Today: Alabama Legislation Encourages Providers to Adopt FCC Robocall Rules, FCC Settles Investigations into Wireless Structures Built Without Review, US House Hearing in Data Prioritization
Alabama Bill Encourages Providers to Adopt FCC Robocall Rules
The governor of Alabama signed a bill that encourages all local wireline and wireless providers doing business in Alabama to fully adopt the "Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls" as recommended by the FCC on November 16, 2017. Among other things, the rules will allow, but not require providers to block calls from phone numbers on a Do-Not-Originate (DNO) list and those that purport to be from invalid, unallocated, or unused numbers. Voice service providers include those providing service through TDM, VoIP (both interconnected and one-way VoIP), and CMRS. A provider that blocks calls in accordance with these rules will not violate the FCC’s general prohibition on call blocking. However, a provider that blocks calls that do not fall within the scope of the rules may be liable for violating the FCC’s call completion requirement. Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 11/28/17.
Additionally, the legislature directed the Alabama Public Utility Commission to monitor the status of the adoption of the FCC's recommendation by the Alabama wireline and wireless providers and to report to the Legislature regarding the status of this recommendation.
FCC Settles Investigations into Wireless Structures Built Without Review
The FCC has entered into separate consent decrees with Sprint and Mobilitie to settle related investigations into whether the companies completed proper tower registration as well as environmental and historic impact reviews prior to construction of wireless infrastructure facilities. Sprint, a mobile voice and data service provider, contracted with Mobilitie, a telecommunications infrastructure company, to deploy wireless network equipment. Last year, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau began investigations into whether the parties had met certain regulatory requirements before constructing wireless infrastructure facilities. Under the rules in effect at that time, deploying wireless infrastructure facilities, such as communications towers and structures for small cell systems, required environmental and historic preservation reviews, including Tribal consultation, prior to construction of certain facilities. In addition, certain facilities were required to be registered with the FCC prior to construction.
To settle the investigations, Sprint agreed to pay $10 million and Mobilitie agreed to pay $1.6 million to the U.S. Treasury. In addition to the settlement amounts, each carrier agreed to implement a robust compliance plan to ensure that it does not violate the Commission’s environmental and historic preservation rules in the future. The compliance plans include a compliance checklist, compliance manual, and compliance training program, as well as ongoing compliance reports to the FCC. The companies must also report any noncompliance with the relevant FCC rules or the terms of their consent decree.
US House Hearing on Data Prioritization
The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), announced a hearing for Tuesday, April 17, 2018, entitled, “From Core to Edge: Perspective on Internet Prioritization.” The hearing will allow members to have an in-depth discussion about the prioritization of data online, how and why prioritization is used today, and its potential use in the future. “Our upcoming hearing is an important step forward to inject reality into the net neutrality debate, and I expect a good faith, nuanced discussion. Prioritization of data on the internet, paid and unpaid, is not unique, or uniquely harmful. This hearing is an opportunity to better understand the innovations made possible by prioritization, the benefits it can bring to consumers, as well as the specific harms that members may seek to address through bipartisan net neutrality legislation. I look forward to hearing from our expert panel of witnesses and diving into this multifaceted issue,” said Chairman Blackburn.
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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.
INTESERRA SPRING 2018 SEMINAR "DEMYSTIFYING TELECOM AND INTERNET REGULATION" MAY 8 & 9
