Washington Watch 10/29/2013
| October 29, 2013 | |
Contents
Call Completion
FCC Adopts Order, Further Notice to Address Rural Call Completion Issues
Open Meeting
FCC Adopts Orders on 700 MHz Spectrum Use
USF/ICC Transformation Order
FCC Announces Extension for Report on Progress of Universal Service Reforms
Silver Star Files Road Data in Support of Application for Review of QRA Model
Vantage Point Responds to WISPA on CAF Phase II Issues
IP Transition
COMPTEL Opposes AT&T Plan to Phase Out TDM Special Access Long-Term Contracts
Numbering
SmartEdgeNet Files Second Report on VoIP Numbering Trial
Universal Service
Funds for Learning Discusses Need for E-Rate Reform
Today’s News Clips
Reid Invokes Cloture on Wheeler Nomination
Call CompletionFCC Adopts Order, Further Notice to Address Rural Call Completion Issues At its October 28, 2013 Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a Report and Order and FNPRM to address rural call completion issues. The Order requires providers with over 100,000 lines that make the initial choice as to how to route a call to collect and retain call completion data for six months and file quarterly reports. The Commission said the Order will give the FCC the information it needs to investigate and eliminate rural call completion problems. The FCC indicated there will be a safe harbor provision with incentives for providers to improve their call completion practices and performance. The Order also bars providers from transmitting an audible ring to a caller’s handset when the phone on the other end of the call is not actually ringing. The FNPRM seeks comment on additional reforms pertaining to auto-dialer traffic, intermediate providers, and other safe harbor options and reporting requirements. The Order/FNPRM is not yet released. Statements were released by acting Chairwoman Clyburn, Commissioner Rosenworcel, and Commissioner Pai.Open MeetingFCC Adopts Orders on 700 MHz Spectrum Use At its October 28, 2013 Open Meeting, the FCC also adopted a Report and Order on technical rules for the 700 MHz broadband spectrum licensed to the First Responder Network Authority. Prior to the Open Meeting, the FCC adopted a Report and Order that implements an industry solution to provide interoperable service in the lower 700 MHz band.USF/ICC Transformation OrderFCC Announces Extension for Report on Progress of Universal Service Reforms The Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice on October 28, 2013, announcing the extension of the deadline set in the Sixth Order on Reconsideration for the Bureau to report to the FCC on the progress of universal service reform implementation and the impact of reforms. The Sixth Order directed the Bureau to report within two years of release of the USF/ICC Transformation Order. The Bureau noted when the FCC adopted that deadline, however, it expected the Bureau to rely in part on information filed by ETCs in their annual reports. The Bureau said because providers are required to file annual reports with the FCC on October 31, nearly four months later than expected, it finds a brief extension of the deadline is warranted. The new report is now due by March 18, 2014. Silver Star Files Road Data in Support of Application for Review of QRA Model Silver Star Telephone filed shapefiles showing the actual road miles and road crossings for its Idaho and Wyoming study areas on October 28, 2013. It also filed a description of the methodology used to determine the actual roads and road crossings. Silver Star provided the information in connection with its Application for Review of the Order denying, in part, its requests for waiver of the QRA regression model. Vantage Point Responds to WISPA on CAF Phase II Issues Vantage Point, on behalf of the Nebraska Rural Independent Companies, filed a letter on October 28, 2013, to respond to WISPA’s ex parte on CAF Phase II support and the challenge process. Vantage Point said contrary to WISPA’s claims, terrestrial fixed wireless services at higher data rates are often inferior in quality and higher in cost than modern DSL services and fiber‐rich landline services. It also said WISPA’s efforts to downplay the use of the wired network for wireless service providers’ backbone transport should be rejected, pointing out as broadband demand continues to grow, nearly all access systems, wired or wireless, will increasingly rely upon fiber‐optic transport for access to the Internet.IP TransitionCOMPTEL Opposes AT&T Plan to Phase Out TDM Special Access Long-Term Contracts COMPTEL filed a letter on October 28, 2013, arguing AT&T’s elimination of special access long-term contracts, without a corresponding price reduction in shorter-term contracts, results in a substantial price increase and leaves customers with no viable alternative. COMPTEL agreed with Cbeyond, et al that the cost to purchasers of special access services as a result of this change will be in the tens of millions of dollars, providing AT&T a substantial windfall. COMPTEL also said AT&T’s actions show Commission involvement is necessary and raises the question as to whether AT&T should be able to increase prices by discontinuing service offerings competitors are using to directly compete with it in the retail marketplace.NumberingSmartEdgeNet Files Second Report on VoIP Numbering Trial SmartEdgeNet filed a Second Report on its VoIP numbering trial on October 25, 2013, pursuant to the April 18, 2013 Order. SmartEdgeNet said the total of new numbers placed in service is zero; there are no port-in requests, nor port-out requests from a number held directly by SEN; no routing failures; and no billing or compensation disputes. It also reported that on October 15, 2013, trial numbers went live in NPAC; voice testing began and IXC interstate traffic has completed to SEN's network without issue; and local and toll calls are completing from incumbent lines tested in Key West, Florida, and Dallas, Texas.Universal ServiceFunds for Learning Discusses Need for E-Rate Reform Funds for Learning met with Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis staff on October 21, 2013, to discuss the need to adopt E-rate reform in time to impact Funding Year 2014. FFL also asked the FCC not to add to the program’s complexity by layering on new rules and regulations, and discussed the need to eliminate the program’s “Priority” system. FFL also said under its proposal for E-rate reform, a portion of the annual E-rate funding cap would be set aside specifically for applications for state networks, claiming it would enable the FCC to prioritize and USAC to process state network applications separate and apart from individual school applications.Today’s News ClipsReid Invokes Cloture on Wheeler Nomination By John Eggerton Multichannel News Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has invoked cloture on the nomination of Tom Wheeler for FCC chairman in an effort to break it free of the hold that has been imposed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). A hold is a signal from a Senator that he or she would filibuster a nominee floor vote. Invoking cloture, which requires a supermajority of 60 votes to override a filibuster, is necessary to overcome the hold. http://www.multichannel.com/policy/reed-invokes-cloture-wheeler-nomination/146343Editor: Teresa Evert | Assistant Editor: Shawn O'Brien |
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