Washington Approves over $4 Million in Rural Telecommunications Funding 

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) announced state regulators approved more than $4 million in state communications funding for small telecommunications companies, enabling continued telephone access in rural communities throughout Washington.  

The UTC approved 15 companies for the disbursement of state Universal Communications Service (UCS) Program funding, following the extension and expansion of the program by the 2019 Legislature.   

Money from the state’s UCS program supports Washington’s small telephone companies serving high-cost rural areas of Washington.  To receive funding, a company must demonstrate that, without UCS support, its customers would be at risk of rate instability or discontinued service.  The companies are scheduled to receive state support totaling $4,160,215 to ensure rural access to telecommunications services and infrastructure for broadband within the companies’ service areas over the next year.   

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The Regulatory Mix Today:  Washington UTC Approves over $4 Million in Rural Telecommunications Funding, 833 Toll Free Code Auction Applications, FCC’s Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast 

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833 Toll Free Code Auction Applications 

The FCC announced that Somos has released a Public Notice announcing the status of the 60 applications it received to participate in the auction of certain toll free numbers in the 833 code.  The Somos Public Notice lists each auction applicants’ initial application status as either complete or incomplete and includes additional information for applicants, such as the deadlines for submitting upfront payments and for resubmitting corrected applications.  It also contains other relevant information such as how to submit upfront payments and applicant’s continuing obligations.   

According to Somos, 31 applications were found to be complete.  Each of these applicants will become a qualified bidder upon receipt by Somos of the required upfront payment by November 27, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  29 applications were found to be incomplete.  Each applicant with an incomplete application will be sent information about the nature of the deficiencies in the application, along with the name and contact information of a Somos staff member who can answer questions specific to the application. An applicant with an incomplete application must resubmit its application, having corrected any deficiencies and make the required upfront payment by November 27, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.  The 833 Auction, which is scheduled to take place  on December 17, 2019, makes available 17,638 Toll Free numbers in the 833 code. 

FCC’s Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast 

FCC Commission Jessica Rosenworcel announced the release of the latest episode of her podcast, Broadband Conversations, featuring Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter.   Commissioner Slaughter is an expert in legal, competition, telecommunications, privacy and consumer protection issues and previous to her role on the FTC she served as Chief Counsel for New York Senator and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. 

Rosenworcel said: “Commissioner Slaughter is on the front lines of issues we hear about every day, from consumer protection to antitrust to privacy.  But not only is she working to keep our markets competitive and our data secure, she is working to expand professional space for women and mothers. Just nine days after having a child, she testified before the Senate for her nomination to the Federal Trade Commission.  She was the first Commissioner to bring her baby to work and she talks about the experience.  So, listeners will get to hear both how she navigated having a new baby and a new job and also how she is using her voice to fight for consumers and families in Washington.” 

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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.