We participated in ACP during COVID and it was exceedingly easy to sign up and get it rolling. We did not have to become an ETC nor was there any mention of having to go that route. NM is taking the stance that they are following the basic architecture of the ACP rules, but mandating that businesses that want to participate must become an ETC.
We have a meeting with NM OBAE today to discuss what exactly it means to become an ETC and still have the flexibility of being a privately funded business without the oversight of the Feds or State auditing our business etc. New Mexico determines eligibility of the LITAP funds, not the carrier, that was explicitly stated in the latest amendments of the LITAP ruling that came out on the 6th of this month. The fact that they are mandating that in order to participate in LITAP, an ISP has to sell phone service and broadband service in order to pass those to our customers is antiquated to say the least. ATT&T had a big part in why these rules were kept the way they are now.... I'll let you know what we find after our meeting and whether or not we choose to become an ETC. Ultimately, in the best interests of our low income customers and to retain business, we will probably have to go down this route... On Tue, Nov 10, 2026 at 8:46 AM Ken Hohhof via AF <[email protected]> wrote: > Who determines if the customer is eligible, you or the government? We > would never have participated in ACP if we had to make that determination. > > > On November 10, 2026 9:20:43 AM CST, Adam Moffett <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> I wonder if lobbyists for cable or LEC providers suggested the phone >> requirement to make life harder on competitors, or if a bureaucrat came up >> with the idea on their own. >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* AF <[email protected]> on behalf of Ken Hohhof via AF < >> [email protected]> >> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 10, 2026 10:12 AM >> *To:* 'AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group' <[email protected]> >> *Cc:* Ken Hohhof <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] We may have to sell VOIP... >> >> ETC sounds like the big lift. Have you done business plans for the >> scenario where you participate and where you don’t, and determined that >> participating makes sense? When ACP was a thing, did you participate in >> that? I know we didn’t greatly regret doing so but if they brought it back >> we would have passed. >> >> >> >> Personally I suspect it makes no sense to offer VoIP just for this >> program, unless your business would take a big hit by opting out. If you >> already offer VoIP, or feel it would have benefits (hint: the money is in >> hosted PBX for businesses), then the effort might be worth it. >> >> >> >> Very few people regardless of household income level want landline phone >> any more, they just use a cellphone (and there’s Lifeline). And if someone >> really does want VoIP, apparently your state has never heard of OTT VoIP. >> I have a couple low income (or just thrifty) customers who have Ooma, >> because it’s cheaper than us. I think they have a basic plan that’s $0 >> monthly you just have to buy the phone, the one my customers have I think >> is $9.99/mo. I have another customer who got a cellular based box from >> Consumer Cellular for less than we charge for residential VoIP. If you do >> end up offering VoIP as part of this program, there’s a good chance you >> will get close to zero customers, unless you’re willing to price it so low >> that you will probably lose money unless you find other more profitable >> ways to sell VoIP. >> >> >> >> In addition to ETC, you probably can’t just resell service, I would >> scrutinize the rules. And if you are the provider, you will have costs >> related to things like STIR/SHAKEN that will make it unprofitable at a low >> customer count. There are also various costs like NANPA and TRS, and rules >> like know-your-customer to prevent robocalling. It’s not an insurmountable >> burden, but not something you’d want to take on for a handful of customers. >> >> >> >> *From:* AF <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Adam Moffett >> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 10, 2026 8:04 AM >> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] We may have to sell VOIP... >> >> >> >> Do you have to have to sell phone under your own brand? Phone service >> comes with obligations to protect CPNI, to provide E911, to keep call >> history logs, etc. I don't know about NM, but in NY phones also have sales >> tax. None of that comes without labor. If you can just be a retailer you >> could sell the phone, get a one time commission and then the rest of it >> isn't really your problem. >> >> >> >> Could you meet the requirement by retailing a cell phone service? If >> you're doing VoIP you'll have to configure QoS on your whole network, >> especially on wireless, but really the whole network end-to-end has to be >> able to classify, mark, and prioritize the VoIP packets. It's very easy to >> miss one thing and have VoIP glitches. A cell phone service removes the >> technical burden at the very least. >> >> >> >> Is there anything saying you can't use credit checks to disqualify >> customers? Many ACP eligible customers are going to fail a credit check, >> so maybe that's a way to minimize how much of it you have to take on. >> >> >> >> It might be worth a letter to the PRC to say the rule should be amended >> to remove the phone requirement, or to have an exception for providers >> below a certain size threshold. >> >> >> >> You could estimate all of your additional costs and determine that >> subsidizing the ACP customers will add $x/month to everyone else's bill. >> You can even put that on the bill as a "New Mexico PRC regulatory recovery >> fee". Whenever a customer asks about the fee, you can explain exactly what >> it's for and give them a phone number for the PRC, and a link to a comment >> form on the PRC's website. They can express their appreciation for the >> state government helping others or complain about their bill going up. >> Their choice, you're just providing the information. >> >> >> >> Sorry to anyone who thinks I'm being the evil guy offering evil >> suggestions.....people might like the world to be a certain way, but we >> have to live in it the way it is right now, and right now a business has to >> make money or not exist. >> >> >> >> -Adam >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> *From:* AF <[email protected]> on behalf of Josh Luthman < >> [email protected]> >> *Sent:* Monday, November 9, 2026 8:11 PM >> *To:* AnimalFarm Microwave Users Group <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] We may have to sell VOIP... >> >> >> >> Call up an attorney and get your ETC like...last year... >> >> >> >> On Mon, Nov 9, 2026 at 12:38 PM Cameron Crum <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Danial White at Atheral https://atheral.com/ >> >> >> >> >> >> On Mon, Nov 9, 2026 at 11:27 AM Sam Lambie <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> We are in NM and the state is about to roll out an ACP like benefit to >> low income households. Unlike ACP where as long as the provider was selling >> internet the federal government paid the benefits to an ISP, whereas the >> state of NM is mandating that in order to provide these LITAP benefits, the >> provider needs to sell telephone services as well as register with the NM >> PRC as an ETC. Totally archaic ruling in our opinion and shuts out a lot of >> small ISP's in NM to be able to pass these benefits to our customers. >> >> Nonetheless, in order to play the game, I am researching who sells VOIP >> that we can resell etc? >> >> Any suggestions would be greatly welcome. >> >> -- >> >> -- >> *Sam Lambie* >> Taosnet Wireless Tech. >> 575-758-7598 <(575)%20758-7598> Office >> www.Taosnet.com <http://www.newmex.com> >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- >> AF mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com >> >> -- > AF mailing list > [email protected] > http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com > -- -- *Sam Lambie* Taosnet Wireless Tech. 575-758-7598 Office www.Taosnet.com <http://www.newmex.com>
-- AF mailing list [email protected] http://af.afmug.com/mailman/listinfo/af_af.afmug.com
