Abby Hoover is reporting for Columbia-Greene Media state Assemblymember Didi Barrett sent two letters this week to Federal Communications Commission Secretary Marlene Dortch concerning the $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. The fund is the largest distribution of Universal Service Fund dollars available to communications service providers in U.S. history and the FCC is now receiving public comments on the use of those funds. Barrett opposes the request for a waiver of certain rules regarding eligibility filed by Charter Communications. Charter, locally known as Spectrum, filed a petition asking the FCC to exclude some unserved areas in New York, where the company is already required to build out. “Charter’s waiver request is simply self-serving and will in no way benefit the residents of upstate New York who, even in the year 2020, are struggling to access adequate broadband by any provider,” Barrett wrote. A spokesperson said Charter has completed the extension of its network to more than 100,000 new homes and businesses as of Jan. 31, which is ahead of schedule, toward the requirement set by the state for the addition of service to thousands of homes and businesses before October 2020. A March audit by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office concluded that Charter has not fulfilled four of the conditions set out in 2016, and that the company failed to extend its network to an additional 145,000 underserved businesses and residents, including in Columbia County. The FCC is now taking public comment on the use of RDOF funds. The funds are expected to be released in May. Read the full story at HudsonValley360 [dot] com.