Today: FCC $9.1 Settlement with TRS Providers, NARUC Final Resolutions, New York 10 Digit Dialing for 315 NPA
FCC $9.1 Million Settlement With TRS Providers
The FCC announced it had entered into a $9.1 million settlement with two companies that provide telecommunications services to consumers with hearing and speech disabilities using Internet-based TRS. Under the consent decree, the companies will reimburse the TRS Fund the sum of $6,116,527.09 and pay a civil penalty in the amount of $3,000,000. The companies are also required to establishes a 5-year compliance plan to ensure that services going forward incorporate the required verification checks. In December 2015, the FCC fined one of the companies for failing to properly verify customers and for submitting improper bills for reimbursement from the TRS Fund. The settlement resolves that proceeding, as well as additional investigations and pending matters against the companies.
Consistent with Chairman Pai’s recently announced process change See the Regulatory Mix dated 2/10/17, the action was taken by the full FCC, not the Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. Another new feature is the inclusion of a statement in the Order approving the consent decree that makes it clear that “as the resolution of a particular dispute with the consent of both parties, this consent decree has no precedential effect on third parties.”
NARUC Final Resolutions from 2017 Winter Meetings
The Final Resolutions from the NARUC Winter Meetings have been posted.
They include:
- Resolution on Federalism and the Connect America Fund Phase II
Reiterates its support for the federal-State partnership envisioned in its 2013 Federalism Paper and consistent with NARUC’s 2013 Federalism Paper, NARUC urges the FCC to act consistent with the principles of federalism endorsed there as it applies to the federal-State partnership underway to deploy broadband network facilities and service to all Americans under the USF/ICC Transformation Order generally and CAF Phase II process in particular. - Resolution on Interconnection and Competition Policy
Endorses the recommendations of the TeAM Task Force as set out in the appendix and urges Congress and/or the FCC to implement the recommended reforms. - Resolution on Federalism and the Mobilitie Petition
Consistent with NARUC’s 2013 Federalism Paper, NARUC urges the FCC to act consistent with the principles of federalism endorsed there as it applies to the federal-State partnership underway in the deployment of wireless and wireline facilities.
New York 10-Digit Dialing For 315 NPA
The PSC announced that beginning February 11, 2017, residential, business, and wireless consumers within the existing 315 area code in central New York must dial 10 digits when making a telephone call. The additional dialing is required as a result of the introduction of the new 680 area code which will take effect in March 2017. The area code overlay plan was approved in 2015. TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefings dated 8/24/15, 7/21/15, and 3/18/15. The 315 area code is located within all or part of 18 counties in central New York, including: Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates.
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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.
