house that most need the Wi Fi. And each time I was 01:23:13.388 --> 01:23:17.687 given a two hour window, no one showed no one called 01:23:18.558 --> 01:23:21.947 They have been ghosted three times 01:23:21.947 --> 01:23:26.717 and still no proper service location because whoever 01:23:26.727 --> 01:23:30.207 had the service before wired some things in a weird 01:23:30.217 --> 01:23:35.598 way and there is no place to plug and play. Uh So 01:23:35.608 --> 01:23:38.858 my comment is that, you know, it's all good to talk 01:23:38.869 --> 01:23:41.558 about. Oh, let's run this fiber optic here and there 01:23:41.568 --> 01:23:44.918 and life would be great. Not so they don't care about 01:23:44.928 --> 01:23:47.808 customers, they don't want to serve customers. Uh, 01:23:47.818 --> 01:23:50.398 and I agree with the kinds of comments I've been hearing 01:23:50.408 --> 01:23:53.269 while I've been waiting to speak, but uh they just 01:23:53.279 --> 01:23:56.727 want to take your money and run. So there definitely 01:23:56.737 --> 01:24:01.039 needs to be a lot of thought put into how you're going 01:24:01.049 --> 01:24:05.967 to regulate this and require and enforce the providers 01:24:05.977 --> 01:24:10.529 being responsible to give the service that people are 01:24:10.539 --> 01:24:15.509 paying for. Thank you. 01:24:15.509 --> 01:24:18.418 Thank you so much for calling in and sharing today 01:24:18.428 --> 01:24:21.878 Could we have our next commenter, please? Yes, thank 01:24:21.888 --> 01:24:25.088 you. Our next comment comes from Knox White. Your line 01:24:25.098 --> 01:24:31.818 is open. 01:24:31.818 --> 01:24:35.259 Hello, can you hear me? Yes, we can please continue 01:24:36.128 --> 01:24:39.697 Oh, wow, thanks. I tried before and then great irony 01:24:39.707 --> 01:24:42.148 of this conference call about communication. I got 01:24:42.158 --> 01:24:45.818 cut off. Um, I had a couple of things to say. Uh 01:24:45.828 --> 01:24:50.509 initially my, my primary and I've heard so many things 01:24:50.519 --> 01:24:54.697 with which I agree that the uh whoever is awarded these 01:24:54.707 --> 01:24:57.808 contracts needs to be, I mean, a shortcut is to make 01:24:57.818 --> 01:25:01.369 sure that it employs a union workforce. I also agree 01:25:01.378 --> 01:25:03.937 that these providers should be treated as a public 01:25:03.947 --> 01:25:07.019 utility or through some other mechanism, mechanism 01:25:07.029 --> 01:25:10.638 regulated in order to address all of the, you know 01:25:10.977 --> 01:25:13.078 tragic tales we've been hearing about people being 01:25:13.088 --> 01:25:16.509 wrongly billed and, and getting crappy service. So 01:25:16.717 --> 01:25:19.908 by the way, am I speaking too? Quickly. 01:25:19.908 --> 01:25:25.707 Uh, I think we're hearing you fine, sir. Ok. Um, well 01:25:25.717 --> 01:25:28.799 in light of the fact that these uh, resources are being 01:25:28.808 --> 01:25:31.428 uh supplemented and funded as a public good, it should 01:25:31.437 --> 01:25:34.869 be subject to some form of regulation, either treat 01:25:34.878 --> 01:25:37.799 them as a public utility or just regulate the private 01:25:37.808 --> 01:25:41.039 providers because Lord knows they're making, you know 01:25:41.058 --> 01:25:46.119 the profits and they have been for decades 01:25:46.119 --> 01:25:49.237 and then the final thing. But, and, and as long as 01:25:49.249 --> 01:25:51.858 we're talking about quality, you know, like, like just 01:25:51.869 --> 01:25:54.499 about everybody hasn't actually mentioned the sort 01:25:54.509 --> 01:25:58.217 of things we're subject to as internet users. And this 01:25:58.227 --> 01:26:01.918 is really what I'm hoping can somehow be addressed 01:26:01.928 --> 01:26:04.697 as long as we're going about the process of running 01:26:04.707 --> 01:26:08.148 fiber. I also, I strongly support fiber. It's a better 01:26:08.158 --> 01:26:11.457 technology, it's less, there's a lot less risk. I know 01:26:11.467 --> 01:26:15.477 that there's a more upfront difficulties in establishing 01:26:15.487 --> 01:26:19.318 these networks securely and redundancy, which, you 01:26:19.328 --> 01:26:21.227 know, used to not be a problem with DS L, you just 01:26:21.237 --> 01:26:23.289 go to another pair of copper. But I know that it's 01:26:23.299 --> 01:26:26.858 got that it takes more to run it, but once it's run 01:26:26.869 --> 01:26:29.828 it is such a superior thing. And I also agree that 01:26:29.838 --> 01:26:32.987 there should be uh and maybe funded through this program 01:26:32.999 --> 01:26:36.467 through the beep program. Uh some robust research about 01:26:36.477 --> 01:26:40.249 what the all of our collective exposure to microwaves 01:26:40.259 --> 01:26:43.299 means in terms of a long term health because I agree 01:26:43.308 --> 01:26:45.628 that with the profits being so obscene. Everybody's 01:26:45.638 --> 01:26:48.398 just in this heedless effort to because we all get 01:26:48.408 --> 01:26:51.388 Amazon, we get all these benefits from internet ubiquity 01:26:51.947 --> 01:26:54.869 But the truth is nobody ever stopped to pause and say 01:26:54.878 --> 01:26:57.558 what is the downside? And this brings me to my final 01:26:57.568 --> 01:26:59.769 point. 