Today:  Louisiana enacts Caller ID Spoofing Bill, FCC Funding for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands 

Louisiana Enacts Caller ID Spoofing Bill

The Governor of Louisiana has signed a bill that adds a person's telephone number when used for "caller id spoofing" to the definition of "personal identifying information" for purposes of the crime of identity theft.  The bill also adds a definition for “caller identification system” and “insert.”  The bill is scheduled to become effective August 1, 2018. 

FCC Funding For Puerto Rico And US Virgin Islands

The FCC approved additional immediate funding to accelerate the restoration of communications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that were damaged and destroyed during the 2017 hurricane season.  To accomplish this, the FCC established the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund.

•  Through the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund, the FCC will make available up to $750 million of funding to carriers in Puerto Rico, including an immediate infusion of $51.2 million for restoration efforts in 2018.  Of the remainder, it proposes that about $444.5 million be made available over a 10-year term for fixed voice and broadband (an $84 million increase over current funding levels) and that about $254 million be made available over a 3-year term for 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) mobile voice and broadband (a $16.8 million increase).  
• Through the Connect USVI Fund, the FCC will make available up to $204 million of funding to carriers in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including an immediate infusion of $13 million for restoration efforts in 2018.  Of the remainder, it proposes that about $186.5 million be made available over a 10-year term for fixed broadband (a $21 million increase) and that about $4.4 million be made available over a 3-year term for 4G LTE mobile voice and broadband (a $4.2 million increase). 
• The FCC will also convert $65.8 million in advanced funding provided last year to carriers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands into new funding by declining to recover that advanced funding from future universal service support payments. 

Opportunities for the first stage of funding are open to all facilities-based providers of voice and broadband service in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands, subject to receiving an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designation. To participate, providers must certify their eligibility no later than 14 days after publication of the Order in the Federal Register.  The FCC seeks comment on how best to structure the second stage of the above funding to speed longer-term efforts to rebuild fixed and mobile voice and broadband networks in the territories and harden them against future natural disasters.  It intends to target support in a tailored and cost-effective manner, using competitive processes where appropriate. 

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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’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 an Inteserra Briefing.