CenturyLink Seeks Discontinuance Criteria Limits; Others Also Lobbied
CenturyLink said the FCC should limit how it updates its discontinuance process for telecom services in a tech transitions order planned for a vote at Thursday's meeting (see 1606240069). CenturyLink was among the parties that met with commissioner aides and…
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other staffers last week before Sunshine Act lobbying restrictions took effect (see 1607080043). "Additional criteria the FCC is reviewing in the context of discontinuances related to transitions should be limited to the streamlined process for discontinuing voice services. CenturyLink supports having the option of using the existing process in all circumstances," it said in a filing Friday in docket 13-5. "Any showing of alternative services should only cover areas where we have actual customers." The telco also pointed to evidence of more cable competition in the business data services market and to arguments against new BDS regulation. In a filing posted Monday on its meetings with FCC officials, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association said the agency should focus on maintaining coverage and reliability provided by current voice and data services using TDM technology as telecom carriers shift cooperatives to IP-based services. U.S. TelePacific urged the FCC to harmonize the deadlines for CLEC discontinuance applications under Section 214 of the Communications Act and ILEC copper retirements by adopting its first proposed remedy. "No party opposed the narrowly tailored first proposed remedy that would automatically grant the CLEC’s Section 214 application by the date of copper retirement so long as the application was submitted to the Commission 40 days before the retirement date," the company said in a filing posted Friday. In another filing, NARUC called attention to its resolution urging the commission to partner with state regulators to protect customers during the tech transitions, including by adopting nationwide performance criteria for networks replacing traditional services. It also noted its belief that the commission's reclassification of broadband internet access as a telecom service under Title II of the act removes any argument that VoIP isn't a telecom service.