FCC Bureau Delays Special Access Comment Deadlines til Fall
The FCC pushed back comment deadlines to the early fall in its telco special-access regulatory review so parties can review industry data that has been submitted to the agency but not yet released, a Wireline Bureau public notice said Wednesday.…
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The deadline for initial comments on a further NPRM is now Sept. 25, and Oct. 16 for replies. The previous deadlines were July 1 and July 22. The FCC hasn't said when it will release the industry data. Special access covers services traditionally offered over ILEC higher-capacity DS1 and DS3 lines (24 and 672 voice-grade equivalents, respectively) connecting to businesses or providing interoffice transport. Competitors say they often need regulated wholesale access to the ILEC circuits to serve businesses or provide backhaul. The Bells and other ILECs say the market is increasingly competitive and regulation is not only unnecessary but counterproductive because it discourages investment in more-robust fiber networks.