Today: FCC Lifeline Minimum Service Standards, Louisiana Robocall Resolution, US Senate Letter re Robocalls, US House Energy and Commerce Committee Letter re Lifeline
FCC Lifeline Minimum Service Standards
The FCC is seeking comment on a request by TracFone Wireless for clarification of the Lifeline minimum service standards for mobile providers. TracFone asks the FCC to clarify that: (1) the revised Lifeline rules only permit 12 month port freezes on broadband Lifeline services which meet the 500 MB minimum service standard for mobile broadband services; (2) Lifeline service provided to consumers using feature phones does not enable Lifeline consumers to utilize Broadband Internet Access Service (BIAS) as that term is defined in the FCC's rules; and (3) broadband access through Wi-Fi does not meet the 500 MB minimum standard. Sprint made a similar request, seeking clarification on whether Wi-Fi can be used to meet the minimum data allotment requirement; and whether the 3G technology standard is met if a Lifeline ETC provides the subscriber who is classified as a broadband customer with a feature phone that cannot accommodate such technology. Comments are due March 2, 2017, and reply comments are due March 9, 2017.
Louisiana Robocall Resolution
The Louisiana PSC adopted a resolution calling on the FCC and FTC to take the necessary action to ensure standards are developed in the industry to address issues associated with robocalls. The resolution notes that robocalls are being made to persons on the LA Do Not Call list, which is administered by the PSC, but that many of the calls are generated from outside the state or the country. As such, they are outside the jurisdiction of the PSC.
US Senate Members' Letter to FCC Chairman Pai Re Robocalls
Senator Edward J. Markey, House author of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), was joined by eight other Senators in a letter to the FCC encouraging Chairman Pai to take strong actions to protect consumers from unwanted calls and texts. The Senators believe that increased action – including increased enforcement action, maintaining protections against federal debt collectors, and preserving the current interpretation of autodialer – could help provide consumers much needed relief.
US House Energy and Commerce Committee Members' Letter to FCC Chairman Re Lifeline
Congressman Doyle announced that he and 14 other members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee had sent a letter to FCC Chairman Pai today him to reverse his action blocking implementation of the FCC’s Lifeline Modernization Order. Congressman Doyle said “In today’s world, telecommunications services are essential for every aspect of life. For a number of years, the federal Lifeline program has helped low-income Americans get access to essential telecommunications services. Lifeline originally covered land-line phone service, but as technology changed, Lifeline expanded to cover cell phones and, more recently, broadband. Chairman Pai’s recent decision to halt the implementation of the Lifeline Modernization Order shuts off access to broadband for thousands of low-income Americans across the country. Our letter urges Chairman Pai to reconsider this action.”
Congressman Ro Khanna also sent a letter to FCC Chairman Pai asking the agency to expand subsidized broadband Internet access through the Lifeline program. The letter was in response to the FCC revoking Lifeline Broadband Provider status to nine companies that provide broadband access to low-income households. Forty members of Congress joined with Khanna in urging the FCC to reconsider these companies’ ability to provide affordable broadband and expand opportunity for low-income families and individuals.
________________________________________________
The Regulatory Mix, TMI’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 a TMI Briefing.
