WEBVTT 00:00:00.009 --> 00:00:03.508 For this streaming event brought to you by Admin monitor.com 00:00:03.519 --> 00:00:06.309 We'll begin momentarily. Thank you for your patience 00:00:17.219 --> 00:00:19.760 The feed for this streaming event brought to you by 00:00:19.769 --> 00:00:23.329 Admin monitor.com will begin momentarily. Thank you 00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:26.388 for your patience. Welcome to the California Public 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:30.269 Utilities Commission Public Forum on broadband equity 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:33.450 access and deployment program on this day, Wednesday 00:00:33.459 --> 00:00:38.009 November 8th, 2023. Today's call is being recorded 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:40.380 If you have any objections, you may disconnect at this 00:00:40.389 --> 00:00:45.029 time. Your honor, you may begin. 00:00:45.029 --> 00:00:48.259 Thank you very much. We will now be on the record. 00:00:48.270 --> 00:00:51.560 The commission will come to order. Good evening everyone 00:00:51.569 --> 00:00:56.450 This is the time and place set for a public participation 00:00:56.459 --> 00:01:00.618 hearing on the California Public Utilities Commissions 00:01:00.630 --> 00:01:04.338 proceeding to develop rules to implement the broadband 00:01:04.430 --> 00:01:08.480 equity access and employment programs. Uh also called 00:01:08.489 --> 00:01:17.129 B the proceeding number is rule making 23-02 dash 016 00:01:17.528 --> 00:01:20.959 I'm Thomas Gold of the assigned administrative law 00:01:20.969 --> 00:01:24.819 judge for this proceeding. We are joined by the honorable 00:01:24.829 --> 00:01:27.859 Darcy Hauck who is the assigned commissioner for this 00:01:27.870 --> 00:01:32.948 proceeding. To those uh Listen in that wish to speak 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:43.269 Please call 800 eight 571917. And there's three different 00:01:43.278 --> 00:01:48.028 passcodes depending on which uh language you wish to 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:56.719 use. The passcode for English is 1767567 and then hit 00:01:56.730 --> 00:02:05.088 pound for Spanish. The passcode is 3799627 and again 00:02:05.099 --> 00:02:14.399 hit pound. Uh and the code for Russia is 1710544 and 00:02:14.409 --> 00:02:17.649 then pound. 00:02:17.649 --> 00:02:22.349 Once you have uh uh done that, join the call, please 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:25.179 press star one on your phone to be placed in line. 00:02:25.528 --> 00:02:29.929 And after pressing star one, you will be prompted for 00:02:29.939 --> 00:02:36.550 your name uh at the uh this, this, this afternoon's 00:02:36.558 --> 00:02:41.419 PDH uh one individual raised questions about other 00:02:41.429 --> 00:02:47.550 languages. And if we do receive requests, uh four other 00:02:47.558 --> 00:02:51.868 languages ahead of time, we uh generally can accommodate 00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:55.460 those. Um 00:02:55.460 --> 00:02:58.338 If you are an elective visual, once you speak, please 00:02:58.349 --> 00:03:03.588 add that when uh prompted for your name. Um as a reminder 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:09.710 uh to anyone listening in or watching on our live stream 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:14.308 broadcast on the commission's website, you may decide 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:18.038 any time before we end this form to see simply by pressing 00:03:18.050 --> 00:03:21.808 star one, calling in and pressing star one if you're 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:26.319 watching us. And if you're on the, the telephone line 00:03:26.618 --> 00:03:29.939 uh simply by pressing star one 00:03:29.939 --> 00:03:32.639 purpose of today's hearing is to hear directly from 00:03:32.649 --> 00:03:35.729 the public about what rules the commission should adopt 00:03:35.740 --> 00:03:40.689 to implement the new broadband equity access and employment 00:03:40.770 --> 00:03:45.020 program, also known as the California is scheduled 00:03:45.028 --> 00:03:50.330 to receive up to $1.8 billion in federal funds to provide 00:03:50.338 --> 00:03:54.699 grants to build out infrastructure in unserved and 00:03:54.710 --> 00:03:59.020 underserved communities. Yesterday, the agency issued 00:03:59.028 --> 00:04:02.659 a staff proposal for rules for this program. If you 00:04:02.669 --> 00:04:05.179 have not seen the proposal, it is available at our 00:04:05.189 --> 00:04:12.868 website at www dot CPUC dot C a.gov. Primarily to find 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:17.199 our proceedings and we're making, click on that and 00:04:17.209 --> 00:04:20.850 then click on our docket card and then search for the 00:04:20.858 --> 00:04:27.519 rule making and the rule making is R 23 02016. And 00:04:27.528 --> 00:04:31.269 the ruling was issued yesterday for more background 00:04:31.278 --> 00:04:33.790 out of the Public Utilities Commission itself. We know 00:04:33.798 --> 00:04:36.949 that we have five commissioners who are appointed by 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.540 the governor and confirmed by the State Senate. This 00:04:39.548 --> 00:04:43.338 includes Commissioner Ha My responsibility is to manage 00:04:43.350 --> 00:04:46.730 the day to day activities of this case and to help 00:04:46.738 --> 00:04:49.608 Commissioner Hauck evaluate all of the evidence and 00:04:49.619 --> 00:04:52.238 proceeding including your input. Commissioner Hauck 00:04:52.358 --> 00:04:56.069 will issue a proposed decision for other commissioners 00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:59.488 to consider the five commissioners are all legal. And 00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:03.660 so we decide and vote on whether or not to approve 00:05:03.670 --> 00:05:07.569 any proposed changes to existing rules or new rules 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:12.480 Each piece of information, uh, which we base, our decision 00:05:12.488 --> 00:05:17.459 is listed and available for you to review on a commission 00:05:17.470 --> 00:05:20.939 web page. We call the docket card. In fact, your comments 00:05:20.949 --> 00:05:24.519 today will also be listed and published on the do card 00:05:24.528 --> 00:05:27.569 because our court reporters are transcribing today's 00:05:27.579 --> 00:05:30.778 hearing, taking down everything that is said. So today's 00:05:30.790 --> 00:05:34.309 transcript will be available on the docket card. I 00:05:34.540 --> 00:05:38.449 thank you so much for spending your precious time with 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:42.369 us today to share your experiences. If you've attended 00:05:42.548 --> 00:05:45.889 any of the almost 20 public forums, the commission 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:49.559 has either hosted or co-hosted with the California 00:05:49.569 --> 00:05:52.699 Department of Technology. I thank you for making double 00:05:52.709 --> 00:05:54.738 the effort. 00:05:54.738 --> 00:05:57.809 They is not your only opportunity to tell us how this 00:05:57.819 --> 00:06:02.009 proceeding will affect you throughout the proceeding 00:06:02.048 --> 00:06:06.619 We uh accept written public comments through our website 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.399 the public comments section of the docket card to access 00:06:12.189 --> 00:06:18.230 the comments section of this proceeding. Go to a PTS 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:33.230 dot CPUC dot C a.gov/c/r 2302016. 00:06:33.230 --> 00:06:35.588 For now, I'm gonna ask speakers to limit the remarks 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.949 to three minutes. If we have more people join in the 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.829 discussion, please know that we will need to change 00:06:41.838 --> 00:06:45.329 that. I appreciate your patience in helping to make 00:06:45.338 --> 00:06:49.170 sure we hear from everyone again. We are very appreciative 00:06:49.178 --> 00:06:51.588 that you have joined us today. Now, we will hear from 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.428 Commissioner Ha. 00:06:54.428 --> 00:06:58.528 Thank you, Judge Gula and um good evening everyone 00:06:58.858 --> 00:07:01.980 Thank you for joining us. And again, I'm um, Commissioner 00:07:01.988 --> 00:07:04.439 Dorothy Hauck. I'm one of the five commissioners at 00:07:04.449 --> 00:07:07.338 the Public Utilities Commission referenced by um, Judge 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:11.160 Gula. I am the lead commissioner for this, um this 00:07:11.170 --> 00:07:14.059 proceeding, the broadband equity access and deployment 00:07:14.069 --> 00:07:16.838 proceeding, as well as the California Advanced Services 00:07:16.850 --> 00:07:20.608 fund and telecommunications service quality proceedings 00:07:20.738 --> 00:07:23.519 Broadband is a top priority for me as a commissioner 00:07:23.528 --> 00:07:25.959 and I believe we'll be able to accomplish historic 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:30.178 deployment of broadband during my term in partnership 00:07:30.189 --> 00:07:33.899 with the California Department of Technology tran our 00:07:33.910 --> 00:07:37.298 local regional and tribal government partners, telecommunications 00:07:37.309 --> 00:07:40.189 carriers and of course, our community-based partners 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.048 that we rely on to ensure we understand the needs of 00:07:43.059 --> 00:07:46.129 communities that are currently unserved and underserved 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:50.939 Um be is a $42 billion program created by the Infrastructure 00:07:50.949 --> 00:07:53.488 Investment and Jobs Act administered by the National 00:07:53.500 --> 00:07:57.028 Telecommunications and Information Administration or 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:00.379 NTI A. But the goal of the program is to bring everyone 00:08:00.389 --> 00:08:02.970 in the nation online by building infrastructure and 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:06.389 increasing adoption of high speed internet. The central 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:09.379 goal of fee is to deploy reliable last mile service 00:08:09.389 --> 00:08:12.699 to all unserved and underserved locations with wire 00:08:12.709 --> 00:08:16.149 line connection or licensed fixed wireless. Federal 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:20.000 rules require prioritization of end to end fiber deployments 00:08:20.009 --> 00:08:22.519 but where this is not feasible, fixed wireless can 00:08:22.528 --> 00:08:26.579 be used as an alternative NT I through the B program 00:08:26.588 --> 00:08:30.798 has allocated $1.86 billion to the state of California 00:08:30.889 --> 00:08:34.379 to go towards eliminating the digital divide. California 00:08:34.389 --> 00:08:37.239 will be able to award sub grants through B to carry 00:08:37.250 --> 00:08:39.979 out broadband deployment activities such as planning 00:08:39.989 --> 00:08:42.803 for the deployment of infrastructure, deploying or 00:08:42.815 --> 00:08:46.205 upgrading internet infrastructure, deploying infrastructure 00:08:46.215 --> 00:08:49.215 and multi-tenant buildings, implementing adoption and 00:08:49.224 --> 00:08:52.864 digital equity programs and workforce and job training 00:08:53.043 --> 00:08:55.465 However, before that can happen. We must develop a 00:08:55.474 --> 00:08:59.580 plan and process for implementing the B program and 00:08:59.590 --> 00:09:03.538 the commission has opened this rule making our 23 02016 00:09:03.548 --> 00:09:07.609 to set out the program rules for be the puc completed 00:09:07.619 --> 00:09:11.349 its initial draft um 00:09:11.349 --> 00:09:14.750 plan that uh judge logo just referenced that was recently 00:09:14.759 --> 00:09:18.288 issued. We also um have a wave of public engagements 00:09:18.298 --> 00:09:21.119 that were jointly coordinate with the California Department 00:09:21.129 --> 00:09:24.440 of Technology. Over the summer, the feedback received 00:09:24.450 --> 00:09:27.229 from these 21 community engagements and the tribal 00:09:27.239 --> 00:09:30.178 consultations that we have done throughout the state 00:09:30.190 --> 00:09:33.538 um have informed the staff development of the initial 00:09:33.548 --> 00:09:36.969 plan that we just recently released. Once again, we 00:09:36.979 --> 00:09:39.869 are looking forward to comments as part of this rule 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:44.440 making the communications division staff um will be 00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:48.678 continuing to do outreach and we'll be closely reviewing 00:09:48.690 --> 00:09:51.798 the comments that we receive in order to make this 00:09:51.808 --> 00:09:54.678 the best possible proposal we can for California. It's 00:09:54.690 --> 00:09:57.779 important that we hear from a broad range of entities 00:09:57.918 --> 00:10:00.879 We look