Today:  FCC Releases List of Competitive Counties, FCC Extension of Jurisdictional Separations Freeze, California CASF Workshop

FCC Releases List of Competitive Counties

The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau released a list showing the counties where lower speed DS1 and DS3 end-user channel terminations and certain other lower speed TDM-based business data services are deemed competitive, non-competitive, or grandfathered pursuant to the FCC’s Business Data Services Order.  This information is available here.  About 60% of the counties are deemed competitive. 

FCC Extension of Jurisdictional Separations Freeze

The FCC has extended, for an additional 18 months (through December 31, 2018) the existing freeze of the rules regarding jurisdictional separations.  The freeze relates to the category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors.  The FCC said that extending the freeze would provide time for the Joint Board to consider the impact of recent reforms on the separations rules and for the FCC to adopt any rule changes after the Joint Board issues its recommendations.  The FCC also denied request of USTelecom that it modify the frozen category relationships for carriers electing the Alternative Connect America Cost Model and to make other changes to the separations process.  The FCC said that these issues fall within the pending referral to the Joint Board and may be addressed in the Joint Board’s recommended decision.

California CASF Workshop

The PUC will host a workshop on May 25, 2017, to discuss proposals prepared by Communications Division (CD) staff designed to improve CASF program efficiency and efficacy.  CD would like to gather input from participants in preparation for a proceeding.  CD will issue a strawman proposal before the meeting date.  For questions, contact Cynthia McReynolds at cynthia.mcreynolds@cpuc.ca.gov (415) 703-2184.  Those wishing to listen to the workshop may call:  call in number: 866-918-9521; participant code: 6211814#.  The workshop is scheduled for 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. 

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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.