Today: FCC ROR Carrier Universal Service Support, FCC Releases 2018 USF Worksheets, FCC says Bitcoin Miner Interfered with T-Mobile's Network 

FCC Rate of Return Carrier Universal Service Support

The FCC issued an Order on Reconsideration revising its 2016 rules concerning the way rate of return (RoR) ILECs determine the cost of consumer broadband-only loops (CBOLs) and impute the access recovery charge (ARC) on CBOLs.   The FCC replaced replace the surrogate cost method for determining the cost of CBOLs with rules employing existing separations and cost allocation procedures. It also revised the requirement that RoR carriers impute on CBOLs an amount equal to the Access Recovery Charge (ARC) that could have been assessed on a voice or voice/broadband line.  It also clarified two matters related to reductions in support due to the competitive overlap procedure.

FCC Releases 2018 USF Worksheets

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau released: (1) the annual Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet, FCC Form 499-A (FCC Form 499-A) and accompanying instructions (FCC Form 499-A Instructions) to be used in 2018 to report 2017 revenues; and (2) quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet, FCC Form 499-Q (FCC Form 499-Q) and accompanying instructions (FCC Form 499-Q Instructions) to be used in 2018 to report projected and collected revenues on a quarterly basis. The Bureau said that only non-substantive changes were made.

The FCC Says Bitcoin Miner Interfered with T-Mobile’s Network

The FCC is becoming involved in Bitcoin mining, but not for the reasons you may think.  The FCC has released a Notice of Harmful Interference to an individual who, the FCC alleges, was operating equipment that interfered with T-Mobile’s 700MHz LTE network in Brooklyn, New York.  T-Mobile filed a complaint with the FCC that its network had been interfered with, specifically in the 700MHz band.  FCC agents in the New York Bureau confirmed that there were spurious emissions in those frequencies emanating from a specific residence.  The device in question, an Antminer s5 Bitcoin Miner, was being used to mine Bitcoin although it is unclear why it was generating 700MHz emissions.  The FCC stated that this notice is specific to the owner’s device, and not the brand or type of device in general.  If the owner of the device fails to comply they could be subject to fines, seizure of the device, and possible criminal sanctions.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.