forward to continued coordinations with community 00:10:00.889 --> 00:10:04.279 stakeholders including community organizations, carriers 00:10:04.288 --> 00:10:07.043 and the public to ensure this funding contributes to 00:10:07.053 --> 00:10:10.264 our greater broadband infrastructure deployment, digital 00:10:10.274 --> 00:10:13.734 equity and affordability objectives. Public participation 00:10:13.744 --> 00:10:16.625 hearings are a key opportunity to inform the development 00:10:16.634 --> 00:10:19.913 of this initial proposal. Today's public participation 00:10:19.923 --> 00:10:22.344 hearing is an opportunity for the public to provide 00:10:22.354 --> 00:10:25.673 comment on your expectations for the B program and 00:10:25.683 --> 00:10:29.139 what you'd like to see prioritized as we develop the 00:10:29.149 --> 00:10:32.250 program and how it will contribute to California's 00:10:32.259 --> 00:10:35.219 Broadband for all goals. We encourage you to provide 00:10:35.229 --> 00:10:38.418 comments today and or to provide written comments through 00:10:38.428 --> 00:10:42.440 mechanisms um that will be described by Judge Gula 00:10:42.570 --> 00:10:45.599 and before closing and turning back to Judge Gla, I 00:10:45.609 --> 00:10:48.969 just want to recognize and thank our Commission Communications 00:10:48.979 --> 00:10:51.950 Division staff for all of their work on this program 00:10:52.048 --> 00:10:55.509 I want to thank Judge Gla for facilitating tonight's 00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:59.830 hearing and managing the proceedings as well as um 00:11:00.700 --> 00:11:03.599 all of the other work he does in making sure information 00:11:03.609 --> 00:11:06.759 gets out to the parties in the proceeding. I also want 00:11:06.769 --> 00:11:09.719 to thank my advisers, particularly Nikki Bauer for 00:11:09.729 --> 00:11:12.719 all of his work. My Badley King partner, President 00:11:12.729 --> 00:11:16.210 Reynolds and her advisor Michael Mullane and our it 00:11:16.219 --> 00:11:19.418 staff and court reporters to make um the hearing this 00:11:19.428 --> 00:11:22.158 evening possible. So thank you again to everyone that's 00:11:22.168 --> 00:11:25.739 joined us this evening. Um This public participation 00:11:25.750 --> 00:11:28.479 hearing is for us to hear from you. I look forward 00:11:28.489 --> 00:11:31.899 to hearing from everyone today and with that, I will 00:11:31.908 --> 00:11:38.869 turn the meeting back over to Judge Galla. 00:11:38.869 --> 00:11:42.769 Thank you, Commissioner Hauck. We now turn to the public 00:11:43.219 --> 00:11:47.859 if you want to speak and have already called in uh 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:54.678 but have not yet um uh hit star one, please press star 00:11:54.690 --> 00:11:57.529 one on your phone now and the operator will add you 00:11:57.538 --> 00:12:03.639 to a few speakers if you do speak. We ask that you 00:12:03.649 --> 00:12:08.450 speak slowly and clearly so that our court reporters 00:12:08.460 --> 00:12:10.599 and interpreters are able to capture everything that 00:12:10.609 --> 00:12:14.840 said. We ask that you state and spell your name. And 00:12:14.849 --> 00:12:18.950 if you'd like the city you are calling from, you may 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:22.149 decide at any time before we end the forum to speak 00:12:22.158 --> 00:12:26.269 Simply by pressing star one, each speaker will have 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:30.340 a time limit of three minutes. As I mentioned, that 00:12:30.349 --> 00:12:34.190 that may change depending on how many uh people have 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:39.190 called in. Um A chime will sound when you have 15 seconds 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:43.349 left and we're asking that you wrap up, then um we 00:12:43.359 --> 00:12:46.629 will be able to hear you best and most clearly if you 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:50.908 speak directly into your phone or use a headset. Um 00:12:50.918 --> 00:12:53.308 if you're using a speaker phone, that is not going 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:56.879 to be optimal. Also, if you are listening to our live 00:12:56.889 --> 00:13:01.889 video feed, please mute that so that no one is hearing 00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:05.009 feedback with that operator. Could we please proceed 00:13:05.019 --> 00:13:08.960 to the first speaker in the queue? Thank you. Our first 00:13:08.969 --> 00:13:11.750 comment comes from Bruce Merchant. Your line is open 00:13:12.918 --> 00:13:21.658 Hello, my name is Bruce Merchant. That's Bru ce m er 00:13:22.109 --> 00:13:26.330 Chanp. 00:13:26.330 --> 00:13:30.668 I am calling to address the primary official purpose 00:13:30.678 --> 00:13:34.969 of this forum which is the provision of broadband internet 00:13:34.979 --> 00:13:40.200 services to underserved and unserved communities. I 00:13:40.210 --> 00:13:43.668 am calling to complain about the current lack of internet 00:13:43.678 --> 00:13:49.070 services in Big Sur, Monterey County and the bead plan 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:53.788 to bypass Big Sur and provide no broadband services 00:13:53.798 --> 00:13:57.859 to Big Sur. Big Sur is one of the largest unserved 00:13:57.869 --> 00:14:03.279 areas in California. 75 miles of coastline, deep valleys 00:14:03.288 --> 00:14:06.750 back into the mountains with only a couple of small 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:11.418 coastal cell phone areas. Big sur is not all rich people 00:14:11.469 --> 00:14:15.859 and not all empty houses with absentee owners. There 00:14:15.869 --> 00:14:19.450 are thousands of working class residents, construction 00:14:19.460 --> 00:14:23.619 workers, teachers, medical staff, and we are lucky 00:14:23.629 --> 00:14:27.739 to have a lot of creative artists and lots of families 00:14:27.750 --> 00:14:32.408 with Children who need access to educational services 00:14:32.418 --> 00:14:37.700 medical appointments and information and job opportunities 00:14:37.788 --> 00:14:41.609 and the online work from home opportunities. Unless 00:14:41.619 --> 00:14:45.570 we pay for expensive satellite service, which the bead 00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:49.830 program excludes from consideration. We have no internet 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:55.678 access and only unreliable landlines. By the way, I'm 00:14:55.690 --> 00:14:59.908 calling on a cell phone because currently our AT&T 00:14:59.918 --> 00:15:03.509 line is out of service and will not be fixed for four 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:08.229 days at the earliest. We cannot reach emergency services 00:15:08.239 --> 00:15:12.489 We cannot contact 911. We cannot receive any updates 00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:16.859 during emergencies without having reliable landlines 00:15:17.250 --> 00:15:22.359 and hopefully broadband. Big Sir has basically no cell 00:15:22.369 --> 00:15:26.879 phone service, voice or data. I have noticed that on 00:15:26.889 --> 00:15:30.808 the California State Utilities Commission website, 00:15:30.989 --> 00:15:34.139 Verizon claims to provide cell service to Big Sur, 00:15:34.710 --> 00:15:37.908 but we can tell you from experience that there is no 00:15:37.918 --> 00:15:42.599 Verizon cell service in Big Sur. What about visitors 00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:46.489 We have literally millions of tourists who use our 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:49.908 highway one annually. And unless they are at one of 00:15:49.918 --> 00:15:53.239 the expensive resorts, they will have no voice or data 00:15:53.250 --> 00:15:58.629 service anywhere on highway one. This is also important 00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:02.190 given that there are indications that AT&T intends 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:06.408 to stop providing phone service and internet over copper 00:16:06.418 --> 00:16:10.788 wires and is applying to the public Utilities Commission 00:16:10.979 --> 00:16:14.048 to be released from its obligation to be a carrier 00:16:14.058 --> 00:16:20.399 of last resort is over 1000/100 years old, meaning 00:16:20.408 --> 00:16:23.178 it would no longer be required to provide telephone 00:16:23.190 --> 00:16:30.019 service or Ds L. Thank you. That's my comment. 00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:32.599 Thank you so much for calling in and provide that feedback 00:16:32.609 --> 00:16:36.899 That's why we're here today. We proceed with our next 00:16:36.908 --> 00:16:41.009 commenter. Thank you. Our next comment comes with comes 00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:45.210 from Lisa Lavalle. Your line is open. 00:16:45.210 --> 00:16:48.038 Thank you. And the city council member Lisa Lavelle 00:16:48.048 --> 00:16:51.700 from the city of Avalon on Catalina Island. I think 00:16:51.710 --> 00:16:54.389 the gentleman who spoke previous to me as I think we 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:59.000 fall in the same category um in many ways, except that 00:16:59.009 --> 00:17:02.229 we get looped in with L A county, which we often appreciate 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:05.469 but find that leaves us lacking for services because 00:17:05.479 --> 00:17:08.049 it seems that most are under the impression that L 00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:11.559 A county is well served and completely served and that 00:17:11.568 --> 00:17:15.239 is not the case. Um I'm speaking to ha behalf of both 00:17:15.358 --> 00:17:17.588 the city of Avalon and the island residents who live 00:17:17.598 --> 00:17:22.568 outside of the city limits in asking for uh maps that 00:17:22.578 --> 00:17:27.088 accurately represent who is covering a space and that 00:17:27.098 --> 00:17:31.118 those not be provided by the service providers. Currently 00:17:31.130 --> 00:17:33.390 there are at least three service providers who claim 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:36.328 they have service here on the island that do not. And 00:17:36.338 --> 00:17:39.489 currently the service providers that do provide service 00:17:39.500 --> 00:17:43.189 are significantly overstating what they are available 00:17:43.199 --> 00:17:47.368 to serve. Um in terms of what they can offer for capacity 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:51.989 If everyone was to purchase the highest level of service 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.199 they offered, they would be well over capacity for 00:17:55.209 --> 00:17:58.880 what our antiquated microwave tower can provide. Um 00:17:58.890 --> 00:18:05.078 We are a spot that also services military FAA and other 00:18:05.088 --> 00:18:07.828 services throughout L A county and the Southern California 00:18:07.838 --> 00:18:11.949 region and find that we are often forgotten about in 00:18:11.959 --> 00:18:15.348 terms of redundancy. Should the microwave tower break 00:18:15.358 --> 00:18:17.868 we are left without complete service. And all of those 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.969 services would also find that the repeater here on 00:18:20.979 --> 00:18:23.868 the island would not function either. We are looking 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:29.779 to do a system that is um at an extremely high cost 00:18:29.789 --> 00:18:32.949 threshold for the amount of service provided and hope 00:18:32.959 --> 00:18:35.269 that as part of the discussions that are happening 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:39.328 you will look at projects like that for areas especially 00:18:39.338 --> 00:18:42.699 that do not get considered rural. So therefore do not 00:18:42.709 --> 00:18:45.328 apply for rural funding which we have gone after several 00:18:45.338 --> 00:18:50.910 times but should be considered when looking at providing 00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:53.910 service for people that need it. Um Our community is 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.068 not rich compared to what most people think we are 00:18:57.078 --> 00:18:59.660 made up of people who work several jobs just to make 00:18:59.670 --> 00:19:04.608 ends meet and have several areas that are not covered 00:19:04.618 --> 00:19:08.969 on the map. We are also looking for a mechanism for 00:19:08.979 --> 00:19:13.509 us as a city entity to be able to provide a bulk 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:17.150 challenge that you will accept either based on the 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:23.318 MD U or based on uh a more easy to operate check 00:19:23.338 --> 00:19:28.459 than a per address um challenge. Currently, the per 00:19:28.660 --> 00:19:31.049 address challenge requires to have testing at least 00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:34.500 three times per day per address and trying to get that 00:19:34.509 --> 00:19:36.689 level of engagement in this town where most