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.

US Congress Urges Halt To Some FCC Actions

Both the House and Senate Congressional Committees with oversight over the FCC have written letters to FCC Chairman Wheeler urging him to implement a “regulatory freeze” and “stop work on controversial new orders” during the presidential transition.  On the House side, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said that “[t]he most important challenge for the Commission over the next ten weeks is to ensure a successful broadcast incentive auction.”  They urged Chairman Wheeler to concentrate the FCC’s “attention and resources only on matters that require action under the law and efforts to foster the success of the broadcast incentive auction” and warned against considering complex and controversial items that the new Congress and new Administration will have an interest in reviewing.

On the Senate side, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), also urged the FCC to stop working on “controversial new orders that could create confusion if reversed and would be subject to review next year.”  He noted that “[a]ny action taken by the FCC following November 8, 2016, will receive particular scrutiny” but added that “[t]here are certainly many consensus and administrative matters on which the Commission can instead focus its energies to conclude, including several items currently on the agenda for the Open Meeting scheduled to occur on November 17, 2016.”

Reacting to the Congressional letters, FCC Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O’Reilly called on Chairman Wheeler to heed the request of Congressional leaders.  Commissioner Pai specifically urged Chairman Wheeler to withdraw “the four major items on the November meeting agenda.”  See the Regulatory Mix dated 11/11/16.  (Among other things, the November meeting includes a Report and Order to adopt new rules for business data services.)

California Area Code

The PUC reminds consumers in the 213 and 323 area codes that starting January 14, 2017, they may begin to use the new dialing procedure (1 + area code + seven digit telephone number) when making all calls within those area codes.  In July 2016 the PUC eliminated the boundaries in which the two area codes can be allocated so that the 213 and 323 numbers will be available for the whole region. TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 7/27/16.

Oregon Annual Report Rules

The Oregon PUC has started a rulemaking to revise its rule governing the filing of annual reports by telecommunications providers.  The proposed changes make housekeeping corrections to the rule and clarify the information be submitted and the date on which it must be provided.  Comments may be filed by December 23, 2016.

NASUCA 2017 leadership

At its 2016 Annual Meeting in La Quinta, CA, the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) elected its 2017 Officers and Executive Committee.  The following NASUCA members were elected:  Robert Nelson (Montana) as its president; Elin Swanson Katz, (Connecticut) as vice president; Mark Schuling (Iowa) as treasurer, and Jackie Roberts (West Virginia) as secretary.  The Executive Committee will be James Kelly (Florida), Michele Beck (Utah), Bryce Freeman (Wyoming), Stefanie A. Brand (New Jersey), Timothy Schneider (Maine), Christopher Ayers (North Carolina), and Tanya McCloskey (Pennsylvania).