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.

FCC Connect America Fund (CAF) Support for Rate-of-Return Carriers

The FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that it's Wireline Competition Bureau provides guidance to Connect America Fund recipients regarding their obligation to report geo-located broadband information and service milestone certifications to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).

The 2016 Rate-of-Return Reform Order directed USAC to develop an online portal to accept geo-located broadband information and related certifications.  USAC has nearly completed its implementation of the first version of the portal, the High Cost Universal Service Broadband portal or “HUBB.”  Carriers must begin filing such information in the HUBB in 2017.

FCC Robocall Webinar

The FCC announced its Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will host a webinar on robocalls on December 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  The webinar will provide information about consumers’ rights and the steps they can take to prevent robocalls.  Panel titles include: TCPA: Federal Debt, School and Utility Robocalls, A Different Perspective, and Robocalls: How We Got Here and How We’re Fighting Back.

 California Safety Program

The California Public Utilities Commission has taken steps to strengthen its safety program by empowering the Safety and Enforcement Division (SED) Staff to issue citations to communications providers. TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 12/6/16.