people 00:19:36.699 --> 00:19:40.439 are working again, 2 to 3 jobs to make ends meet is 00:19:40.449 --> 00:19:45.318 not realistic. Oftentimes. Um We're hoping to find 00:19:45.328 --> 00:19:48.699 a way to make this manageable for everyone and appreciate 00:19:48.709 --> 00:19:50.969 all of you taking the time to hear our comments tonight 00:19:50.979 --> 00:19:53.900 Thank you. 00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:57.848 Thank you so much for that feedback. We have our next 00:19:57.858 --> 00:20:01.328 caller, please. Thank you. Our next comment comes from 00:20:01.338 --> 00:20:05.469 Scott Turner. Your line is open. Hello, um everyone 00:20:05.479 --> 00:20:08.380 Good evening. My name is Scott Turner. I live in Mather 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.989 California up here near Sacramento. I'm a member of 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:16.479 CW A, the communication workers of America and a technician 00:20:16.489 --> 00:20:20.239 a fiber technician by trade with AT&T I work doing 00:20:20.250 --> 00:20:23.868 legislative political work. This is a once in a lifetime 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:28.180 opportunity for the state of California to as my brother 00:20:28.189 --> 00:20:32.108 and sister previously stated, provide fiber service 00:20:32.118 --> 00:20:35.118 or broadband service. If fiber is not available, fiber 00:20:35.130 --> 00:20:38.939 is the preference to all of those underserved and unserved 00:20:39.029 --> 00:20:42.650 neighborhoods, houses, businesses throughout the state 00:20:42.739 --> 00:20:46.019 As the sister just mentioned, the maps that are being 00:20:46.029 --> 00:20:51.130 used have been antiquated. They are not current and 00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:54.108 those need to be updated to make sure that everyone 00:20:54.118 --> 00:20:57.509 has the proper fiber brought to their house and the 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:02.269 opportunity to actually evolve. Because we've seen 00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:06.640 during COVID that the healthcare system now, a lot 00:21:06.650 --> 00:21:10.529 of people are using the internet. You have education 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:13.789 as the brother it's spoken of, we have to use education 00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:16.880 Kids are working from home. You have the parents that 00:21:16.890 --> 00:21:19.328 are working from home, businesses are operating from 00:21:19.338 --> 00:21:23.338 home, remote, working from home. Not only that we need 00:21:23.348 --> 00:21:27.920 to make sure we have a skilled and qualified workforce 00:21:28.199 --> 00:21:32.368 doing this work. Because if you do not, you will have 00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:36.098 unsafe practices, not only for the workers, but also 00:21:36.108 --> 00:21:39.219 for those homes they serve. If these services are not 00:21:39.229 --> 00:21:42.108 grounded properly, you have a risk of houses burning 00:21:42.118 --> 00:21:46.469 down, you have a risk of gas lines being punctured 00:21:46.479 --> 00:21:49.828 I'm a att um installer by trade. I've seen many things 00:21:49.838 --> 00:21:54.068 happen where if you're not properly trained your life 00:21:54.078 --> 00:21:57.959 and the safety of your customer is at risk. So they 00:21:57.969 --> 00:22:02.910 ask is that we go ahead and the CPUC does pass high 00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:07.229 road labor standards with qualified workers, with fiber 00:22:07.239 --> 00:22:11.920 is the preference with responsibility from those I 00:22:11.930 --> 00:22:15.660 SPS and the providers to report out to those public 00:22:15.670 --> 00:22:19.479 entities and to the public about services rendered 00:22:19.729 --> 00:22:22.318 Um If there's any issues, we need to be well aware 00:22:22.328 --> 00:22:24.900 of it, we will not have this opportunity again for 00:22:24.910 --> 00:22:28.578 a very long time. So I thank everyone who is on this 00:22:28.588 --> 00:22:31.759 call. This particular program can close the digital 00:22:31.769 --> 00:22:34.750 divide and support good labor standards. At the same 00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:38.199 time, I wanna thank everyone for their time and let's 00:22:38.209 --> 00:22:44.209 go ahead and get this done. Appreciate you. 00:22:44.209 --> 00:22:46.900 Thank you so much for your time today. Can we have 00:22:46.910 --> 00:22:50.848 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:22:50.858 --> 00:22:55.358 comes from Nina Beatty. Your line is open. Good evening 00:22:55.368 --> 00:23:02.469 My name is Nina Beatty. Ninabeety. I'm disabled by 00:23:02.479 --> 00:23:05.469 electromagnetic sensitivity. A condition recognized 00:23:05.479 --> 00:23:08.680 by the federal government. Two decades ago. I experience 00:23:08.689 --> 00:23:11.660 health problems such as heart arrhythmia, chest pressure 00:23:11.858 --> 00:23:15.729 nausea and vomiting, migraines and sleep disrupt disruption 00:23:15.739 --> 00:23:18.818 from the EMF and microwave emissions of Wi Fi and antennas 00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:21.640 as well as cell phone, cell towers and smart meters 00:23:21.989 --> 00:23:24.739 There are 1 million or more people like me in California 00:23:24.750 --> 00:23:27.559 According to a 1998 California Department of Public 00:23:27.568 --> 00:23:32.000 Health survey. Repeated wireless exposure. Got me sensitized 00:23:32.009 --> 00:23:35.199 and increasingly sick. Please retain Copper line Ds 00:23:35.209 --> 00:23:39.279 L and fund dedicated fiber to the premises for wired 00:23:39.289 --> 00:23:42.640 internet access. My current problems with internet 00:23:42.868 --> 00:23:46.160 the widespread use of Wi Fi blocks my access to essential 00:23:46.170 --> 00:23:50.420 services and medical care and comes into my home, Monterey 00:23:50.430 --> 00:23:52.979 and Monterey County installed wireless internet in 00:23:52.989 --> 00:23:55.848 public buildings and meeting chambers despite having 00:23:55.858 --> 00:23:58.900 research on the health problems. So I can't safely 00:23:58.910 --> 00:24:01.608 attend local government meetings. I can't go to the 00:24:01.618 --> 00:24:05.479 public libraries and use their resources. The colleges 00:24:05.489 --> 00:24:08.449 and adult schools have wireless internet blocking career 00:24:08.459 --> 00:24:11.959 training and extended education. For me. I can't get 00:24:11.969 --> 00:24:15.189 medical care at my community hospital because of their 00:24:15.199 --> 00:24:18.348 wi Fi. I was severely nauseated. The last time I took 00:24:18.358 --> 00:24:21.078 my father to the hospital and it's too dangerous for 00:24:21.088 --> 00:24:24.949 me to go back, doctors offices, grocery stores, shopping 00:24:24.959 --> 00:24:29.199 centers, cafes, antennas over sidewalks, Wi Fi is virtually 00:24:29.209 --> 00:24:32.449 everywhere. Redlining me out for my community. It's 00:24:32.459 --> 00:24:35.239 been very financially costly to me and eliminating 00:24:35.250 --> 00:24:38.880 job prospects. My neighbor's Wi Fi comes into my home 00:24:38.890 --> 00:24:41.618 I can't get away from it. People living in apartments 00:24:41.630 --> 00:24:44.959 have neighbor's Wi Fi coming all around. I know people 00:24:44.969 --> 00:24:47.660 who live normal lives and are so sick now. They have 00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:51.160 to live far away from towns services, doctors and loved 00:24:51.170 --> 00:24:53.739 ones because they could die from the exposure to Wi 00:24:53.750 --> 00:24:57.229 Fi's Microwave radiation. Children in Wi Fi schools 00:24:57.239 --> 00:25:00.130 were fainting, having nosebleeds and ears, bleeding 00:25:00.140 --> 00:25:02.608 and heart problems that were early signs of trouble 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:05.660 Two teachers got disabled accommodation at L A unified 00:25:05.670 --> 00:25:09.739 school district. Microwave radiation is toxic. Decades 00:25:09.750 --> 00:25:13.670 of research shows it injures the nerves, brain immunity 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:18.588 blood DNA, sperm, cognition and at the cellular level 00:25:18.598 --> 00:25:22.509 causes oxidative stress and electromagnetic sensitivity 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:26.170 What's the economic cost to California already? And 00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:29.549 who will be next? All of this could have been taken 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:33.279 care of with wired internet. The only safe solution 00:25:33.289 --> 00:25:37.390 for humans and the environment incentivize dedicated 00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:41.259 community fiber for wired internet only as an afternoon 00:25:41.269 --> 00:25:45.180 speaker already suggested and be a leader in protecting 00:25:45.189 --> 00:25:48.500 California's health and 00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:52.489 by funding only safe internet access, which is wired 00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:55.949 access. Thank you. 00:25:55.949 --> 00:25:58.598 Thank you so much for calling in to share your experiences 00:25:58.608 --> 00:26:04.180 Could we have our next commenter, please? Yes, thank 00:26:04.189 --> 00:26:06.598 you. Our next comment comes from Janet Miller. Your 00:26:06.608 --> 00:26:13.150 line is open. 00:26:13.150 --> 00:26:21.380 Please hit your mute button. Janet 00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:23.299 Janet, we're unable to hear you. Please hit your mute 00:26:23.309 --> 00:26:32.660 button. 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:34.670 Janet, we're still unable to hear you. Please hit your 00:26:34.680 --> 00:26:45.949 mute button. 00:26:45.949 --> 00:26:48.098 Janet, please hit your mute button. We are unable to 00:26:48.108 --> 00:26:54.049 hear you. 00:26:54.049 --> 00:26:56.930 So we move this person back into the queue and, and 00:26:56.939 --> 00:27:00.338 move to the next commenter as our next comment comes 00:27:00.348 --> 00:27:06.189 from Teresa Tessier. Your line is open. Hi. Thank you 00:27:06.348 --> 00:27:08.868 Yeah, my name is Teresa Tier and I live in Baldwin 00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:13.430 Park and I'm not sure if my comment is relevant or 00:27:13.439 --> 00:27:16.828 not. But the main reason why I'm calling is for the 00:27:17.670 --> 00:27:23.559 20% discount with the gas company and the Edison because 00:27:23.568 --> 00:27:27.219 they're telling me now because my annual income is 00:27:27.229 --> 00:27:34.019 41,600. The criteria is 39,440. So now they're telling 00:27:34.029 --> 00:27:37.279 me that I don't qualify for the discount, which I've 00:27:37.289 --> 00:27:41.009 never been told that before. And it really just bothers 00:27:41.019 --> 00:27:44.640 me because just because of that, I mean, I don't bring 00:27:44.650 --> 00:27:50.430 home 65 70,000 bucks if I did, I wouldn't care. But 00:27:50.439 --> 00:27:53.769 by the time I take out my, my part of the rent 00:27:54.118 --> 00:27:57.068 and I am by myself and I support myself. So by the 00:27:57.078 --> 00:28:00.489 time I take out the rent, the basic bills and pay them 00:28:01.019 --> 00:28:04.509 there's not a whole lot of the check left. So the discount 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:09.390 I need from both Edison and the gas. And so I don't 00:28:09.400 --> 00:28:12.229 know how to keep it. I don't know what to do. And 00:28:12.750 --> 00:28:17.150 as far as my AT&T phone, my cell phone, I like AT&T 00:28:17.789 --> 00:28:20.410 I would be happy if my bill could be a little bit 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:25.189 less. It's 5573 which I know more people pay more than 00:28:25.199 --> 00:28:28.358 that. But if they could be a little less, I would even 00:28:28.368 --> 00:28:31.588 appreciate that because I have the basic plan. I don't 00:28:31.598 --> 00:28:35.959 have anything fancy at all. But that is my main beef 00:28:35.979 --> 00:28:39.979 is the discount. I mean, I know people out there they 00:28:39.989 --> 00:28:43.328 will tell, you know, these utility companies that they've 00:28:43.338 --> 00:28:48.068 got 10 people living in their household and lie about 00:28:48.078 --> 00:28:51.739 their income just so they can keep the discounts. And 00:28:51.750 --> 00:28:54.219 me, I try to be straighten up, you know, straight and 00:28:54.229 --> 00:28:56.910 narrow across the board and do things the right way 00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:59.630 And then I have, you know, I have to eat it because 00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:02.880 of what I make. I would just really appreciate being 00:29:02.890 --> 00:29:06.239 able to have the discount. You know, it helps. It really 00:29:06.250 --> 00:29:11.098 does help. And that is really my main squabble here 00:29:11.108 --> 00:29:13.539 If you want to call it that it just makes me upset 00:29:13.549 --> 00:29:17.180 how other people can keep this stuff knowing that they're 00:29:17.189 --> 00:29:20.739 giving out fake names about kids that they have, that 00:29:20.750 --> 00:29:24.368 they don't have just in order to keep these things 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:27.269 you know, so they're not paying some high price of 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:30.219 a bill because they need the heater on because it gets 00:29:30.229 --> 00:29:34.239 cold or something like that. I mean, it's crazy. They 00:29:34.250 --> 00:29:37.489 need to change the criteria for the amount you make 00:29:38.328 --> 00:29:42.269 at least so people can have this. I mean, I live in 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:45.709 Baldwin Park. I don't live in some richie rich city 00:29:45.848 --> 00:29:48.680 You know, it is not, it's expensive here like everywhere 00:29:48.689 --> 00:29:53.328 else. It is not cheap by a long shot. I mean, my 00:29:53.338 --> 00:29:58.959 rent now is 1669. I have a one bedroom duplex and trust 00:29:58.969 --> 00:30:02.809 me, my money goes. That's my main beef. Thank you for 00:30:02.818 --> 00:30:06.559 listening and I hope something I said can get across 00:30:06.568 --> 00:30:10.618 to help me out. Thank you. Thank you for calling in 00:30:10.630 --> 00:30:14.608 Could we have our next commenter, please? Yes, thank 00:30:14.618 --> 00:30:17.459 you. Our next commenter comes from Austin Lynch. Your 00:30:17.469 --> 00:30:20.059 line is open. 00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:22.949 Hi, good evening, Austin Lynch. I live in Bellflower 00:30:22.959 --> 00:30:26.479 California. I'm a union member, a member of Unite here 00:30:26.489 --> 00:30:30.989 local 11 the hospitality workers and we don't work 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:34.180 in the broadband field, of course, but I'm in uh support 00:30:34.189 --> 00:30:39.430 of CW A members who do because uh this utility internet 00:30:39.439 --> 00:30:42.209 is really, we can't live without it. I mean, even for 00:30:42.219 --> 00:30:45.598 for hospitality work um, for, to get your job schedules 00:30:45.608 --> 00:30:48.180 to check schedules, to communicate with work, to, to 00:30:48.189 --> 00:30:51.229 apply for a job, you need reliable internet. So, you 00:30:51.239 --> 00:30:54.368 know, it's essential to us, but it's also important 00:30:54.380 --> 00:30:57.209 that they be good jobs. Um, these are jobs that we 00:30:57.219 --> 00:31:00.049 would like to see our, you know, our kids get jobs 00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:02.699 that we might want to transit, be able to transition 00:31:02.709 --> 00:31:05.390 into one day and we need them to be good jobs and 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:08.699 we need them to be safe jobs. Um This is uh you 00:31:08.709 --> 00:31:11.799 know, this is no longer a luxury. It's an essential 00:31:11.809 --> 00:31:15.650 utility for society and the government should invest 00:31:15.660 --> 00:31:18.068 in doing it the right way. And ultimately, that's the 00:31:18.098 --> 00:31:21.368 cost effective way because when, when jobs are union 00:31:21.959 --> 00:31:26.019 they're much safer. And you know, ultimately that pays 00:31:26.029 --> 00:31:28.630 off for all of us. So I urge the CPUC to do 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:31.400 everything it can to make sure that the workers building 00:31:31.410 --> 00:31:34.459 these networks have a safe workplace and good work 00:31:34.469 --> 00:31:38.449 conditions. Thank you. 00:31:38.449 --> 00:31:41.259 Thank you for that feedback. Could we have our next 00:31:41.269 --> 00:31:45.279 commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment comes 00:31:45.289 --> 00:31:51.170 from Bon Zetta Crane. Your line is open. 00:31:51.170 --> 00:31:54.390 Good afternoon. Uh uh or evening. I get it at this 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:59.660 juncture. Um My name is Van Zetta Crane and I live 00:31:59.670 --> 00:32:06.469 in the Viano our Valley area and um I'm calling in 00:32:06.479 --> 00:32:11.709 um simply because um well, let me step back a little 00:32:11.719 --> 00:32:15.858 bit. My pa my family has lived in the Lano farms area 00:32:15.868 --> 00:32:18.880 They were one of the first people to live here. And 00:32:18.890 --> 00:32:23.029 it's so someone from my family has been here for almost 00:32:23.059 --> 00:32:28.640 100 years. Um during the time that the, the onset of 00:32:28.650 --> 00:32:33.598 of wireless internet and services, um, we have been 00:32:33.608 --> 00:32:40.500 overlooked. Um We have the worst service in this area 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:44.229 It's, it's, we constantly have issues even when we 00:32:44.239 --> 00:32:48.890 had, when I know when my dad had a landline phone which 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:53.029 was like nine months ago. Um He had it for many, many 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:58.739 years, it never worked. Um So I am simply advocating 00:32:58.750 --> 00:33:02.368 for services 00:33:02.368 --> 00:33:09.390 clear and um uh services that work on a continuous 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:14.068 basis. On the flip side of that, I also have concerns 00:33:14.078 --> 00:33:21.549 about AT&T being able to provide safety for our neighborhood 00:33:21.739 --> 00:33:24.828 We want the services, we need the service as we all 00:33:24.838 --> 00:33:29.910 do because it's what makes our country tick and it 00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:36.380 does need to tick. Um So, um again, on behalf of all 00:33:36.390 --> 00:33:41.449 of this entire area, we, we do need services, but we 00:33:41.459 --> 00:33:44.779 also want to be safe. There's a high incidence of cancer 00:33:44.789 --> 00:33:50.029 in this area. I'm not saying that it's as a result 00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:56.209 of AT&T uh but we do understand the risk with internet 00:33:56.219 --> 00:33:59.949 broadband services, all of it. So I'm just asking is 00:33:59.959 --> 00:34:03.500 that service be provided to us and be provided to us 00:34:04.088 --> 00:34:08.889 uh cost effective because now what we do get, there's 00:34:08.898 --> 00:34:13.898 no competition. It's just what we get is what we get 00:34:13.909 --> 00:34:18.500 and that's it. We don't get a package of, of any of 00:34:18.510 --> 00:34:23.030 any type um to lower our car costs or up our costs 00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:27.099 Well, to up it, of course. So basically I'm asking 00:34:27.110 --> 00:34:30.679 for services, adequate services like everyone else 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:36.750 in addition to safety to our neighborhood, as well 00:34:36.760 --> 00:34:41.610 as safety um to our, the people that come out to this 00:34:41.619 --> 00:34:50.438 area that help us. 00:34:50.438 --> 00:34:53.648 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 00:34:53.657 --> 00:34:57.500 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:34:57.510 --> 00:35:02.188 comes from Philip Neufeld. Your line is open. Thank 00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:04.769 you and good evening. I'm Philip Befel with the Fresno 00:35:04.780 --> 00:35:07.050 Coalition for Digital Inclusion representing Fresno 00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:10.329 County, an executive officer of it at Fresno Unified 00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:13.239 School District. We're concerned that investments for 00:35:13.250 --> 00:35:15.550 internet service will truly go to the unserved and 00:35:15.559 --> 00:35:18.219 underserved. These investments are guided by the CPU 00:35:18.228 --> 00:35:22.929 data maps. The CPNC and the FCC maps are inaccurate 00:35:22.938 --> 00:35:25.679 understating, unserved and underserved in Fresno County 00:35:25.688 --> 00:35:29.708 in areas of urban and rural poverty and especially 00:35:29.719 --> 00:35:32.478 in multi dwelling complexes. There is more accurate 00:35:32.489 --> 00:35:35.019 data to represent the unserved, including Microsoft 00:35:35.030 --> 00:35:37.989 Digital Equity dashboard in Fresno County's my QO I 00:35:38.489 --> 00:35:41.168 with 14 million plus measurements better representing 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:45.418 the massive number of residents who are unserved. However 00:35:45.429 --> 00:35:47.849 the current maps are not counted and thus ineligible 00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:51.070 for investment with these residents. There are far 00:35:51.079 --> 00:35:53.369 more residents who are unserved. As I mentioned, the 00:35:53.378 --> 00:35:56.079 CPUC must consider how to develop a more robust map 00:35:56.090 --> 00:36:00.000 and simply clear your claims of service. The CPUC should 00:36:00.010 --> 00:36:03.898 consider MB hard to reach and adequately fund investments 00:36:03.909 --> 00:36:07.199 in multi dwelling units. B provides funding for Wi 00:36:07.208 --> 00:36:09.599 Fi to residents in multi dwelling units. Be it also 00:36:09.610 --> 00:36:12.809 allows for fixed wireless to hard to reach areas. Let's 00:36:12.820 --> 00:36:15.909 stretch our dollars, our funds and use fiber where 00:36:15.918 --> 00:36:18.769 possible wireless, where appropriate to reach the most 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:22.418 unserved residents. The current SB 156 grants have 00:36:22.429 --> 00:36:25.030 revealed problems in the maps and gaps in the rulemaking 00:36:25.039 --> 00:36:28.849 that are allowing grantees to use to egregiously use 00:36:28.860 --> 00:36:31.438 public funds to deliver internet to those who are served 00:36:31.449 --> 00:36:34.610 or will be served without public funds. A gross misuse 00:36:34.619 --> 00:36:37.530 of public funds. Let's not make the same mistake with 00:36:37.539 --> 00:36:40.599 Bead. Let's get internet service to those most in need 00:36:40.610 --> 00:36:43.559 by correcting the maps, improving the rule making to 00:36:43.570 --> 00:36:47.159 truly serve the unserved and underserved in urban and 00:36:47.168 --> 00:36:49.820 rural areas of poverty. This is our one chance to get 00:36:49.829 --> 00:36:53.099 it right. Thank you. 00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:56.409 Thank you so much for that feedback. Could we please 00:36:56.418 --> 00:37:01.590 have our next commenter? Thank you. Our next comment 00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:09.449 comes from Jeanette Bebo. Your line is open. 00:37:09.449 --> 00:37:16.898 Ok. Um Yes, my name is Jeanette Babo. Jeane TT E my 00:37:16.909 --> 00:37:22.539 last name Baybo. I live in Caliente, California, which 00:37:22.550 --> 00:37:26.688 is 50 miles approximately from Bakersfield, California 00:37:27.579 --> 00:37:34.300 A during times when grants had been given to our cable 00:37:34.309 --> 00:37:37.809 companies, they misuse funds, they did not invest in 00:37:37.820 --> 00:37:42.519 the rural mountain area and use those funds inappropriately 00:37:42.530 --> 00:37:49.070 to just fix the city, uh, areas. And, uh, when COVID 00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:54.849 hit it was very, um, it was very, uh, the underserved 00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:59.958 and unserved area really was affected. I'm a teacher 00:37:59.969 --> 00:38:03.699 in Bakersfield, California. And I didn't even have 00:38:03.708 --> 00:38:09.090 enough cable bandwidth wi Fi in my own home. I had 00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:14.010 internet and I pay a lot for that and then I could 00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:18.610 not even, uh, I didn't have enough to be able to even 00:38:18.619 --> 00:38:22.820 teach And I had to go up to the nearest school and 00:38:22.829 --> 00:38:26.780 use their facility and it was a very cold room. It 00:38:26.789 --> 00:38:30.469 was very uncomfortable, but at least I had enough bandwidth 00:38:30.478 --> 00:38:34.688 So there's no reason in the 21st century that I had 00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:42.378 to do that. Um Also, uh we pay a lot for Starlink 00:38:42.389 --> 00:38:46.320 once Elon Musk got the Starlink going, we were able 00:38:46.329 --> 00:38:51.590 to at least get better bandwidth. And um my, my spouse 00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:56.389 does work from home and before that, he had great difficulty 00:38:56.648 --> 00:39:01.829 And so there's a need in this underserved, unserved 00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:06.019 area in the mountain, rural mountain areas. Um Plus 00:39:06.030 --> 00:39:10.070 we have Children who are, they need it. There are a 00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:15.949 mixed uh ec economic base here. There's a lot of low 00:39:15.958 --> 00:39:21.219 income, there's middle income, but to be able to pay 00:39:21.228 --> 00:39:24.978 for Starlink, many people do not have the ability to 00:39:24.989 --> 00:39:30.500 