01:26:59.769 --> 01:27:03.447 The internet has been a net benefit in so many ways 01:27:03.457 --> 01:27:06.628 But at no point, has there been any dialogue about 01:27:06.638 --> 01:27:09.869 how to make the comments on the internet, the traffic 01:27:09.878 --> 01:27:13.259 of the internet, especially in social media, truthful 01:27:13.999 --> 01:27:16.358 As long as we're going about feeding this into all 01:27:16.369 --> 01:27:18.628 these households, it seems like there should be at 01:27:18.638 --> 01:27:25.217 least as robust a dialogue into household, how to hold 01:27:25.227 --> 01:27:29.457 bad actors like I don't know, Alex Cox or, or whatever 01:27:29.467 --> 01:27:33.578 uh culpable for not Alex Cox. Uh but the culpable for 01:27:33.697 --> 01:27:36.588 spreading falsehood on the internet. And also there 01:27:36.598 --> 01:27:40.237 should be some way, some way to prevent access to all 01:27:40.249 --> 01:27:43.019 of the spam calls and email spam that we're subjected 01:27:43.029 --> 01:27:45.378 to and it's such a time waste. But I'm pretty sure 01:27:45.388 --> 01:27:47.437 all of us that have been on this call. Thanks so much 01:27:47.447 --> 01:27:51.428 for hearing my comments. 01:27:51.428 --> 01:27:54.628 Thank you so much for calling and share. Uh Before 01:27:54.638 --> 01:28:01.467 continuing, I just want to mention to some um some 01:28:01.477 --> 01:28:05.108 of the uh folks who have been calling in with billing 01:28:05.119 --> 01:28:10.977 questions, uh you can um contact our Consumer Affairs 01:28:10.987 --> 01:28:14.408 Branch and there's a couple of ways to do that. One 01:28:14.418 --> 01:28:19.398 is by calling during uh the normal business hours which 01:28:19.408 --> 01:28:29.398 is 830 to 430. That number is 1 800 6497570. You can 01:28:29.408 --> 01:28:33.957 also reach the Consumer Affairs branch by email. That's 01:28:33.967 --> 01:28:43.818 Consumer Affairs at cpuc.ca.gov. We please hear from 01:28:43.828 --> 01:28:46.529 our next caller. 01:28:46.529 --> 01:28:49.568 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Tim ST your 01:28:49.578 --> 01:28:52.098 line is open. 01:28:52.098 --> 01:28:57.437 Ok. Hi, good afternoon. My name is Tim Steed. T I MST 01:28:57.598 --> 01:29:00.658 EED. I'm the assistant general manager at the Orange 01:29:00.668 --> 01:29:04.158 County Employees Association. We're a labor union that 01:29:04.168 --> 01:29:07.769 represents over 18,000 public sector workers in the 01:29:07.779 --> 01:29:11.828 County of Orange, uh various cities, special districts 01:29:12.148 --> 01:29:16.269 And at O ce A, we know for sure that our democracy 01:29:16.279 --> 01:29:20.259 sacred mission is to protect and empower everyone equally 01:29:20.398 --> 01:29:24.098 by the provision of public resources or what we call 01:29:24.108 --> 01:29:28.308 the public. The public certainly shouldn't be engaged 01:29:28.318 --> 01:29:31.279 in a race to the bottom. And our concern is making 01:29:31.289 --> 01:29:34.519 sure that this program that is funded with amazing 01:29:34.529 --> 01:29:38.898 public dollars is invested in good jobs with quality 01:29:38.908 --> 01:29:44.957 service too often. We see workers left behind or working 01:29:44.967 --> 01:29:48.217 in an environment where they're not directly employed 01:29:48.227 --> 01:29:51.158 workforce have no proper training programs for the 01:29:51.168 --> 01:29:56.088 workers and, and they don't provide the same type of 01:29:56.098 --> 01:30:00.299 safety training that a good union job can provide as 01:30:00.308 --> 01:30:04.369 public sector workers. Too often. We see what the digital 01:30:04.378 --> 01:30:08.178 divide can do what it means. Families getting access 01:30:08.187 --> 01:30:11.967 to the quality services that they need. So as this 01:30:11.977 --> 01:30:16.259 commission does its due diligence, one Thank you for 01:30:16.269 --> 01:30:19.717 all of your public service everyone, but also be sure 01:30:19.727 --> 01:30:23.299 that we invest in good