Company: LILA
Filing Date: 2025-02-19
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001712184-25-000031
Chunk: 69

Company: Liberty Latin America Ltd.
Filing Date: 2025-02-19
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 69
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 to interconnection between telephone carriers, and television, radio, cable television and direct broadcast satellite services.

The FCC and/or the TB have the authority to impose sanctions, including warnings, fines, license revocations and, in certain specific cases, termination of the franchise, although license revocation and franchise termination are rare. The Communications Act specifies causes for the termination of licenses, including, for example, the failure to comply with license requirements and conditions or to pay fines or fees in a timely manner. Such sanctions by the TB and/or FCC can be appealed to, and reviewed by, Puerto Rican and U.S. federal courts.

In May 2018, the FCC established the UPR Fund to provide subsidies for the deployment and hardening of fixed wireline and mobile wireless communications networks in Puerto Rico. Stage 1 of the UPR Fund made $51 million of new funding available for Puerto Rico telecommunications providers following Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. Stage 2 of the UPR Fund made additional funding available to providers of services over fixed wireline networks through a competitive bidding process, and to mobile wireless providers subject to those providers meeting certain conditions.

To be eligible for Stage 2 UPR funding for fixed services, Liberty Puerto Rico became an ETC and is obligated to offer services at a discounted rate to low income customers under the federal Lifeline Program and low-cost services to schools and libraries under the Schools and Libraries Program (E-Rate). Both programs provide FCC subsidies to ensure access to telecommunications and broadband access services for specified classes of customers.  

On November 2, 2020, LCPR received preliminary approval from the FCC for an award of approximately $72 million through the UPR Fund. The funds support providing high-speed broadband access to all locations within 43 of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities, representing service to over 914,000 locations. After LCPR submitted all required materials in June 2021, this funding was authorized by the FCC. Liberty Puerto Rico will have six years to complete the network expansions and upgrades, during which certain milestones must be met. Liberty Puerto Rico is expected to receive approximately $72 million, which will be paid in 120 equal monthly payments over a 10-year period that began in July 2021. The revenue recognized from such project will be reflected as “other revenue” in our revenue by product disclosures in our financial statements. 

Effective December 31, 2021, Liberty Puerto Rico acquired 96% of the outstanding shares of Broadband VI, LLC for $33 million,