do that. Um So it is really necessary that we get something 00:39:30.510 --> 00:39:35.159 that's affordable, that is equitable and allows for 00:39:35.168 --> 00:39:39.269 everybody to have decent bandwidth, whether they're 00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:43.639 in the city or they're in the mountains. My taxes went 00:39:44.489 --> 00:39:49.389 my taxes went to help other areas, not my own area 00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:54.989 Um, the cell phone, I'm using a cell phone but sometimes 00:39:55.000 --> 00:40:03.168 it doesn't. The Wi Fi is, is not always good. And 00:40:03.168 --> 00:40:05.559 all right. Well, I'll wrap it up. I really hope that 00:40:05.570 --> 00:40:10.139 funds will come into this area. Uh, it is badly needed 00:40:10.148 --> 00:40:15.360 in Caliente Lake Isabella area. And, um, I really hope 00:40:15.369 --> 00:40:20.389 that the um lawmakers will appropriate the funds to 00:40:20.398 --> 00:40:23.599 do what's necessary to bring us to the 21st century 00:40:23.918 --> 00:40:27.099 Thank you very much. 00:40:27.099 --> 00:40:29.418 Thank you so much for calling in and taking the time 00:40:29.429 --> 00:40:32.039 to share. Could we have our next commenter, please 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:36.039 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Maurice Washington 00:40:36.050 --> 00:40:38.769 Your line is open. 00:40:38.769 --> 00:40:40.949 Yes. My name is Maurice Washington from the Coalition 00:40:40.958 --> 00:40:44.438 of Black Trade Unions, also AC W A union member and 00:40:44.449 --> 00:40:47.949 a spicer for the past 25 years. I live in Los Angeles 00:40:48.159 --> 00:40:50.918 My main concern is that South Los Angeles is being 00:40:50.929 --> 00:40:54.239 left behind in a digital divide. We need to invest 00:40:54.250 --> 00:40:57.260 this money to bring the data and the internet to South 00:40:57.269 --> 00:41:00.050 Los Angeles so they can be on a level playing field 00:41:00.059 --> 00:41:05.050 I also represent Ukiah, the north coast, north northern 00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:07.860 part of California. They've had numerous fires over 00:41:07.869 --> 00:41:10.909 the past years while they try to rebuild their truck 00:41:10.918 --> 00:41:14.389 being left behind with not being provided fiber. It's 00:41:14.398 --> 00:41:17.110 hard to have a conversation with someone up there when 00:41:17.119 --> 00:41:21.489 there, there's no service being a union member to get 00:41:21.500 --> 00:41:24.579 this work done, it has to be done. Right. There's nothing 00:41:24.590 --> 00:41:27.309 better than union labor. You want the work to be done 00:41:27.320 --> 00:41:29.849 right? The first time you don't have to repeat yourself 00:41:29.860 --> 00:41:32.469 and do it twice. You want the work to be done safe 00:41:32.599 --> 00:41:35.789 All I can say is that you should make, make every effort 00:41:35.800 --> 00:41:38.869 to create jobs within California and make sure that 00:41:38.878 --> 00:41:42.510 the jobs are all being done safe. Union members live 00:41:42.519 --> 00:41:45.434 and work under safe conditions. We want anyone to get 00:41:45.445 --> 00:41:48.813 a job to do, do the same thing. Just remember South 00:41:48.824 --> 00:41:53.144 Los Angeles needs internet, the north coast U KA in 00:41:53.155 --> 00:41:56.244 those areas. Clearly, they all need fiber, they need 00:41:56.253 --> 00:41:58.574 to be provided the same opportunity as everyone else 00:41:58.583 --> 00:42:02.898 in California. Thank you for your time. 00:42:02.898 --> 00:42:05.559 Thank you so much for calling in today. Could we have 00:42:05.570 --> 00:42:09.389 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:42:09.398 --> 00:42:14.530 comes from Huma Aziz. Your line is open. 00:42:14.530 --> 00:42:18.510 Hello. My name is Huma Aziz. My first name is spelled 00:42:18.519 --> 00:42:24.820 Hu Ma and my last name is spelled A Ziz. I moved 00:42:24.829 --> 00:42:29.599 with my family from the Bay area to rural 209 area 00:42:29.610 --> 00:42:34.849 About maybe 50 minutes from the Silicon Valley in 2008 00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:39.050 I was in fourth grade and I, I had an email. I 00:42:39.059 --> 00:42:42.500 would use the internet almost every single day. Then 00:42:42.510 --> 00:42:45.320 when I moved to where I currently live, there was not 00:42:45.329 --> 00:42:50.840 a single internet provider in my area. I, the city 00:42:50.849 --> 00:42:53.458 where I went to school, they had internet. But then 00:42:53.469 --> 00:42:56.030 when I came out to the country where I lived, there 00:42:56.039 --> 00:42:58.949 was not a single internet provider. We would have homework 00:42:58.958 --> 00:43:01.989 that was due online and I would cry at night because 00:43:02.000 --> 00:43:07.139 I couldn't upload a 5 kg byte document to the internet 00:43:07.148 --> 00:43:13.300 so I can turn it in. This was about in 2008. It 00:43:13.309 --> 00:43:17.800 is 16 years later and we don't even have a single internet 00:43:17.809 --> 00:43:21.909 provider in my area. I currently work at Google. My 00:43:21.918 --> 00:43:25.449 brother works at Microsoft and we can't even use the 00:43:25.458 --> 00:43:32.110 internet at our house. I, there is a um internet provider 00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:36.409 called cal.net that claims that they took the grant 00:43:36.418 --> 00:43:40.188 that was given to them and they claim that we have 00:43:40.199 --> 00:43:44.188 they give us usable internet, but they don't, I called 00:43:44.199 --> 00:43:47.760 them before. I got my current job when I was still 00:43:47.769 --> 00:43:50.639 low income. I called them and I said, how much does 00:43:50.648 --> 00:43:54.539 it cost to have? Um, the internet. They were saying 00:43:54.550 --> 00:43:58.019 about $50 for speeds that are less than five megabytes 00:43:58.030 --> 00:44:00.958 per second. They took the grant that was given to them 00:44:01.119 --> 00:44:03.728 and they didn't need. It's not even a real internet 00:44:03.739 --> 00:44:07.539 It's, they give hotspots given by t-mobile. That's 00:44:07.550 --> 00:44:11.139 not even a real internet service. We currently use 00:44:11.148 --> 00:44:15.599 the hotspots off our phones and um we tried getting 00:44:15.610 --> 00:44:19.148 Starlink. So that's a $700 set up fee and 100 and $20 00:44:19.159 --> 00:44:23.719 a month. Nobody can pay that where we live. There is 00:44:23.958 --> 00:44:26.659 a thing. I don't even know how this is possible that 00:44:26.668 --> 00:44:29.769 we live 15 minutes from the Silicon Valley, the tech 00:44:29.780 --> 00:44:32.739 capital of the world. And we don't have any internet 00:44:34.789 --> 00:44:38.119 I currently have to live in the Bay area in the Santa 00:44:38.128 --> 00:44:42.409 Clara area because I can't come home and use the internet 00:44:42.418 --> 00:44:46.708 and I work hybrid. My brother can't move back home 00:44:46.719 --> 00:44:49.938 or even visit us because he works for Microsoft and 00:44:49.949 --> 00:44:53.659 he is on call and he can't come home and use the 00:44:53.668 --> 00:44:59.878 internet. My younger brothers who are 10 and 15 lost 00:44:59.889 --> 00:45:03.688 so much of their education in 2020 when all the schools 00:45:03.699 --> 00:45:06.148 went online, we didn't have, we didn't know what to 00:45:06.159 --> 00:45:09.820 do. My little sister who goes to UC Berkeley, they 00:45:09.829 --> 00:45:12.269 gave her a, 00:45:12.269 --> 00:45:15.000 let me wrap it up. They gave her a hot spot that 00:45:15.010 --> 00:45:17.059 worked for a couple of months. And then when COVID 00:45:17.070 --> 00:45:19.750 was over, they got rid of it again and again, my younger 00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:23.458 brothers, their education is so far behind because 00:45:23.469 --> 00:45:26.099 there is not a single internet provider in my area 00:45:26.188 --> 00:45:29.579 And these and these internet providers took the grant 00:45:29.590 --> 00:45:31.458 that was given to them and claimed that they gave us 00:45:31.469 --> 00:45:34.260 internet, but we do not have a single, they don't give 00:45:34.269 --> 00:45:36.340 it to us. My phone works better than what they give 00:45:36.349 --> 00:45:40.550 me. That's all I have to say 00:45:40.550 --> 00:45:43.349 thank you for taking the time to share. Could we have 00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:47.250 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:45:47.260 --> 00:45:55.769 comes from Tina Salinas. Your line is open. 00:45:55.769 --> 00:46:02.750 You know, please hit your me button. 00:46:02.750 --> 00:46:04.958 You know, we're unable to hear you. Please hit your 00:46:04.989 --> 00:46:08.519 Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you now. Ok, thank 00:46:08.530 --> 00:46:11.119 you. Good evening. My name is Tania Salinas. That is 00:46:11.128 --> 00:46:14.110 Tania. I am the president of the current Enio Mono 00:46:14.309 --> 00:46:18.099 County Central Labor Council and I am here on behalf 00:46:18.110 --> 00:46:21.800 of union labor. This funding is crucial to bridge the 00:46:21.809 --> 00:46:24.369 digital divide and ensure equal opportunities for all 00:46:24.378 --> 00:46:27.809 residents, but it must be done right? Securing labor 00:46:27.820 --> 00:46:30.639 standards must be a vital aspect of the B program by 00:46:30.648 --> 00:46:33.739 implementing upholding labor standards. We ensure that 00:46:33.750 --> 00:46:35.969 the workers involved in the broadband expansion are 00:46:35.978 --> 00:46:39.418 treated fairly receive just wages and have safe working 00:46:39.429 --> 00:46:42.889 conditions. We must prioritize for wages for workers 00:46:42.898 --> 00:46:45.378 involved in the B program by ensuring that workers 00:46:45.389 --> 00:46:49.010 receive just compensation. We create a pathway to economic 00:46:49.019 --> 00:46:51.699 stability and growth for the communities involved in 00:46:51.708 --> 00:46:54.918 the broad and expansion. It must provide safe working 00:46:54.929 --> 00:46:58.398 conditions that the program should prioritize the safety 00:46:58.409 --> 00:47:01.179 and well being of workers implementing robust safety 00:47:01.188 --> 00:47:04.739 protocols and monitoring mechanisms help mitigate risk 00:47:04.750 --> 00:47:07.199 and ensures workplace remain safe throughout the entire 00:47:07.208 --> 00:47:10.699 process. Union labor standard provides this worker 00:47:10.708 --> 00:47:14.539 training and development essential to invest in initiatives 00:47:14.550 --> 00:47:17.208 to equip the workforce with the necessary skills and 00:47:17.219 --> 00:47:20.978 expertise required for the broad and expansion by providing 00:47:20.989 --> 00:47:23.688 opportunities for growth and advancement, we empower 00:47:23.699 --> 00:47:26.909 workers to succeed in the evolving digital landscape 00:47:27.128 --> 00:47:31.000 Union labor has those credentials. It must have long 00:47:31.010 --> 00:47:34.059 term impacts the successful implementation of labor 00:47:34.070 --> 00:47:36.760 standards under the big program would not only benefit 00:47:36.769 --> 00:47:40.429 the workers involved but also create a positive ripple 00:47:40.438 --> 00:47:44.208 effect across communities, providing fair wages and 00:47:44.219 --> 00:47:47.648 safe working conditions, contribute to economic stability 00:47:47.750 --> 00:47:51.458 job growth and increase opportunities for all Californians 00:47:51.619 --> 00:47:57.239 Thank you for your time. 00:47:57.239 --> 00:47:59.188 Thank you for calling in today. Could we have our next 00:47:59.199 --> 00:48:03.179 commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment comes 00:48:03.188 --> 00:48:06.849 from Jeff Gerber. Your line is open. 00:48:06.849 --> 00:48:15.260 Hm 00:48:15.260 --> 00:48:17.128 Mr Gerber. Please hit your mute button. Your line is 00:48:17.139 --> 00:48:26.280 open, 00:48:26.280 --> 00:48:32.050 Mr Gerber. 00:48:32.050 --> 00:48:37.079 Please hit your mute button. 