jobs and invest in our community 01:30:23.308 --> 01:30:26.619 Thank you. 01:30:26.619 --> 01:30:28.999 Thank you so much for taking the time to call in today 01:30:29.058 --> 01:30:32.717 Could we have our next commenter, please? Yes, thank 01:30:32.727 --> 01:30:36.029 you. Our next comment comes from Carrie Biggs Adams 01:30:36.039 --> 01:30:45.418 Your line is open. Thank you. Um I name is Carrie Carriebiggs 01:30:45.428 --> 01:30:53.457 dash ad am si live in mckellum, Knee Hill, Mokelumne 01:30:53.467 --> 01:30:57.328 Hill, uh in Calaveras County. I'm in the foothills 01:30:57.338 --> 01:31:01.428 and I am very much in favor of broadband coming all 01:31:01.437 --> 01:31:05.447 the way to my house. I have no choices. I spent six 01:31:05.457 --> 01:31:08.908 months when I built my house just trying to get any 01:31:08.918 --> 01:31:12.509 form of internet to be able to work from home or build 01:31:12.529 --> 01:31:16.009 uh be able to work from my house. So I've ended up 01:31:16.019 --> 01:31:20.088 with the fixed wireless products and it's pretty scary 01:31:20.098 --> 01:31:22.828 to hear people's fears of the microwaves and that's 01:31:22.838 --> 01:31:26.039 the only way that I can connect to the world. Um um 01:31:26.249 --> 01:31:29.467 a community that has a road right to it, but I don't 01:31:29.477 --> 01:31:33.029 have much in the way of service. So while we're putting 01:31:33.039 --> 01:31:36.158 all of this money into broadband funding, I hope that 01:31:36.168 --> 01:31:39.848 it will create good jobs for Californians and that 01:31:39.858 --> 01:31:42.828 these will be good union jobs. I'm a union member. 01:31:43.178 --> 01:31:46.779 I know that without a union on the job, bosses can 01:31:46.789 --> 01:31:49.707 cut corners. Worker safety can be at risk. I heard 01:31:49.717 --> 01:31:53.237 someone mention that horrendous gas line explosion 01:31:53.249 --> 01:31:55.697 in San Francisco. I was living there at the time. It 01:31:55.707 --> 01:31:58.999 was a terrifying experience and I know that those were 01:31:59.009 --> 01:32:01.957 contractors who were not fully trained and fully aware 01:32:01.967 --> 01:32:05.039 of what they were doing. So I'd like to see that the 01:32:05.049 --> 01:32:08.947 digital divide be closed, the good labor standards 01:32:08.957 --> 01:32:13.588 be enforced with good employers to get broadband all 01:32:13.598 --> 01:32:16.447 the way to our houses. It would be fabulous to have 01:32:16.457 --> 01:32:21.227 fiber. Thank you so much. 01:32:21.227 --> 01:32:23.487 Thank you so much for calling in today to share your 01:32:23.499 --> 01:32:27.608 experiences. Could we have our next commenter, please 01:32:34.207 --> 01:32:39.529 Fabulous to have fiber. Thank you so much. 01:32:39.529 --> 01:32:42.128 Thank you. Thank you. Our next commenter comes from 01:32:42.138 --> 01:32:52.598 Lily Hill. Your line is open, 01:32:52.598 --> 01:32:56.977 Lily, your line is open. 01:32:56.977 --> 01:33:06.967 Please hit your mute button. 01:33:06.967 --> 01:33:09.249 Lily, your, your line is open. Can you please get your 01:33:09.259 --> 01:33:13.808 mute button? Hi. Hello. Thank you. Yes, we can hear 01:33:13.818 --> 01:33:18.937 you, please. Oh, good. Thank you so much. Um My name 01:33:18.947 --> 01:33:24.779 is Lily Ho. I am um I'm the founder of Delta Chinatown 01:33:24.789 --> 01:33:30.937 initiative and 01:33:30.937 --> 01:33:36.428 oh, and I'm sorry, I'm distracted by where? Um and 01:33:36.437 --> 01:33:40.088 we're a nonprofit. We actually started by putting up 01:33:40.098 --> 01:33:43.457 security cameras in Chinatown, San Francisco. And I 01:33:43.467 --> 01:33:49.928 found that the Wi Fi the internet um rates were not 01:33:50.418 --> 01:33:54.058 strong enough to support a P OS system and a security 01:33:54.068 --> 01:33:57.588 camera. At the same time. Since then, I have met with 01:33:57.598 --> 01:34:01.848 all of the ist providers at and T Comcast Monkey Brains 01:34:02.658 --> 01:34:06.767 to see what the problem is. And frankly, the infrastructure 01:34:06.778 --> 01:34:11.439 was never built in San Francisco's Chinatown. The neighborhood 01:34:11.448 --> 01:34:17.847 is running on DS L speeds, uh dial up speeds. And um 01:34:18.238 --> 01:34:20.619 I know there was a caller that called in earlier that 01:34:20.899 --> 01:34:25.408 was, you know, speaking to China Town, but I am actually 01:34:25.419 --> 01:34:28.198 the only community based organization. I am the only 01:34:28.209 --> 01:34:31.408 nonprofit that's working on this issue. Um I hope that 01:34:31.419 --> 01:34:36.209 when you are writing out um how you