Today: FCC LNPA Transition Outreach, FCC Mobility Fund Deadline Waiver, Utah To Delay Use national Lifeline Verifier

FCC LNPA Transition Outreach

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau announced that the 23rd Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA) Transition Outreach and Education Plan (TOEP) webcast will be held on December 12, 2017.  It will be hosted by Price Waterhouse Coopers, LLP, the Transition Oversight Manager (TOM) for the LNPA transition.  The objectives for the TOEP webcasts are to provide transparent communications regarding the LNPA Transition; serve as an open forum to gather and understand needs and concerns; and incorporate feedback to improve future communications.

 FCC Mobility Fund Deadline Waiver

The FCC has waived the filing deadline for mobile wireless providers on Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to submit certain information regarding 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) coverage for the purpose of determining eligible areas for Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) support.  The waiver will be in effect for a period of 180 days (i.e., until July 3, 2018), or until the FCC takes action addressing the appropriate approach, given the circumstances, for providing ongoing, high-cost support for mobile services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, whichever occurs earlier.

Utah To Delay Use National Lifeline Verifier

The PSC has delayed the date by which Utah ETCs must use the USAC national verifier system (NVS) to complete the Lifeline eligibility verification process for the state Lifeline program.  ETCs had been required to start using the NVS by January 1, 2018.  See the Regulatory Mix dated 8/28/17.  The PSC now stays its earlier order due to USAC’s delay in implementing the system for use on the federal level.  See the Regulatory Mix dated 12/4/17.  The PSC said that USAC anticipates the NVS will be functional in early 2018 and that the must use date is currently set at March 13, 2018.  The PSC will issue an order lifting the stay of its earlier directive once the NVS operational date is clear.  Until then, the PSC encourages ETCs to participate in the training processes set up by USAC as it implements the NVS; stay updated on the required timeline; and be prepared to implement the then current NVS procedures when USAC fully implements the NVS.

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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.