00:48:37.079 --> 00:48:40.360 We'll go to the next commenter, Time King. Your line 00:48:40.369 --> 00:48:43.619 is open. 00:48:43.619 --> 00:48:48.478 Hello. Uh my name is Time King and I received a notice 00:48:48.489 --> 00:48:52.059 that a federal broadband grant program is being extended 00:48:52.070 --> 00:48:56.820 to AT&T. Um I would say because this has nothing directly 00:48:56.829 --> 00:49:00.010 to do with access but because the cell industry is 00:49:00.019 --> 00:49:03.769 an Oligopoly and there's there should be a requirement 00:49:03.780 --> 00:49:07.938 that these companies mainly AT&T have fair practices 00:49:07.949 --> 00:49:11.019 for customers, especially those underserved with valid 00:49:11.030 --> 00:49:14.679 complaints and need to ensure practical corrective 00:49:14.688 --> 00:49:18.510 op opportunities when customers are wrong. Uh AT&T 00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:21.688 has limited their customer service reps from issuing 00:49:21.699 --> 00:49:25.610 credit in order to increase profits, which is becoming 00:49:25.619 --> 00:49:30.128 a trend for most ali gooly based companies um most 00:49:30.139 --> 00:49:32.610 of these companies, as most of, you know, either offer 00:49:32.619 --> 00:49:37.106 no human reps to talk to or very limited, uh, human 00:49:37.115 --> 00:49:40.786 reps, uh, or in some cases, in most cases, and in particular 00:49:40.797 --> 00:49:43.436 AT&T from my personal experience, they limit their 00:49:43.447 --> 00:49:47.047 reps and managers from issuing corrective measures 00:49:47.056 --> 00:49:50.976 like refunds, even if the customer was wrong or the 00:49:50.987 --> 00:49:55.306 issues were verified. Um, my personal experience, um 00:49:55.315 --> 00:49:59.782 was that most of the rep that I spoke with agreed that 00:49:59.793 --> 00:50:03.634 I was deserving of an $800 refund. But after 10 to 00:50:03.643 --> 00:50:08.233 12 calls, several store visits and the management agreed 00:50:08.242 --> 00:50:11.842 with me, there was still no refund issued beyond $20 00:50:11.853 --> 00:50:14.623 because they said that customer loyalty can't go over 00:50:14.634 --> 00:50:17.393 that. So I would just require, I would ask that you 00:50:17.403 --> 00:50:19.583 guys require these types of things when you give out 00:50:19.592 --> 00:50:23.219 grants, these big companies that are taking money from 00:50:23.230 --> 00:50:25.960 the small guys. I also wanted to complain about Asurion 00:50:26.460 --> 00:50:30.460 which also did not offer different repairs. Um And 00:50:30.469 --> 00:50:33.800 that's the insurance company that AT&T works with for 00:50:33.811 --> 00:50:37.159 violet complaints. And if you guys do offer access 00:50:37.170 --> 00:50:40.659 I would also recommend access to underserved communities 00:50:40.670 --> 00:50:47.030 like South uh South L A. Thank you. 00:50:47.030 --> 00:50:49.250 Thank you so much for taking the time to share today 00:50:49.260 --> 00:50:52.739 Could we have our next commenter, please? Thank you 00:50:52.750 --> 00:50:55.829 Our next comment comes from Cleo Cabral. Your line 00:50:55.840 --> 00:50:59.239 is open. 00:50:59.239 --> 00:51:03.019 Good evening. Um My name is Cleo Cabra and I live in 00:51:03.030 --> 00:51:08.719 Squaw Valley. California and our area, we've expanded 00:51:08.728 --> 00:51:14.039 roads. The 180 many people have moved up there. But 00:51:14.050 --> 00:51:17.728 really it is rolling the dice if we have internet that 00:51:17.739 --> 00:51:21.659 day or not. So, working from home, forget it, trying 00:51:21.668 --> 00:51:24.800 to do homework, forget it. Because it's a very unreliable 00:51:24.809 --> 00:51:29.159 You cannot rely on it. During COVID. My family, we 00:51:29.168 --> 00:51:32.829 didn't have any access to information. We had no idea 00:51:32.840 --> 00:51:36.188 what was going on in the world. Um So it was kind 00:51:36.199 --> 00:51:40.128 of a scary thing, but also too, I do, I work for 00:51:40.139 --> 00:51:44.849 AT&T as well as um CWA, a vice president for local 00:51:44.860 --> 00:51:50.550 here. And uh we have other um entities that are not 00:51:50.559 --> 00:51:53.750 union that have become union. And when we walked in 00:51:53.760 --> 00:51:58.458 this, the safety issues were unreal such as not even 00:51:58.469 --> 00:52:01.280 providing water for their employees as one example 00:52:01.610 --> 00:52:05.760 But I think we really need to, to spread the message 00:52:05.769 --> 00:52:10.639 to our California residents that we care about everybody's 00:52:10.648 --> 00:52:13.510 safety. We want to make sure that the job is done right 00:52:13.519 --> 00:52:16.978 the first time. So we're not spending excess money 00:52:16.989 --> 00:52:22.559 to fix repairs and, and undoing a wrongdoing. So I 00:52:22.570 --> 00:52:25.699 really think it's important that we do use skilled 00:52:25.708 --> 00:52:28.860 union workers. I thank you guys very much for your 00:52:28.869 --> 00:52:30.978 time and I hope you all have a good evening. Thank 00:52:30.989 --> 00:52:33.559 you. 00:52:33.559 --> 00:52:35.719 Thank you so much for calling in the chair. Could we 00:52:35.728 --> 00:52:39.648 have our next caller, please? Thank you. Our next comment 00:52:39.659 --> 00:52:45.500 comes from Diane Nichol. Your line is open. 00:52:45.500 --> 00:52:49.059 Hi. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Please continue. 00:52:49.398 --> 00:52:53.079 Ok. Hi. Uh, Diane Nichol. I have electro sensitivities 00:52:53.309 --> 00:52:55.949 Um, I want to read to you about the, uh US Court 00:52:55.958 --> 00:52:59.579 of Appeals for the DC Circuit published its decision 00:52:59.750 --> 00:53:05.110 August 13th 2021 ruling that the FCC failed to consider 00:53:05.239 --> 00:53:08.898 the non, the evidence regarding adverse health effects 00:53:08.909 --> 00:53:13.250 of wireless technology when it decided its 1996 radio 00:53:13.260 --> 00:53:16.769 frequency emission guidelines that supposedly protect 00:53:16.780 --> 00:53:19.179 the public's health, but which really don't. So it 00:53:19.188 --> 00:53:22.728 took them, let's uh almost 25 years to rule on that 00:53:23.099 --> 00:53:26.809 And so currently the FCC is revising its guidelines 00:53:27.389 --> 00:53:30.639 Uh Well, maybe at least they're maybe trying to look 00:53:30.648 --> 00:53:34.728 at the evidence. You know, we need to have wired technology 00:53:34.739 --> 00:53:39.530 fiber, wired technology, we can't afford to have people's 00:53:39.539 --> 00:53:43.099 lives put at risk because their government isn't properly 00:53:43.110 --> 00:53:48.539 reviewing the studies. Uh Joel Moskowitz, Director 00:53:48.550 --> 00:53:50.639 of Senator of Family and Community Health at the School 00:53:50.648 --> 00:53:53.958 of Public Health, UC Berkeley, he states the results 00:53:53.969 --> 00:53:56.179 of the study reinforced the need for more stringent 00:53:56.188 --> 00:53:59.590 regulation of radio frequency radiation that is from 00:53:59.599 --> 00:54:04.269 cell towers and wi fi routers and all that and better 00:54:04.280 --> 00:54:07.369 discussion. He said of the health risks associated 00:54:07.378 --> 00:54:10.559 with wireless technologies. Two demands made by the 00:54:10.570 --> 00:54:16.030 International EMF scientist appeal. Uh Doctor Professor 00:54:16.039 --> 00:54:18.619 Martin Paul, Professor Emeritus of biochemistry and 00:54:18.628 --> 00:54:21.659 Basic Medical Sciences at Washington State University 00:54:22.090 --> 00:54:26.539 States. There are 20,000 scientific papers that acknowledge 00:54:26.550 --> 00:54:29.458 the potential harm from electromagnetic fields. And 00:54:29.469 --> 00:54:33.090 there should be none including oxidative stress, single 00:54:33.099 --> 00:54:36.728 strike, uh de cellar s single strand breaks and cellular 00:54:36.739 --> 00:54:41.789 DNA. Um sleep disruption, sex on brain and heart function 00:54:41.949 --> 00:54:44.878 I personally experience these effects and other people 00:54:44.889 --> 00:54:47.918 might experience them at a lesser level. But everybody 00:54:47.929 --> 00:54:51.829 is at risk. We don't have regulation of these technologies 00:54:51.840 --> 00:54:57.510 we need. Please use those funds for wired, internet 00:54:57.800 --> 00:55:03.148 wired, that means op fiber optic, anything that transmits 00:55:03.159 --> 00:55:08.929 with a wire, this, this ra this cell phone towers and 00:55:09.250 --> 00:55:13.659 and all the affiliated types of technologies are harming 00:55:13.699 --> 00:55:17.579 the population. We do not have protection from our 00:55:17.590 --> 00:55:20.320 government about this. We absolutely do not. That's 00:55:20.329 --> 00:55:24.110 what the court of appeals just ruled in 2021 that the 00:55:24.119 --> 00:55:28.750 FCC had not considered the adverse health effects of 00:55:28.760 --> 00:55:33.750 wireless technology when it decided it's 1996 emission 00:55:33.760 --> 00:55:36.989 guidelines. Those 96 emission guidelines are still 00:55:37.000 --> 00:55:40.378 the same ones and you know, 00:55:40.378 --> 00:55:45.679 nobody enforces them anyway. So that's what I have 00:55:45.688 --> 00:55:49.179 to say. Please do the right thing here and do wired 00:55:49.188 --> 00:55:53.619 technology with wires. Thank you. Thank you for calling 00:55:53.628 --> 00:55:57.019 in. Could we have our next commenter, please? Yes. 00:55:57.030 --> 00:55:59.878 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Brian Castor 00:55:59.889 --> 00:56:08.128 Your line is open. 00:56:08.128 --> 00:56:10.628 Brian, please hit your mute button. Your line is open 00:56:14.250 --> 00:56:17.418 Hi, good evening. My name is Ryan Castro and I live 00:56:17.429 --> 00:56:20.030 in Bakersville, California. I would like to echo what 00:56:20.039 --> 00:56:24.030 the last few speakers have said under um underserved 00:56:24.039 --> 00:56:27.849 areas in California. Fiber being being the preferred 00:56:27.860 --> 00:56:32.228 service. My service provider has uh over the years 00:56:32.269 --> 00:56:34.840 provided fiber overlay in areas that already have high 00:56:34.849 --> 00:56:38.208 speed internet and should have been provided in areas 00:56:38.219 --> 00:56:41.898 of need. Um To me, it's vital that the bomb be funding 00:56:41.909 --> 00:56:46.070 also creates jobs in California that work um the work 00:56:46.079 --> 00:56:50.110 be done safely. I am also a union member. I know that 00:56:50.909 --> 00:56:52.929 uh when the union is an honor, the job, it creates 00:56:52.938 --> 00:56:56.239 shortcuts and puts worker safety at risk as well as 00:56:56.250 --> 00:56:59.969 the public. If we don't support good jobs, working 00:56:59.978 --> 00:57:03.369 uh good working jobs in California and unions, it will 00:57:03.438 --> 00:57:06.030 pull the standard of the workforce down for everyone 00:57:06.570 --> 00:57:08.320 I appreciate your time and thank you and have a good 00:57:08.329 --> 00:57:10.519 night. 00:57:10.519 --> 00:57:12.750 Thank you very much for calling in and taking the time 00:57:12.760 --> 00:57:16.918 today. Can we have our next commenter, please? Thank 00:57:16.929 --> 00:57:19.349 you. Our next comment comes from Dave Hadley. Your 00:57:19.360 --> 00:57:24.898 line is open. Hi. My name is Steve Hadley. Are you 00:57:24.909 --> 00:57:28.519 hearing me? Yes, we hear you, please continue. Ok, 00:57:28.530 --> 00:57:32.599 thank you. Um We are residents in the glass hall park 00:57:32.610 --> 00:57:36.360 area of Los Angeles. There's a company named Crown 00:57:36.369 --> 00:57:41.389 Castle who is a subcontractor for Verizon came to install 00:57:41.398 --> 00:57:45.969 a cell tower 10 ft from our bedroom window. We believe 00:57:45.978 --> 00:57:50.409 this is unsafe. They basically were going to do this 00:57:50.418 --> 00:57:57.489 work with no paperwork at all. Nobody in our neighborhood 00:57:57.500 --> 00:58:01.750 was even told about it. Zero regulation we've since 00:58:01.760 --> 00:58:06.699 contacted a lawyer and have that help working on the 00:58:06.708 --> 00:58:13.559 case. But we found out that they've done zero, paperwork 00:58:13.570 --> 00:58:17.250 for this job and they've done another one of these 00:58:17.260 --> 00:58:20.780 cell towers, a quarter of a mile away and then another 00:58:20.789 --> 00:58:24.489 one, another quarter of a mile up the street, it's 00:58:24.500 --> 00:58:28.550 just unnecessary for them to be putting them. So, uh 00:58:29.369 --> 00:58:33.599 um, near each other from what we understand, Verizon 00:58:33.610 --> 00:58:36.958 is trying to put them every 1000 ft in neighborhoods 00:58:37.349 --> 00:58:40.599 We think that this is a mistake. Um I also want to 00:58:40.610 --> 00:58:44.378 echo what the uh last gentleman said and a few other 00:58:44.389 --> 00:58:50.978 people that going wired is the safer bet. We just don't 00:58:50.989 --> 00:58:56.500 know if this uh wireless RF signal is flying around 00:58:56.958 --> 00:58:59.739 what it's gonna do to us. I mean, some people on here 00:59:00.228 --> 00:59:04.610 are absolutely affected by it and there's doctors that 00:59:04.708 --> 00:59:10.860 will back them up. This 1996 ruling of the F CCS safety 00:59:10.869 --> 00:59:14.159 guidelines is too old. They shouldn't be doing this 00:59:14.168 --> 00:59:19.610 work. It's just extremely unsafe and um that's it. 00:59:20.148 --> 00:59:22.699 Thank you very much. 00:59:22.699 --> 00:59:24.829 Thank you so much for taking the time to call in. Can 00:59:24.840 --> 00:59:28.289 we have our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our 00:59:28.300 --> 00:59:31.378 next comment comes from Sean Heap. Your line is open 00:59:34.059 --> 00:59:36.849 Thank you guys for participating on the call. Everybody 00:59:36.860 --> 00:59:38.769 that called in. I want to thank you for doing so and 00:59:38.780 --> 00:59:41.590 participating in this. This is very important. My name 00:59:41.599 --> 00:59:44.309 is Sean Heap. I live in Lake County out of Clear Lake 00:59:44.418 --> 00:59:47.340 Um, I've been participating in the puc hearings and 00:59:47.349 --> 00:59:50.438 working with you guys, uh, hand in hand since Commissioner 00:59:50.449 --> 00:59:54.280 Sandoval and President Picker. I'm, uh, vice president 00:59:54.289 --> 00:59:56.780 of local 9400. I'm very proud of the work that we've 00:59:56.789 --> 00:59:57.969 