plan to do, you 01:34:36.218 --> 01:34:38.879 know, give out these grabs that you would make room 01:34:38.888 --> 01:34:43.488 for organizations like myself. Um And not just to say 01:34:43.497 --> 01:34:46.468 you know, the city of San Francisco, they haven't done 01:34:46.479 --> 01:34:49.888 anything, they really have never done anything for 01:34:49.899 --> 01:34:53.798 the community when it comes to um putting in faster 01:34:53.807 --> 01:34:57.068 internet. Um I think there were some experiments here 01:34:57.077 --> 01:34:59.787 and there, but there's really been no long term sustainable 01:34:59.798 --> 01:35:04.629 solution, but I am working on that and um and I hope 01:35:04.638 --> 01:35:09.678 that you make room for organizations like myself um 01:35:09.689 --> 01:35:14.318 to be able to apply for these grants that are critical 01:35:14.468 --> 01:35:18.399 um to a small tiny organization like myself. Um So 01:35:18.408 --> 01:35:21.718 thank you very much for your time. 01:35:21.718 --> 01:35:24.088 Thank you so much for your time today. Could we have 01:35:24.097 --> 01:35:28.119 our next commenter, please? Yes, thank you. Our next 01:35:28.129 --> 01:35:31.358 comment comes from Anna Rayner. Your line is open. 01:35:35.347 --> 01:35:40.988 I like I um thank you very much for your time. 01:35:40.988 --> 01:35:43.428 Thank you so much for your time today. Could you have 01:35:43.439 --> 01:35:47.307 our next calendar, please. Yes, Anna, your line is 01:35:47.318 --> 01:35:50.129 open 01:35:50.129 --> 01:35:54.517 is open. 01:35:54.517 --> 01:36:00.307 Hi there. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Hi. Um uh 01:36:00.318 --> 01:36:06.358 my name is Anna Rainer. A NN A Rayner ran. Er I 01:36:06.369 --> 01:36:11.008 live in Los Angeles County in a town called Tahana 01:36:11.327 --> 01:36:15.077 in the foothills of the Verdugo mountains. Uh My cell 01:36:15.088 --> 01:36:19.847 phone carrier is AT&T my landline and my internet connection 01:36:19.858 --> 01:36:23.209 is with frontier. 01:36:23.209 --> 01:36:26.959 I don't get very good cell phone reception a lot of 01:36:26.968 --> 01:36:29.919 the time, which is one of the reasons why I kept my 01:36:29.928 --> 01:36:35.189 landline. My landline is also supposed to be used in 01:36:35.198 --> 01:36:40.108 cases of emergency. I wanted to get an upgrade to the 01:36:40.119 --> 01:36:43.088 five G fiber optic cable. I thought it was the most 01:36:43.097 --> 01:36:47.119 fabulous thing in the world. And then I found out that 01:36:47.129 --> 01:36:50.649 I will no longer have this emergency landline that 01:36:50.658 --> 01:36:56.097 I keep for that purpose and that the company Frontier 01:36:56.108 --> 01:37:01.327 would not provide a battery backup system that I could 01:37:01.338 --> 01:37:06.557 use on the new landline system so that I could make 01:37:06.568 --> 01:37:11.577 emergency calls in case of a blackout. 01:37:11.577 --> 01:37:14.899 They called and they call several times and they've 01:37:14.908 --> 01:37:18.428 called and called and one person was telling me that 01:37:18.439 --> 01:37:21.158 they've corrected that problem, but they did not say 01:37:21.169 --> 01:37:25.479 how later on I got letters from them threatening me 01:37:25.488 --> 01:37:29.698 that if I do not go with the fiber optic system, that 01:37:29.709 --> 01:37:32.968 it will cost me exorbitant amounts of money to keep 01:37:32.979 --> 01:37:36.629 the old system. Now, 01:37:36.629 --> 01:37:40.488 I'm kind of going what the heck is going on here? They 01:37:40.497 --> 01:37:44.267 can't provide me with a plain old telephone system 01:37:44.278 --> 01:37:48.669 which is what we've always had. And at the same time 01:37:48.678 --> 01:37:52.008 they're kind of forcing me to change and they're not 01:37:52.017 --> 01:37:56.497 giving me information on how to keep the, the services 01:37:56.508 --> 01:38:02.097 that I already have. This is making me upset and angry 01:38:02.108 --> 01:38:06.479 and I'm complaining formally to you in this call. Thank 01:38:06.488 --> 01:38:09.689 you very much. 01:38:09.689 --> 01:38:13.119 Thank you for calling in to share your experiences 01:38:13.419 --> 01:38:15.807 Um because this has happened a couple of times, I just 01:38:15.818 --> 01:38:21.798 want to mention to folks who are watching uh this proce 01:38:22.258 --> 01:38:27.158 on the live video feed on our website. But also calling 01:38:27.169 --> 01:38:34.138 in to please remember to mute your um your computer 01:38:34.428 --> 01:38:37.758 um when you're called on so that there's no feedback 01:38:37.767 --> 01:38:41.689 there. Thank