Today:   FCC Reminder and Waiver Regarding Submarine Cable Circuit Capacity Reports, Washington and Oregon Net Neutrality Bills 

FCC Reminder and Waiver Regarding Submarine Cable Circuit Capacity Reports

The FCC reminded common carriers and cable landing licensees that data for the annual Circuit Capacity Reports are due no later than April 2, 2018.  Section 43.62 of the FCC’s rules requires any licensee of a submarine cable between the United States and a foreign point, as well as any common carrier with capacity on a submarine cable between the United States and a foreign point, to file Circuit Capacity Report(s) if it had any activated or non-activated circuits as of December 31, 2017.  It notes that it recently eliminated the requirement to file terrestrial and satellite circuit data but that such rules are still undergoing review by the Office of Management and Budget and have not become effective.  Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 11/1/17.  Accordingly, on its own motion, the FCC temporarily waives the requirement to file data on terrestrial and satellite circuits pending OMB review of the elimination of this requirement. The temporary waiver extends only until July 1, 2018, or until the Commission provides notification of OMB approval of the elimination of this filing requirement, whichever is earlier.  The remaining data must be filed using the FCC’s online filing system. 

Washington And Oregon Net Neutrality Bills

Washington has become the first state to pass a Net Neutrality law.  Governor Jay Inslee signed H.B. 2282 on Monday March 5, 2018.  Meanwhile Oregon’s H.B. 4155 is on Governor Kate Brown’s desk awaiting her likely signature.  Both bills differ in the way they address Net Neutrality.  Washington’s approach was similar to the 2015 FCC Order.  Oregon approached Net Neutrality like previous Executive Orders prohibiting public bodies from contracting with BIAS providers that engage in content blocking, paid prioritization, etc.  

Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers watch for a Briefing on each of the bills.

____________________________

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.