done together and I hope that. 00:59:57.978 --> 01:00:01.359 We can continue to build um a great network for the 01:00:01.368 --> 01:00:03.707 public and, and, and the people out here that are on 01:00:03.719 --> 01:00:05.619 this call that deserve it. The ones that aren't on 01:00:05.627 --> 01:00:07.958 this call that deserve it. First of all, I'd like to 01:00:07.969 --> 01:00:10.878 say, um one of the biggest things that we want to push 01:00:10.888 --> 01:00:13.439 is we want to have that fiber network to the homes 01:00:13.447 --> 01:00:16.418 And um these south sites that are in these rural areas 01:00:16.427 --> 01:00:20.328 don't reach out the rural area and clearly specifically 01:00:20.639 --> 01:00:23.069 um we have hit and miss just driving down the street 01:00:23.078 --> 01:00:25.188 You can drive from here to Eureka, here to reading 01:00:25.488 --> 01:00:27.999 um and and service drops and there's people that live 01:00:28.008 --> 01:00:30.877 there and most folks that live in those areas definitely 01:00:30.887 --> 01:00:33.567 need fiber. They definitely need high speed internet 01:00:33.578 --> 01:00:37.697 And um back in the 1999 2 thousands, we were promising 01:00:37.788 --> 01:00:41.127 no child left behind. And Commissioner Sandoval, she 01:00:41.137 --> 01:00:44.178 remembered that and uh with hope that we can continue 01:00:44.188 --> 01:00:47.178 to push that narrative and, and bring this fiber to 01:00:47.188 --> 01:00:51.158 the trim in every city from south central to San Diego 01:00:51.169 --> 01:00:53.618 to Eureka Crescent City and everything else that we 01:00:53.627 --> 01:00:56.998 represent with CWA I wanna thank Kenny Williams and 01:00:57.008 --> 01:01:00.428 and Scott Turner that and, and Maurice Washington for 01:01:00.438 --> 01:01:02.997 speaking earlier and the rest of my CD, a brothers 01:01:03.009 --> 01:01:05.598 and sisters that did that and I'm going to drop off 01:01:05.607 --> 01:01:09.828 now. Um This call is specifically about providing high 01:01:09.839 --> 01:01:12.759 speed internet. So thank you for that. And please remember 01:01:12.768 --> 01:01:16.277 we need fiber to the trim in all of our areas and 01:01:16.288 --> 01:01:18.788 the wires does work great for cell phones, but it dies 01:01:18.798 --> 01:01:21.548 and it does not reach everywhere. Last but not least 01:01:21.557 --> 01:01:24.298 we have Potter Valley out here in Lake County, Potter 01:01:24.307 --> 01:01:27.288 Valley um has some rural areas as well. And if you 01:01:27.298 --> 01:01:30.518 even go further in to Lake Pillsbury, those folks who 01:01:30.527 --> 01:01:33.018 are running off the generators, they rely on dial tone 01:01:33.027 --> 01:01:37.788 for 911 services. If we continue to take away 911 service 01:01:37.798 --> 01:01:40.667 there's no cell sites out there. That's one more area 01:01:40.678 --> 01:01:44.188 that really relies on your assistance as the puc to 01:01:44.199 --> 01:01:46.357 make sure that there's fair and equitable service for 01:01:46.369 --> 01:01:49.027 all of our folks. Thank you for taking the time tonight 01:01:49.038 --> 01:01:52.348 and God bless you. 01:01:52.348 --> 01:01:55.387 Thank you so much for taking the time to call in. Just 01:01:55.399 --> 01:02:00.357 a reminder to uh those who are listening if you want 01:02:00.369 --> 01:02:03.928 to speak and have not already done. So please press 01:02:03.938 --> 01:02:07.497 star one. Could we continue with our next commenter 01:02:07.507 --> 01:02:11.618 please? Thank you. Our next comment comes from Janet 01:02:11.626 --> 01:02:19.108 Miller. Your line is open. 01:02:19.108 --> 01:02:23.568 Good evening. My name is Janet Miller. Janet Miller 01:02:23.579 --> 01:02:30.007 Mill. Er, I live in San Bernardino County in this little 01:02:30.019 --> 01:02:35.269 mountain town of Lytle Creek, California. 92358. I'm 01:02:35.277 --> 01:02:39.608 calling in um just to share my experience with trying 01:02:39.618 --> 01:02:43.948 to get uh just regular cell phone service up here. 01:02:43.959 --> 01:02:49.908 Uh We moved here um in May and I had T Mobile 01:02:49.918 --> 01:02:53.288 was not able to get T MOBILE to, they didn't have any 01:02:53.299 --> 01:02:57.158 coverage for this particular area even though I called 01:02:57.168 --> 01:02:59.638 multiple times. And according to their maps, it shows 01:02:59.648 --> 01:03:02.098 that they do provide, you know, coverage for where 01:03:02.108 --> 01:03:05.938 I was at. But um after like three phone calls they 01:03:05.948 --> 01:03:09.209 finally gave in and said, yes, you're right. There 01:03:09.219 --> 01:03:11.679 is no service there. So I ended up having to switch 01:03:11.688 --> 01:03:18.679 with Verizon and Verizon. I have their service. They 01:03:18.688 --> 01:03:22.168 do not provide, I cannot get any wi fi service from 01:03:22.179 --> 01:03:27.148 frontier, from spectrum and Verizon when I call them 01:03:27.158 --> 01:03:30.948 explain my situation, they're very quick to try to 01:03:30.959 --> 01:03:35.079 offer you other products to meet, you know, your your 01:03:35.087 --> 01:03:38.477 needs. Of course, all those other products are an additional 01:03:38.489 --> 01:03:43.277 cost to your monthly bill and they give me the discount 01:03:43.388 --> 01:03:46.198 of the affordable connectivity program because I qualified 01:03:46.209 --> 01:03:50.829 for that. Um I realize it's a discount for the internet 01:03:50.837 --> 01:03:53.429 but they don't even give me internet service. So I 01:03:53.438 --> 01:03:57.837 feel like these cellphone companies um are getting 01:03:57.848 --> 01:04:00.158 the money from the government. It looks like they're 01:04:00.168 --> 01:04:03.469 providing customers with internet service because they 01:04:03.477 --> 01:04:06.489 have all these customers claiming the credit, but in 01:04:06.497 --> 01:04:08.739 reality, we're not getting any internet service from 01:04:08.747 --> 01:04:11.318 them. We're just trying to lower our bills and we have 01:04:11.329 --> 01:04:13.277 no other option if you're not gonna be able to get 01:04:13.288 --> 01:04:15.588 Wi Fi, well, you might as well take the discount on 01:04:15.598 --> 01:04:18.057 your regular cell phone bill and I don't think that's 01:04:18.069 --> 01:04:20.267 right. I think they're collecting money and they're 01:04:20.278 --> 01:04:24.449 not having any, you know, no, they don't see any incentive 01:04:24.678 --> 01:04:29.048 on their part to, you know, expand service here because 01:04:29.057 --> 01:04:31.618 we border up against the National Forest. So there's 01:04:31.629 --> 01:04:34.848 never gonna be any new track homes coming in. There's 01:04:34.858 --> 01:04:37.848 not gonna be any more future, you know, income coming 01:04:37.858 --> 01:04:41.168 in profits, you know, for the, for the company. Um 01:04:41.178 --> 01:04:44.428 so they, they just went ahead and overlook wi fi service 01:04:44.439 --> 01:04:47.897 for this particular area that I'm at. I, I don't understand 01:04:47.908 --> 01:04:51.908 Um, you know, I'm sure there's, well, there's a lot 01:04:51.918 --> 01:04:54.129 of problems with, with the program and we certainly 01:04:54.139 --> 01:04:56.879 do appreciate what the government is trying to do. 01:04:57.207 --> 01:05:01.238 But I think that they don't actually look or go out 01:05:01.247 --> 01:05:04.247 and hit the streets and speak with the residents and 01:05:04.259 --> 01:05:06.759 see whether or not that community is being served. 01:05:06.949 --> 01:05:09.588 I think they're just hitting the easy, easy parts, 01:05:09.598 --> 01:05:13.689 easy jobs. But this little town which is mountain, 01:05:13.719 --> 01:05:16.949 like I said, um, we were in the San Bernardo Mountains 01:05:17.588 --> 01:05:20.327 you know, it's too hard. They don't want to bother 01:05:20.338 --> 01:05:24.288 and they're just happy to oh suggest you know that 01:05:24.298 --> 01:05:27.608 you can get hotspot service and that's an additional 01:05:27.618 --> 01:05:30.267 cost and you have to buy their equipment and here they're 01:05:30.278 --> 01:05:33.488 collecting, you know, the affordable connectivity program 01:05:33.497 --> 01:05:36.038 discount that the government is supposed to be, you 01:05:36.048 --> 01:05:38.588 know, providing for internet service. But we don't 01:05:38.598 --> 01:05:41.689 have that and that is all I wanted to say. Thank you 01:05:43.129 --> 01:05:45.509 Thank you for calling in. Could we have our next commenter 01:05:45.517 --> 01:05:49.397 please? Yes, thank you. Our next comment comes from 01:05:49.408 --> 01:05:53.557 Julie Wagner. Your line is Twin. 01:05:53.557 --> 01:05:56.647 Uh Yes, thank you for me for giving me the opportunity 01:05:56.658 --> 01:06:00.147 And I've been listening to other other people calling 01:06:00.158 --> 01:06:03.389 in and I do empathize with everybody's situation. I 01:06:03.397 --> 01:06:08.497 live in Fullerton and I have AT&T fiber optics. I moved 01:06:08.509 --> 01:06:12.949 here a couple of months ago ever since I've been using 01:06:12.957 --> 01:06:17.358 AT&T and I conduct business over Zoom. My customer 01:06:17.368 --> 01:06:20.379 have been complaining and I'm at the risk of losing 01:06:20.389 --> 01:06:25.827 customers. The the reliability has been so poor and 01:06:25.838 --> 01:06:32.189 I um so even when I'm not even next to the National 01:06:32.199 --> 01:06:36.939 Forest, but the quality is so poor and AT&T still charges 01:06:36.949 --> 01:06:40.949 the same rate. They instead recommended that I rent 01:06:40.957 --> 01:06:47.418 from them. Uh I guess extenders for $10 extra per month 01:06:47.819 --> 01:06:52.819 and it's not doing much good and I, so whatever they 01:06:52.827 --> 01:06:56.848 promise is not working out, my Zoom uh connection is 01:06:56.858 --> 01:07:02.957 very unreliable and there's delay and um and uh so 01:07:02.969 --> 01:07:06.528 my customers cannot hear me and the screen freeze. 01:07:07.017 --> 01:07:09.868 I don't know if there's, there should be some sort 01:07:09.879 --> 01:07:13.908 of a regulation against these companies when they offer 01:07:13.918 --> 01:07:18.338 something it should be working. Uh Is, is, are there 01:07:18.348 --> 01:07:22.939 any consequences to these companies? And also do we 01:07:22.949 --> 01:07:27.719 have enough competitors in this industry so that some 01:07:27.728 --> 01:07:32.418 people can, somebody can provide reliable service at 01:07:32.428 --> 01:07:36.939 a reasonable or affordable price because whether it's 01:07:36.949 --> 01:07:42.707 $50 per month or $80 per month, that's net and uh it's 01:07:42.719 --> 01:07:49.267 a whole lot of money from our income. Thank you. 01:07:49.267 --> 01:07:51.848 Thank you so much for calling in. Could we have our 01:07:51.858 --> 01:07:55.307 next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 01:07:55.319 --> 01:08:01.528 comes from Malik Armstrong. Your lane is open. 01:08:01.528 --> 01:08:06.389 Hi, my name is Malik Armstrong. It is Ma Lek Armstrong 01:08:06.747 --> 01:08:11.827 I'm AC W A 9415 member out of Oakland, California and 01:08:11.838 --> 01:08:15.189 I'm calling because like many people, there are a lot 01:08:15.199 --> 01:08:18.538 of people in Oakland, even though there are a lot of 01:08:19.118 --> 01:08:24.139 claims that there is, it is a well provided for environment 01:08:24.147 --> 01:08:27.868 for internet. It is not true. There are a lot of underdeveloped 01:08:27.879 --> 01:08:31.409 communities that have no access to internet claims 01:08:31.419 --> 01:08:34.539 from the city of Oakland and from internet providers 01:08:34.549 --> 01:08:36.998 that they are able to get high speed internet. When 01:08:37.007 --> 01:08:40.539 in reality, they are only able to get one or two megabits 01:08:40.549 --> 01:08:45.767 per second. And it's told constantly that you have 01:08:45.777 --> 01:08:49.698 to get extenders. You have to find some way to get 01:08:49.708 --> 01:08:53.647 the signal throughout your home better. But in reality 01:08:53.659 --> 01:08:57.377 is that the signal going to them is not what it should 01:08:57.387 --> 01:09:00.777 be. So these funds need to be used to actually get 01:09:00.789 --> 01:09:04.608 to these communities to give them better internet. 