you so much. Could we have our next commenter 01:38:41.698 --> 01:38:45.287 please? Yes, thank you. Our next comment comes from 01:38:45.298 --> 01:38:49.017 Tom Fuller. Your line is open. 01:38:49.017 --> 01:38:52.968 So co commissioner is, is this the same pool of money 01:38:52.979 --> 01:38:55.678 that Caltrans is, is trying to construct with right 01:38:55.689 --> 01:39:00.899 now? 01:39:00.899 --> 01:39:04.597 Hello, uh commissioner. Do you want to answer that 01:39:04.608 --> 01:39:08.278 or do you want me to uh why, why don't you go 01:39:08.287 --> 01:39:12.669 ahead and maybe remind that we're here to, to hear 01:39:12.678 --> 01:39:18.658 the comments. Yeah, but this is, this is not the um 01:39:18.807 --> 01:39:22.318 not the middle mild funding that this is for new federal 01:39:22.327 --> 01:39:26.318 funding that uh we were awarded last, that the state 01:39:26.327 --> 01:39:30.758 was awarded last um last fall or last summer? Sorry 01:39:32.238 --> 01:39:36.528 So this is ok, this is a different pot of money to 01:39:36.537 --> 01:39:39.459 to also put fiber in the ground or some sort of communication 01:39:39.468 --> 01:39:44.557 So, do we have a plan in place to, is your deployment 01:39:44.568 --> 01:39:47.068 that you're asking about? Is that to construct this 01:39:47.077 --> 01:39:49.988 also? Because I can tell you what Caltrans is doing 01:39:49.997 --> 01:39:52.287 is they're just falling on their face and there's nothing 01:39:52.298 --> 01:39:55.037 being done with the pot of money that they have currently 01:39:55.119 --> 01:39:57.528 and you can go to any of the contractors that have 01:39:57.537 --> 01:40:00.287 already been awarded contracts and they're pulling 01:40:00.298 --> 01:40:03.037 the work back from them and nothing's happening. So 01:40:03.048 --> 01:40:06.729 my first point is, is make sure we do something not 01:40:06.738 --> 01:40:10.698 like Caltrans is doing. Um, the second point I've got 01:40:10.709 --> 01:40:16.388 is we got money in 2009 with the American Recovery 01:40:16.399 --> 01:40:19.247 and Reinvestment Act from the Obama administration 01:40:20.169 --> 01:40:23.899 And one of the issues that came about with the fiber 01:40:23.908 --> 01:40:29.108 was it became, uh, ownership, um, by Co Ops at the 01:40:29.119 --> 01:40:33.379 end of the day and the counties were assessing property 01:40:33.388 --> 01:40:37.669 taxes on them to the point where they were going, um 01:40:37.678 --> 01:40:41.369 they were pretty much bankrupt, um, because of property 01:40:41.379 --> 01:40:44.338 taxes. So you're gonna have to make sure that you've 01:40:44.347 --> 01:40:47.347 got something written in the, in, in your legislature 01:40:47.358 --> 01:40:50.758 there that makes it to where the, the counties can't 01:40:50.767 --> 01:40:55.158 assess property taxes on these or your small providers 01:40:55.169 --> 01:40:58.119 Uh, they'll never survive. They'll never be able to 01:40:58.298 --> 01:41:01.619 put, uh, a light through that, through that dark fiber 01:41:01.629 --> 01:41:04.508 to someone's home and be able to keep that going of 01:41:04.517 --> 01:41:07.097 the property taxes that they're chomping away at them 01:41:07.428 --> 01:41:11.807 So those are my comments. Ok. Thank you so much for 01:41:11.818 --> 01:41:15.338 calling in to give that feedback. Could we please have 01:41:15.347 --> 01:41:19.358 our next commenter? Yes, thank you. Our next comment 01:41:19.369 --> 01:41:23.919 comes from Tom Watson. Your line is open. 01:41:23.919 --> 01:41:26.997 Hello and thanks everybody for taking our calls. Um 01:41:27.008 --> 01:41:30.158 I'm in central Orange County. LA last name is Watson 01:41:30.169 --> 01:41:35.307 Watson. Uh The whole town that I'm in completely has 01:41:35.318 --> 01:41:39.419 fiber except for our condo complex. And that's because 01:41:39.428 --> 01:41:43.258 the HO A is in bed with the cable company. No antennas 01:41:43.267 --> 01:41:47.778 are allowed. No fiber is allowed. You can only go with 01:41:47.787 --> 01:41:51.629 the monopoly. I wish that you could come up with a 01:41:51.638 --> 01:41:54.597 regulation that says the puc is more important than 01:41:54.608 --> 01:41:58.939 an HO A and allow fiber into any neighborhood no matter 01:41:58.948 --> 01:42:04.488 what the HO A has to say. Thanks. 