Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Extends Comment Period for Wireless Location Accuracy, FCC Household Broadband Guide, FCC Looks to Refresh Record on Ancillary Service Charges

FCC Extends Comment Period for Wireless Location Accuracy 

The FCC agreed to grant a short extension of time until February 21, 2020, for all commenters to file initial comments, and March 20, 2020, for all commenters to file reply comments in its wireless location accuracy proceeding.  The initial deadlines were February 18, 2020, and March 16, 2020.  The extension was granted in response to a petition filed by several parties who said that “[t]he opportunity to develop the record is made even more challenging by three major events in the 9-1-1 policymaking space” during the original comment and reply period. They indicated the extension of time would allow them to “analyze the complex and expansive issues” raised in FCC’s Fifth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.  Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 1/7/20. 

FCC Household Broadband Guide 

The FCC released a household broadband guide containing a chart that consumers can use to compare minimum download speed (Mbps) needs for light, moderate and high household use with one, two, three or four devices at a time (such as a laptop, tablet or game console).  Consumers can also compare typical online activities with the minimum Mbps needed for adequate performance for each application by using the FCC’s Broadband Speed Guide.  

FCC Looks to Refresh Record on Ancillary Service Charges

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking to refresh the record on ancillary service charges imposed in connection with inmate calling services (ICS).  Specifically, the FCC seeks comment on whether each permitted ICS ancillary service charge may be segregated between interstate and intrastate calls and, if so, how.  It asks commenters to explain in detail the basis for any claim that an ancillary service charge may be segregated, including addressing the range of different functions that might be associated with each charge where relevant.  Comments are due 30 days after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register; reply comments are due 45 days after publication.  Publication has not yet occurred. Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 2/5/20.

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s 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.