01:09:04.728 --> 01:09:07.828 So they are able to have connections. I know there 01:09:07.838 --> 01:09:11.909 was a woman who commented earlier that her family members 01:09:11.919 --> 01:09:15.169 are not able to even do homework or work from home 01:09:15.527 --> 01:09:19.517 We had during COVID, people having to go outside, go 01:09:19.527 --> 01:09:24.909 into public spaces and risk being able to uh get sick 01:09:24.919 --> 01:09:26.909 and bring it back home to your families just to do 01:09:26.919 --> 01:09:30.289 work. And I feel like at this point, we are realizing 01:09:30.299 --> 01:09:33.017 it's unacceptable and the funds cannot be told they're 01:09:33.027 --> 01:09:36.478 gonna go out to people who are not going to do the 01:09:36.488 --> 01:09:40.929 jobs properly has to be done by trained professionals 01:09:40.938 --> 01:09:44.848 that are actually care about the environment, people 01:09:44.858 --> 01:09:47.767 that live in those communities. So that way when they 01:09:47.777 --> 01:09:50.257 are working in there, they really want the best for 01:09:50.267 --> 01:09:54.767 everyone there. Thank you. 01:09:54.767 --> 01:09:56.728 Thank you so much for calling in today. Can we have 01:09:56.738 --> 01:10:00.539 our next commenter, please? Thank you. Our next comment 01:10:00.549 --> 01:10:06.017 comes from Mahmud Sultan. Your line is open. Ok. Thank 01:10:06.027 --> 01:10:11.368 you. I hope this is the right venue for me to put 01:10:11.377 --> 01:10:15.397 my issues in front of the board. And the thing is my 01:10:15.409 --> 01:10:18.637 case is very similar to the gentleman who talked in 01:10:18.777 --> 01:10:22.469 session at two o'clock. He was from Vallejo basically 01:10:22.478 --> 01:10:27.549 here. I'm retired employee and the wife works fully 01:10:27.559 --> 01:10:32.219 from home. But to high school kids, we only have wired 01:10:32.228 --> 01:10:37.169 AT&T internet with 50 slash 10 download, upload speed 01:10:37.868 --> 01:10:42.618 So we resorted to ask a person Comcast to connect us 01:10:43.208 --> 01:10:46.429 They gave us since we lived here like almost 6.5 years 01:10:46.438 --> 01:10:49.208 they gave us the first estimate $7000 to connect us 01:10:49.809 --> 01:10:52.517 And lately they gave us another estimate for 4000. 01:10:52.789 --> 01:10:56.238 Although across the city, there are some condos, the 01:10:56.248 --> 01:10:59.419 church and other properties, sir. Could I interrupt 01:10:59.429 --> 01:11:03.108 you real quickly? Sure, sir. I'm really sorry to interrupt 01:11:03.118 --> 01:11:05.348 You could uh we, we'll definitely give you your time 01:11:06.068 --> 01:11:10.198 Um We're not, uh we're struggling to hear you. Um, 01:11:10.208 --> 01:11:13.627 both from a volume standpoint and also there seems 01:11:13.637 --> 01:11:16.919 to be some background noise. Yeah, I moved to another 01:11:16.929 --> 01:11:23.277 room but now where, where do we stop? But you, I don't 01:11:23.289 --> 01:11:25.539 remember, but you could, you could just start again 01:11:25.549 --> 01:11:27.618 We'll, we'll give you, we'll give you your full time 01:11:28.568 --> 01:11:31.118 anyway. So basically the A T AT&T internet service 01:11:31.127 --> 01:11:34.108 we have 50 slash 10 download upload. We live on an 01:11:34.118 --> 01:11:38.267 acreage property as well as our east and west neighbors 01:11:38.277 --> 01:11:42.868 where we all have only wired AT&T the AT&T claim, they 01:11:42.877 --> 01:11:45.397 will have some fiber optic connected to us, but God 01:11:45.409 --> 01:11:49.748 knows when in the future it's not. 01:11:49.748 --> 01:11:53.208 So anyway, the CCAS gave us the first estimate was 01:11:53.219 --> 01:11:55.858 7000 back then a couple of years. And now the latest 01:11:55.868 --> 01:11:59.147 one they gave us 12,000 to connect us. Although the 01:11:59.159 --> 01:12:02.877 properties across from us is about 90 yards as per 01:12:02.887 --> 01:12:07.448 ccas they have Comcast surface. But our properties 01:12:07.647 --> 01:12:11.108 all these neighbors are on an acreage. Their properties 01:12:11.118 --> 01:12:15.368 north of the street are the city of Fresno addresses 01:12:15.858 --> 01:12:18.409 Anyway, so we're not able to get the signal broadband 01:12:18.637 --> 01:12:21.198 We're not getting the fiber optic theater, so we had 01:12:21.208 --> 01:12:25.539 to resort to add two more uh T mobile router modems 01:12:25.858 --> 01:12:28.608 so we can get enough coverage for the whole house from 01:12:28.618 --> 01:12:31.929 the corner to corner. So this is what we have issue 01:12:31.969 --> 01:12:40.007 with not getting enough coverage for our area. 01:12:40.007 --> 01:12:42.478 Well, thank you so much for calling in to share that 01:12:42.488 --> 01:12:46.858 Could we have our next commenter, please? 01:12:46.858 --> 01:12:49.549 Thank you. Our next comment comes from Justin Chu. 01:12:49.757 --> 01:12:53.188 Your line is open. 01:12:53.188 --> 01:12:57.078 Uh Thank you. I I'm not, I I'm not, I don't live 01:12:57.088 --> 01:12:59.919 in an underserved area but there are, there are, there 01:12:59.929 --> 01:13:02.948 is one area of concern I reading through the proposal 01:13:02.958 --> 01:13:06.708 for for this, for this broadband connection bill that 01:13:06.719 --> 01:13:09.948 I am concerned about according to the internet, for 01:13:09.958 --> 01:13:12.549 all the website, it says that there is essentially 01:13:12.559 --> 01:13:16.598 no time limit that is required that in which the fund 01:13:16.608 --> 01:13:20.719 initiatives are undertaken or completed. So given that 01:13:20.728 --> 01:13:25.719 in August of 2023 there was a, there was a so called 01:13:25.728 --> 01:13:29.938 coalition coalition. Um what is it called? This? The 01:13:29.948 --> 01:13:34.368 coalition of RDOF winners who were funded by the FCC 01:13:34.377 --> 01:13:37.358 rural digital opportunity fund to, you know, as you 01:13:37.368 --> 01:13:41.147 can tell, provide, uh provide broadband access to rural 01:13:41.159 --> 01:13:44.539 areas. But instead this whole so called coalition instead 01:13:44.549 --> 01:13:48.429 asked for essentially misuse of funds and instead asked 01:13:48.438 --> 01:13:50.777 the federal government to extend the period in which 01:13:50.789 --> 01:13:53.627 grants can be returned. So quite clearly, there is 01:13:53.637 --> 01:13:57.397 a problem here with the fact that these companies can 01:13:57.409 --> 01:14:00.877 misuse these funds. And there's, and judging from the 01:14:00.887 --> 01:14:04.169 bill, I'm not seeing much in the way of major that 01:14:04.228 --> 01:14:07.397 enforce accountability to ensure that these companies 01:14:07.409 --> 01:14:11.257 are not, they are both fulfilling their obligations 01:14:11.267 --> 01:14:13.748 and fulfilling them in a timely and efficient manner 01:14:13.757 --> 01:14:17.929 and not and not, you know, wasting funds that on, on 01:14:17.938 --> 01:14:20.938 communities that are already served fairly well or 01:14:20.948 --> 01:14:23.988 on, you know, or on other measures for them, other 01:14:23.998 --> 01:14:27.328 measures that generally just don't help area. So my 01:14:27.338 --> 01:14:30.578 question would be, how would the state of the government 01:14:30.588 --> 01:14:34.208 of California ensure that these funds are not being 01:14:34.219 --> 01:14:38.618 used by whatever companies have been awarded be funds 01:14:39.188 --> 01:14:41.238 Thank you. 01:14:41.238 --> 01:14:43.448 Thank you so much for calling in. Could we have our 01:14:43.458 --> 01:14:46.938 next commenter, please? 01:14:46.938 --> 01:14:50.007 Thank you. Our next commenter comes from Jackie Lynn 01:14:50.017 --> 01:14:53.618 Your line is open. 01:14:53.618 --> 01:14:57.458 Hi. Um Good afternoon, actually, good evening. My name 01:14:57.469 --> 01:15:01.328 is Jackie and I was basically calling in related to 01:15:01.338 --> 01:15:05.127 internet services like uh that's from spectrum. Um 01:15:05.137 --> 01:15:09.488 I received a notice that spectrum um did some changes 01:15:09.498 --> 01:15:14.767 here in South Los Angeles that um basically provided 01:15:14.777 --> 01:15:19.078 some of provided me with an upgraded plan because the 01:15:19.088 --> 01:15:24.397 old plan didn't um wasn't offered anymore. And I received 01:15:24.409 --> 01:15:27.948 a letter that indicated that there was going to be 01:15:27.958 --> 01:15:32.568 no extra cost or no change in the plan as far as 01:15:32.578 --> 01:15:37.429 the the price. And yet the following month, I did receive 01:15:37.438 --> 01:15:42.147 an increase in the price for my monthly bill. And so 01:15:42.159 --> 01:15:47.517 my comment is as you look into um bringing you know 01:15:47.527 --> 01:15:50.978 better speed, better access to communities that are 01:15:50.988 --> 01:15:55.358 underserved. Please consider the cost that come when 01:15:55.368 --> 01:16:00.838 with uh the the the the work and um the amount that 01:16:00.848 --> 01:16:04.698 is gonna be associated for families that you know, 01:16:04.708 --> 01:16:08.684 are already struggling financially. Um So I just wanted 01:16:08.693 --> 01:16:12.784 to uplift that. The cost is a factor. Um For me, it 01:16:12.794 --> 01:16:16.022 is, although it told me it wasn't and then I got slammed 01:16:16.034 --> 01:16:19.344 with a higher bill and um and even I even have the 01:16:19.353 --> 01:16:21.762 the letter from spectrum that says it didn't. So it's 01:16:21.892 --> 01:16:25.284 kind of misleading. So um transparency of what the 01:16:25.294 --> 01:16:28.363 cost is gonna be is gonna be very important for us 01:16:28.373 --> 01:16:31.637 Thank you. 01:16:31.637 --> 01:16:34.098 Thank you so much for calling in. Could we have our 01:16:34.108 --> 01:16:36.929 next caller, please? 01:16:36.929 --> 01:16:39.969 Our next commenter comes from Alan Jang. Your line 01:16:39.978 --> 01:16:44.627 your line is open. 01:16:44.627 --> 01:16:47.588 Hello from Hayward. Uh My name is Alan Chang. That's 01:16:47.598 --> 01:16:52.909 a Llenjang. I will echo the sentiments expressed by 01:16:52.919 --> 01:16:55.527 many of my fellow constituents for the prioritized 01:16:55.539 --> 01:16:59.088 build out of fiber optic internet networks across California 01:16:59.757 --> 01:17:03.567 of particular concern are underserved communities and 01:17:03.577 --> 01:17:06.678 especially renters of multifamily apartment communities 01:17:06.688 --> 01:17:10.918 who may have to endure aging physical internet infrastructure 01:17:10.928 --> 01:17:14.149 in their dwellings and do not have the ability to upgrade 01:17:14.158 --> 01:17:17.168 that infrastructure. Given that such upgrades are generally 01:17:17.178 --> 01:17:21.066 handled by the owners of those properties. I also want 01:17:21.077 --> 01:17:23.968 to emphasize the need for market competition in this 01:17:23.978 --> 01:17:27.886 particular space. Large telecom corporations such as 01:17:27.897 --> 01:17:31.988 AT&T and Comcast are often the only companies which 01:17:31.997 --> 01:17:35.026 provide internet service to these apartment communities 01:17:35.238 --> 01:17:38.347 edging out smaller local internet service providers 01:17:38.357 --> 01:17:41.597 and subjecting many residents to potentially monopolistic 01:17:41.607 --> 01:17:45.557 pricing strategies. I believe, including local isc 01:17:45.567 --> 01:17:48.119 companies into the construction of physical broadband 01:17:48.129 --> 01:17:51.018 and fiber networks will go a long way toward ensuring 01:17:51.028 --> 01:17:54.139 prices and service coverage remain competitive for 01:17:54.149 --> 01:18:01.037 consumers. Thank you for your time. 01:18:01.037 --> 01:18:05.399 Thank you so much for calling in and sharing. 01:18:05.399 --> 01:18:09.228 Could we please have our next commenter? 01:18:09.228 --> 01:18:13.879 I'm sharing no more comments at this time. 01:18:13.879 --> 01:18:16.198 Thank you, 01:18:16.198 --> 01:18:22.577 Commissioner Ha Do you have any final remarks? 01:18:22.577 --> 01:18:26.567 Just um to thank everyone that called in today to um 01:18:27.119 --> 01:18:30.077 to provide comments and feedback for our consideration 01:18:30.087 --> 01:18:33.359 We really appreciate all of your time. We know that 01:18:33.369 --> 01:18:36.537 um your time is val valuable and this is time you could 01:18:36.547 --> 01:18:40.037 be spending with your families um especially in the 01:18:40.047 --> 01:18:42.969 evening. So thank you again and I'll turn it back to 01:18:42.978 --> 01:18:46.219 you, judge. 01:18:46.219 --> 01:18:50.198 Thank you, Commissioner Hauck. This concludes all of 01:18:50.208 --> 01:18:54.077 the speakers who sign up to speak if any of you would 01:18:54.087 --> 01:18:58.077 like to provide additional input or comments. After 01:18:58.087 --> 01:19:01.768 this hearing, you may submit written comments on the 01:19:01.778 --> 01:19:04.508 docket card for this proceeding. And again, that can 01:19:04.518 --> 01:19:12.639 be found on the commission's website at a PPS dot CPUC 01:19:12.908 --> 01:19:26.438 dot C a.gov/c/r 2302016. If you need assistance with 01:19:26.448 --> 01:19:30.488 providing comments, please contact the commission's 01:19:30.498 --> 01:19:33.899 public advisor's office during normal business hours 01:19:34.369 --> 01:19:46.099 at 18668498390. Or by emailing public dot advisor at 01:19:46.178 --> 01:19:53.639 CPUC dot C a.gov. If you have a billing issue, please 01:19:53.649 --> 01:20:01.918 contact our Consumer Affairs branch. That's 1 806 497570 01:20:03.278 --> 01:20:06.958 This concludes our public participation hearing. I 01:20:06.969 --> 01:20:10.408 want to thank everyone from the public for their input 01:20:10.418 --> 01:20:13.837 and comments. I also want to thank everyone from our 01:20:13.849 --> 01:20:17.978 public advisor's office. It our court reporters and 01:20:17.988 --> 01:20:22.268 everyone else who made this meeting possible. We are 01:20:22.278 --> 01:20:25.008 adjourned. We will be off the record and operating 01:20:25.018 --> 01:20:27.619 You can disconnect our phone call. Thank you very much 01:20:29.688 --> 01:20:32.587 Thank you for your participation participant. You may 01:20:32.599 --> 01:20:33.748 disconnect at this time.