01:42:04.488 --> 01:42:06.557 Thank you so much for calling in. Can we have our next 01:42:06.568 --> 01:42:10.068 commenter, please? Yes, thank you. Our next comment 01:42:10.077 --> 01:42:14.919 comes from saw mute. Your line is open. 01:42:14.919 --> 01:42:19.037 Hi. Thanks for taking the time to hear that. My name 01:42:19.048 --> 01:42:27.557 is XX. I am mu. I'm a resident of Los Angeles, the 01:42:27.568 --> 01:42:34.298 city of L A and I'm in a fairly popular populated like 01:42:34.307 --> 01:42:38.448 area even though that's the case. It's still the reality 01:42:38.459 --> 01:42:44.008 is still that the high speed broadband access is pretty 01:42:44.017 --> 01:42:46.318 much limited. To just one single carrier. In my case 01:42:46.327 --> 01:42:51.919 it spectrum. And as you can hear from different variety 01:42:51.928 --> 01:42:56.537 of people, even, even the one of the most popular area 01:42:56.548 --> 01:43:01.428 has this kind of problem you can imagine about more 01:43:01.439 --> 01:43:06.057 rural areas. So the number one issue I think is the 01:43:06.068 --> 01:43:11.158 facing to a lot of people is that the monopoly is very 01:43:11.169 --> 01:43:16.388 very bad, just like any monopoly. They say you have 01:43:16.399 --> 01:43:19.577 different options. But the reality is almost always 01:43:19.588 --> 01:43:23.017 you only have one single broadband provider that has 01:43:23.028 --> 01:43:28.408 some kind of fiber optic like internet access. So I 01:43:28.419 --> 01:43:32.979 think that one of, one of the 1st 1st issue is to 01:43:32.988 --> 01:43:38.358 tackle that um to try to eliminate monopoly and a lot 01:43:38.369 --> 01:43:43.327 of issues would be other issues would be solved automatically 01:43:43.548 --> 01:43:48.649 The second issue is that many of you might have seen 01:43:48.658 --> 01:43:50.729 like different researches over the years like that 01:43:51.439 --> 01:43:56.718 all of these IC are being misusing the funding from 01:43:56.729 --> 01:44:02.229 taxpayers instead of building fiber optic. Cyber has 01:44:02.238 --> 01:44:04.979 to be fiber internet. They use that to build like wireless 01:44:04.988 --> 01:44:10.149 five G whatever networks. Um So that's another issue 01:44:10.517 --> 01:44:16.608 Um So I myself included, I want, I want to see like 01:44:16.619 --> 01:44:20.267 the, we have regulations or requirements put in place 01:44:20.278 --> 01:44:23.827 to make sure even even when these get the funding, 01:44:24.158 --> 01:44:27.258 uh they make, they, they, they absolutely have to put 01:44:27.267 --> 01:44:30.838 the money into laying, laying down fiber optics instead 01:44:30.847 --> 01:44:35.988 of doing other things. They're just deals. Um that 01:44:35.997 --> 01:44:40.247 yeah, and then. Um That's, yeah, that's the two major 01:44:40.258 --> 01:44:43.037 issues I want to say. Thank you very much. Thank you 01:44:43.048 --> 01:44:45.057 so much for calling in to share. Could we have our 01:44:45.068 --> 01:44:50.247 next caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment comes 01:44:50.258 --> 01:44:55.218 from Marissa Ramsy. Your line is open. 01:44:55.218 --> 01:44:58.619 Good afternoon, everybody. My name is Marissa Rimsky 01:44:58.629 --> 01:45:02.129 and I'm calling from Simi Valley. I'm a long standing 01:45:02.138 --> 01:45:05.439 union member and I want to make sure that this broadband 01:45:05.448 --> 01:45:09.068 funding is utilized for creating and or supporting 01:45:09.077 --> 01:45:11.968 good paying union jobs and that there's some sort of 01:45:11.979 --> 01:45:14.818 oversight and assurances that the work that's gonna 01:45:14.827 --> 01:45:18.399 be done is going to be done in a safe manner. Unfortunately 01:45:18.408 --> 01:45:21.388 the reality is that when it comes to the large Telco 01:45:21.399 --> 01:45:25.198 companies like AT&T their interest is more squarely 01:45:25.209 --> 01:45:28.258 focused on making money and not on their customers 01:45:28.267 --> 01:45:31.178 best interest or on the safe working conditions for 01:45:31.189 --> 01:45:34.988 their employees. The CPUC should make sure it does 01:45:34.997 --> 01:45:37.879 all that it can to ensure that the workers building 01:45:37.888 --> 01:45:41.908 the networks are provided a safe and healthy workplace 01:45:41.919 --> 01:45:44.698 that's free from harm and danger. Thank you for your 01:45:44.709 --> 01:45:48.218 time. 01:45:48.218 --> 01:45:50.709 Thank you so much for calling in and providing that 01:45:50.718 --> 01:45:52.979 feedback. Could we have our next commenter, please 01:45:55.459 --> 01:45:58.588 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Susan Francisco 01:45:58.597 --> 01:46:04.778 Your line is open. 01:46:04.778 --> 01:46:10.388 Hi. Oh, thank you. Hi, my name is Suzanne Francisco 01:46:10.399 --> 01:46:16.298 I'm in San Jose. My name is spelled Suzanne Francisco 01:46:16.307 --> 01:46:23.588 Francisco. And