Today: FCC Announces Upcoming LNP Sessions, Pennsylvania 717/223 NPA Overlay Reminder, Virginia Opts In to FirstNet, CenturyLink Merger Moves Froward in Four More States

FCC Announces Upcoming LNP Sessions

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau announced the date and time of the Local Number Portability Administrator (LNPA) Transition Contingency Rollback Planning Session (Rollback Planning Session) and the 18th LNPA Transition Outreach and Education Plan (TOEP) webcast.  The Rollback Planning Session will be held on July 12, 2017.  During the session, the Transition Oversight Manager (TOM) will facilitate an interactive discussion on LNPA contingency rollback planning.  This session will include an introduction to the LNPA transition contingency rollback approach and an industry discussion on the topic.  The TOEP webcast is scheduled for July 19, 2017, and will be hosted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, LLP,  the TOM for the LNPA transition.

Pennsylvania 717/223 NPA Overlay Reminder

The PUC reminded residents and businesses across Central Pennsylvania served by the 717 area code of the upcoming switch to 10-digit dialing for all local calls - in preparation for the activation of a new “overlay” area code, which will serve the entire region.  According to the implementation schedule for the 223 overlay area code, mandatory 10-digit dialing for all local calls will begin on August 26, 2017.  Starting on that date, if callers only dial a seven-digit number, they will reach a recorded announcement instructing them to hang up and redial the number using the area code plus the seven-digit number.  TMI Briefing Service subscribers see TMI Briefing dated 1/20/17.

Virginia Opts In to FirstNet

Governor McAuliffe announced that he signed a letter of intent declaring that the Commonwealth of Virginia will allow the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T to proceed with the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network in Virginia.  Governor McAuliffe will hold a ceremonial letter signing today at FirstNet Headquarters, in Reston, VA.  “I am proud that Virginia is the first state in the nation to opt in to this program that will help our first responders communicate during times of emergency,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “While this is only the beginning of the process, I look forward to the continued coordinated efforts among Virginia, FirstNet, and AT&T to provide public safety officials with innovative new technologies that will help them keep Virginians safe.” 

CenturyLink Merger Moves Forward in Four More States

CenturyLink announced that four additional states have approved the CenturyLink – Level 3 acquisition.  The states of Alaska, Colorado, New York, and Pennsylvania join Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia in approving the acquisition.  The merger has also received regulatory clearance from Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Texas, and Puerto Rico.  "More than 20 states and territories have now approved or cleared the CenturyLink - Level 3 merger," said CenturyLink Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations John F. Jones. "The combined company will have an extensive global network with a greater range of services that will meet customers' and communities' growing bandwidth and technology needs."

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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.