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 Connect America Forms

The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the revised FCC Forms 507 (Connect America Fund – Broadband Loop Support Line Count Report), 508 (Connect America Fund – Broadband Loop Support Mechanism Projected Annual Cost and Revenues), and 509 (Connect America Fund – Broadband Loop Support Actual Annual Cost and Revenues) and instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

FCC Wireless Fine

The FCC entered into Consent Decree with AT&T to resolve an investigation into whether AT&T operated numerous common carrier fixed point-to-point microwave stations for several years at variance from the stations’ FCC authorizations. The regulations involved ensure that consumers can use their wireless devices without interference from unauthorized radio operations. As part of the settlement, AT&T admitted that it operated the stations at variance from their authorizations for periods ranging from approximately three and a half years to over four years and agreed to pay a $450,000 civil penalty. AT&T also agreed to implement a compliance plan through which it will conduct timely reviews of wireless fixed microwave stations acquired in future transactions to ensure that the stations are operating in accordance with their licensed parameters, file periodic progress reports on its compliance efforts, and correct any noncompliance discovered during the review process within 60 days of its discovery.

California LifeLine Bill

The Governor signed a bill (AB 2570) that requires that the Public Utilities Commission adopt a portability freeze rule for the LifeLine Program by January 15, 2017. The rule should include:

• A 60-day duration of the portability freeze.
• A period of time when a subscriber would be able to terminate lifeline service without penalty.
• A requirement that the LifeLine Program administrator provide real-time information concerning whether a subscriber has enrolled with another telephone company during the period of the portability freeze and the date of such enrollment.