um I, I want to reiterate some of the 01:46:23.597 --> 01:46:26.948 things I really agree um about that other people have 01:46:26.959 --> 01:46:30.968 said. Um But like San Jose, many areas across the United 01:46:30.979 --> 01:46:35.149 States have no funding or policies to address cybercrime 01:46:35.439 --> 01:46:39.068 And with the incredibly increase, um incredible increase 01:46:39.077 --> 01:46:43.028 in cybercrime and victims of these crimes, we need 01:46:43.037 --> 01:46:47.718 access to resolution of conflicts that affect the ability 01:46:47.908 --> 01:46:51.698 to have access to online needs for school, for work 01:46:51.709 --> 01:46:55.758 and other needs. Um There needs to be outreach to the 01:46:55.767 --> 01:46:59.388 public about how to access these supports and resolutions 01:46:59.798 --> 01:47:03.548 And you can imagine um when you're experiencing cyber 01:47:03.557 --> 01:47:08.008 crime, how debilitating this can be. Um Also, I really 01:47:08.017 --> 01:47:11.287 agreed with the feedback that service providers have 01:47:11.298 --> 01:47:16.119 ownership and accountability and transparency because 01:47:16.129 --> 01:47:19.669 often they have no mechanism to resolve these kinds 01:47:19.678 --> 01:47:23.318 of crime and 01:47:23.318 --> 01:47:28.008 access issues and they kind of in my experience, take 01:47:28.017 --> 01:47:31.899 a lot of phone calls and it doesn't lead anywhere. 01:47:32.818 --> 01:47:39.037 Um Yeah, so that's um a major issue. Um So again, I 01:47:39.048 --> 01:47:43.649 mentioned access uh online for school people who are 01:47:43.658 --> 01:47:47.997 in school or working from home. Um Also to have funding 01:47:48.169 --> 01:47:52.869 for allowances and access to devices and routers for 01:47:52.879 --> 01:47:56.017 underserved or unserved people, including people with 01:47:56.028 --> 01:47:59.939 disabilities and people who are low income. Um One 01:47:59.948 --> 01:48:03.379 thing I didn't mention is that I am a mother of three 01:48:03.388 --> 01:48:06.347 adult people with disabilities. So um I have a couple 01:48:06.358 --> 01:48:09.778 of other things to say about that, but um I really 01:48:09.787 --> 01:48:13.267 agree with the um recommendation that there is training 01:48:13.379 --> 01:48:17.388 and plain language information to the public and that 01:48:18.178 --> 01:48:22.369 these of work shops are readily available. Um Also 01:48:22.379 --> 01:48:27.919 to have access to fiber op optic, wired, um online 01:48:27.928 --> 01:48:34.439 access and um really concerned about the emissions 01:48:34.448 --> 01:48:38.057 that affect the public health and particularly to people 01:48:38.068 --> 01:48:41.778 with disabilities who have lower immune systems. Um 01:48:42.488 --> 01:48:46.358 And I think that most people in the public are completely 01:48:46.369 --> 01:48:50.369 unaware of the harm that, that can, that can be caused 01:48:50.528 --> 01:48:53.899 and that there should be greater outreach related to 01:48:53.908 --> 01:49:00.428 that as well. Um Also the discounts for seniors and 01:49:00.439 --> 01:49:03.508 people with disabilities and for people who are low 01:49:03.517 --> 01:49:07.678 income that that information isn't always readily available 01:49:07.689 --> 01:49:12.497 And even after we inform um that we are able to qualify 01:49:12.508 --> 01:49:17.318 for those kinds of discounts, um they're hard to sometimes 01:49:17.327 --> 01:49:21.608 put in place and to retain. Um and particularly if 01:49:21.619 --> 01:49:25.619 you're having um if you're having issues related to 01:49:25.629 --> 01:49:29.879 cybercrime, you have to be able to pay outside of the 01:49:29.888 --> 01:49:33.629 online account. Um 01:49:33.629 --> 01:49:36.899 uh So accommodations for people with disabilities is 01:49:36.908 --> 01:49:42.108 very important and um it's important that we invest 01:49:42.119 --> 01:49:46.479 in jobs and communities so that they are safe and have 01:49:46.488 --> 01:49:51.088 quality and safety training for service. And thank 01:49:51.097 --> 01:49:55.428 you so much for sharing. Uh Can we move to our next 01:49:55.439 --> 01:49:59.119 commenter, please? Thank you so much. 01:49:59.119 --> 01:50:02.678 Our last comment comes from John Watts. Your line is 01:50:02.689 --> 01:50:08.278 open. Hi, I've been listening to all of these complaints 01:50:08.287 --> 01:50:12.448 and issues with the monopolistic approach and the commercial 01:50:12.459 --> 01:50:16.338 approach. And so I started looking up uh solutions 01:50:16.347 --> 01:50:20.428 and have discovered that there are municipalities all 01:50:20.439 --> 