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.
FCC
CAF
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau released revised reports showing the model-based Connect America support amounts offered to rate-of-return carriers. The new report shows a revised support amount for Fremont Telecom and makes changes to the short names previously assigned to seven study areas. No other changes were made and all other companies’ support amounts remain the same. The revised report is available here. A list of census blocks eligible for model-based support is available at here.
AT&T Discontinuance
The FCC is seeking comment on AT&T’s application to discontinue three domestic business telecommunications services in its tech transition experiment trial wire centers serving Carbon Hill, Alabama and Kings Point, Florida. The three services are: BellSouth Analog Voice Grade Private Line Services; BellSouth Program Audio Service (a.k.a. BellSouth SPA Program Audio); and BellSouth Analog Video Service – TV-1 (also known as BellSouth SPA Broadcast Quality Video). AT&T said it does not have any current customers for these services. Comments are due September 14, 2016; the application will automatically be granted on October 14, 2016, absent further FCC action.
The FCC said: “While AT&T submits these applications in the context of its proposed service-based trials, we note that these services have no customers and thus are distinct from the more widely deployed retail and wholesale services that were the focus of the January 2014 Technology Transitions Order and the narrative that accompanies AT&T’s February 2014 filing. If and when AT&T seeks Commission authority to move forward with the trial for such services, the Bureau expects that it will issue a standalone public notice setting a comment cycle outside of the typical 214 process.”
South Carolina
The PSC has stayed the testimony and September 28, 2016, hearing date in connection with a Petition filed by the Office of Regulatory Staff regarding the Dual Party Relay Program. The ORS seeks to reduce the current dual party relay charge, adopt a registration form for wireless carriers and VoIP providers that do not have a CPCN, and requests approval of the Dual Party Relay budget. TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 7/11/16. ORS requested the stay pending a Commission ruling on its request for expedited review of the initial Petition and its request to waive the hearing. Staff made the request because only one party filed to intervene in the case and it supports the relief requested by ORS.
