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.

US Congress

          FCC Oversight

The Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) announced that the subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for July 12, 2016, and it is to include all five FCC commissioners.  “The FCC continues to push the limits of congressional patience, grab jurisdiction from other agencies, and leave the marketplace bewildered and confused.  Pledges of openness and transparency have failed to materialize.  Meanwhile, it appears not just Republicans on the commission are kept in the dark on major policy proposals.  This is not make believe – the consequences are real and the FCC must do better,” said Walden.  “The upcoming hearing will provide our members an opportunity to once again conduct oversight of an agency that needs reorganization.”

FCC

A FCC Public Notice announces that the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the Broadband Privacy Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has been extended.  The original dates for filing comments and reply comments was May 27 and June 27, 2016, respectively.  In order to allow interested parties to respond to the voluminous record in this proceeding, the reply comment deadline has been extended to July 6, 2016.  TMI Briefing Servicesubscribers see Briefing dated 4/12/16.

Mississippi

The PSC announced that beginning July 1, 2016, Mississippi consumers will be able to register their cellular telephone numbers in addition to their residential telephone numbers on Mississippi’s do-not-call list.  New registrations completed by July 31, 2016 will become effective on September 1, 2016.  Thereafter, consumers who continue receiving telemarketing calls may file a complaint with the PSC in writing, over the telephone, or via the website.  The PSC will hold press conferences across the state throughout the month of July to discuss the addition of cell phones to the Mississippi No-Call Program.  Click here for dates/locations.