Today:  Iowa ICS tariff case, New York 332 Area Code, Wyoming USF Confidentiality 

Iowa Inmate Calling Service (ICS) Tariff Case

The Iowa Utilities Board has suspended and docketed for further review a filing made by Securus Technologies, Inc. seeking to withdraw its tariff for ICS.  Securus said that it provides ICS at some Iowa correctional facilities using “session initiation protocol,” an Internet protocol-enabled service, to connect inmates with persons outside the correctional facility, including intrastate communications.  Securus said that the Board’s recent change to the definition of a telephone utility prohibits it from directly or indirectly regulating the “rates, terms, and conditions of Internet protocol-enabled services.”   TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 2/21/17.  The Board will docket Securus’s request to withdraw their tariff to permit Securus and OCA the opportunity to brief their respective positions.

New York Readies For New 332 Area Code

The PSC reminds residential, business, and wireless customers within the existing 212/646/917 Manhattan area code region should begin to prepare for the introduction of the new 332 area code, beginning June 10, 2017.  TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefings dated 11/24/15 and 12/24/15.  Beginning June 10, 2017, customers in the existing 212, 646, and 917 Manhattan area code region requesting new service, an additional line, or a move in the location of their service, may be assigned a number in the new 332 area code.  Customers in the 347/718/929/917 area code that serves Staten Island, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens will not be affected by the new overlay area code.

Wyoming USF Confidentiality

The PSC is seeking comment on a request that it make public certain information contained in the Wyoming Universal Service Fund Manager’s Report’s confidential schedules.  This includes information such as the individual WUSF distribution amounts to be received by each company and the number of lines supported by the company’s WUSF distribution.  Written comments regarding confidential treatment of the Fund Manager’s Report pursuant to Commission Rule Chapter 2, Section 30 may be filed with on or before June 3, 2017.  Reply comments must be filed on or before June 17, 2017.

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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.