01:50:25.649 over the US that run their own network of fiber and 01:50:25.658 --> 01:50:28.899 various other forms of communication. For internet 01:50:29.008 --> 01:50:31.997 In California, the only one I've turned up is the city 01:50:32.008 --> 01:50:35.138 of Loma Linda, California. Maybe there are other ones 01:50:35.287 --> 01:50:38.689 but this seems like the solution instead of having 01:50:38.698 --> 01:50:42.577 a monopolistic profit oriented company that is happy 01:50:42.588 --> 01:50:46.608 to push away those on the margins um ways in which 01:50:46.619 --> 01:50:50.347 they minimize profitt or whatever. Let's have the municipalities 01:50:50.358 --> 01:50:54.537 do it. Now, the money available through the grant program 01:50:54.669 --> 01:51:00.057 could be focused on a program by which municipalities 01:51:00.068 --> 01:51:03.669 particularly smaller towns, smaller cities could be 01:51:03.678 --> 01:51:08.488 shown the pathway to putting in fiber to um working 01:51:08.497 --> 01:51:11.858 with the public and the ones who have done this are 01:51:11.869 --> 01:51:15.258 very successful. You can see the ways in which all 01:51:15.354 --> 01:51:19.803 over the country. Um Not much in California. Um These 01:51:19.814 --> 01:51:22.774 municipalities have provided excellent internet service 01:51:22.783 --> 01:51:27.872 fiber optic, low cost and of course union jobs and 01:51:27.883 --> 01:51:31.452 of course low income and uh accommodation for those 01:51:31.463 --> 01:51:34.363 with special needs. So I think that the money instead 01:51:34.372 --> 01:51:38.494 of going directly into the programs by the companies 01:51:38.504 --> 01:51:42.738 like AT&T, it should go right to encouraging these 01:51:42.747 --> 01:51:48.318 programs for showing municipalities how to create internet 01:51:48.327 --> 01:51:54.338 service for the public. Thank you. 01:51:54.338 --> 01:51:56.959 Thank you for calling in to share operator. Is that 01:51:56.968 --> 01:52:00.358 our last caller? Yes, we have no further comments. 01:52:01.577 --> 01:52:05.767 Um Commissioner, how do you have any uh final remarks 01:52:05.778 --> 01:52:12.597 you'd like to give. 01:52:12.597 --> 01:52:15.229 Sorry about that. I was my mute button seemed to be 01:52:15.238 --> 01:52:18.928 stuck. Um I just wanna thank everyone for taking the 01:52:18.939 --> 01:52:22.678 time to, to provide comments to us this afternoon. 01:52:22.689 --> 01:52:27.209 Um And to share the experiences that, that, that you're 01:52:27.218 --> 01:52:31.439 um having to grapple with and we are um going to go 01:52:31.448 --> 01:52:34.508 back and consider the comments we've heard today and 01:52:34.658 --> 01:52:37.879 the information in our record and again, just appreciate 01:52:37.948 --> 01:52:44.959 um, everyone's time today to share with us. 01:52:44.959 --> 01:52:48.138 Thank you, Commissioner Hauck. That concludes all of 01:52:48.149 --> 01:52:52.629 the speakers who signed up to speak. If any of you 01:52:52.638 --> 01:52:56.327 would like to provide additional input or comments 01:52:56.338 --> 01:52:59.939 After this hearing, you may submit written comments 01:52:59.948 --> 01:53:03.818 on the docket card for this proceeding, which can be 01:53:03.827 --> 01:53:09.198 found on the commission's website. You'll see the URL 01:53:09.209 --> 01:53:12.238 on the screen right now. But for those who are calling 01:53:12.247 --> 01:53:31.169 in, it is a PPS dot CPUC dot C a.gov/c/r 23 02016 01:53:32.119 --> 01:53:35.238 If you need assistance with providing additional comment 01:53:35.548 --> 01:53:39.798 please contact the commission's public advisor's office 01:53:39.807 --> 01:53:49.077 near uh during normal business hours at 18668498390 01:53:49.088 --> 01:53:56.608 or by emailing at public dot advisor at CPUC dot C 01:53:56.619 --> 01:54:00.379 a.gov. And of course, if you have a billing complaint 01:54:00.388 --> 01:54:04.229 or something similar and wish to speak with a representative 01:54:04.238 --> 01:54:10.178 at our Consumer Affairs branch, please call 1 806 149 01:54:10.528 --> 01:54:15.778 7570 during normal business hours. This concludes our 01:54:15.787 --> 01:54:19.388 public participation hearing. Thank you for everyone 01:54:19.399 --> 01:54:23.149 who provided input and comments. Thank you. Also to 01:54:23.158 --> 01:54:26.428 our public advisor's office and our folks in it and 01:54:26.439 --> 01:54:30.979 our court reporters for their uh help uh organizing 01:54:30.988 --> 01:54:35.818 and running this uh this forum today. We are adjourned 01:54:35.827 --> 01:54:38.037 and we will be off the record. Thank you.