Issues Need to Be Resolved Before Copper Wire Service Goes Away, Says FCC’s Simpson
The IP transition may have some exciting possibilities, but some security concerns must be ironed out before companies are allowed to stop maintaining traditional copper phone lines, said FCC Public Safety Bureau Chief David Simpson. Speaking at a NARUC panel Monday with other FCC bureau chiefs, Simpson said “we're putting all our eggs in one basket. So it better be a pretty good basket. … It’s got to work at times of stress.” The upcoming IP transition trial proposal sought by the FCC (CD Feb 11 p9, Jan 30 p1) are aimed in part at seeing what needs to be done, said Simpson. He said a concern is what happens when things break down. Currently, “When the power goes out, the phones still work,” he said: In an all-IP world, “that’s not so."
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Wireline Bureau Chief Julie Veach said the FCC has implemented rules prohibiting false ringing in rural areas. “If you place a call in a rural area, you should not hear ringing unless the phone is ringing in someone’s home,” she said. Rural connectivity, she said, is a part of the FCC ruling seeking proposals for IP tests. In addition to the much-discussed trials of the transition, the agency is soliciting submissions to gauge the level of interest in deploying high-speed infrastructure in rural areas, and the characteristics of rural areas where there would be interest, said Veach. Responding to Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Tim Schram, she said no budget has been set for the tests and that the experiments wouldn’t affect Phase II of the Connect America Fund.
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau brought 628 “slamming” cases last year over unauthorized phone charges, resulting in more than $100,000 in credits and refunds said acting Chief Kris Monteith. “I'd like to say slamming is going away as an issue. It’s not going away, but we have a team that’s keeping on top of it.” The number of third-party “cramming” cases, though, has declined since the FCC in April 2012 required phone companies to notify customers of the option to block third-party charges from their landline bills, said Monteith. The FCC didn’t respond to a request for statistics showing the extent of the decline.
FCC Special Counsel-External Affairs Gigi Sohn is mainly focused on working with outside parties, including industry and state regulators, to build coalitions around initiatives, she said. But a focus, she said, is to come up with high-level messaging to combat attempts to rein in the FCC’s powers. She said Chairman Tom Wheeler “wants to make sure ordinary individuals know there is an agency in Washington, D.C., watching out for their interests.” Among Wheeler’s priorities, in addition to E-rate and the IP transition, are sweeping changes to be announced soon aimed at making the FCC run more effectively and efficiently, she said. Expected to be 85 pages long, the list of changes would cover everything from agency processes and personnel issues to overhauling the agency’s website. -- Kery Murakami (kmurakami@warren-news.com)