The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of 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.

TELECOM

FTC

The Federal Trade Commission announced it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to strengthen cross-border cooperation regarding Do Not Call and anti-spam enforcement matters.  The MOU recognizes the long-standing partnership between the two agencies, which includes many joint Do Not Call enforcement activities. It encourages U.S. and Canadian authorities to continue and expand information exchanges, and provide assistance for cross-border Do Not Call and anti-spam enforcement purposes.  The MOU also encourages staff exchanges and policy-related initiatives, such as the Robocall Challenges that have led to crowd-sourced technological solutions to these calls. Under the MOU, U.S. and Canadian authorities must maintain the confidentiality of information that has been shared.

The CRTC enforces the Canadian Anti-Spam Law, which became effective in 2014. Among other things, the law prohibits the sending of unsolicited commercial email and enables Canadian authorities to provide investigative assistance to foreign enforcement agencies, including the FTC.

Indiana

A new law in Indiana eliminates the requirements that a Lifeline eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) pay certain one-time 911 charges.  Specifically, providers will no longer be required to pay the one-time prepaid wireless (PPW) fee or the one-time statewide (postpaid wireless, VoIP, and wireline) charge that was due by August 1, 2015. TMI Regulatory Briefing service subscribers see Briefing dated 3/23/16.

New Mexico

The Hearing Examiner in the case of CenturyLink’s request to consolidate the Belen, Bernalillo, Estancia, Laguna-Acoma, Los Lunas, Moriarty, Mountainair, Pena Blanca, and Tijeras rate centers into the Albuquerque Rate Center has scheduled a prehearing conference for March 29, 2016.  See the Regulatory Mix dated 2/3/16.  The conference will address scheduling and other issues.