Today: Connecticut Emergency Meeting On Overlashing, Maine POLR Filing, New Jersey Joins FirstNet

Connecticut Emergency Meeting On Overlashing

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority scheduled an emergency technical meeting for August 3, 2017, to consider whether an interim directive regarding overlashing is being followed.  In May, the Authority issued an interim decision requiring that, until a final decision is issued, overlashing continue to be performed under current pole attachment agreements but with two changes.  One of them was that, no later than five working days after submitting the technical data, authorization for overlashing would be issued so long as no safety issues are identified.  On July 18, 2017, Comcast of Connecticut asked the Authority to hold an emergency technical meeting to address its claims that certain pole owners were not complying with the five-day time period.

Maine POLR Filing

The Maine Public Utilities Commission announced that FairPoint Communications filed for a certificate relieving it of its Provider of Last Resort telephone service obligation in the municipalities of Old Orchard Beach, Yarmouth, Bath, Westbrook, and Freeport.  Public meetings on the request will be scheduled.  Maine law and the PUC’s rules allow FairPoint to be relieved of its POLR obligations if it meets its service quality requirements for two consecutive quarters and certain public notice requirements are met.  Among other things, public hearings must be held in each municipality for which relief is requested and there must be a procedure for residents of affected municipalities to object to a petition for relief from a POLR service obligation. 

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TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 6/9/17.

New Jersey Joins FirstNet

New Jersey becomes the sixth state to opt-in to FirstNet.  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said: “New Jersey is proud to take this important step for first responders in our state. The decision to join this network means FirstNet and AT&T will deliver a highly secure, next-generation solution for our public safety community, building, maintaining and operating it at no cost and no risk to our state.”  The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications. New Jersey’s first responder subscribers will have immediate access to quality of service and priority to voice and data across the existing nationwide AT&T LTE network.  Preemption for primary users over the AT&T LTE network is expected by year-end. This means fire, police, EMS and other public safety workers will have dedicated access to the network when and where they need it.  “Opting in to FirstNet underscores New Jersey’s commitment to ensuring first responders are capable of meeting constantly evolving challenges,” said Jared Maples, Acting Director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. “As one of the first states to opt-in, New Jersey continues to be a national leader of public safety technology innovation.”

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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.