O-RAN Alliance elects Thomas Lips, Deutsche Telekom, chairman, replacing Abdurazak Mudesir, also Deutsche Telekom … Network infrastructure provider Modirum Platforms promotes Filip Petkov to Middle East general manager … Wyoming Commissioner Mike Robinson named to NARUC board, replacing Mary Throne; NARUC President Tricia Pridemore names to the Federal-State Current Issues Collaborative: Kelsey Bagot, Virginia State Corporation Commission; Kathryn Zerfuss, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; Sarah Martz, Iowa Utilities Commission; Stacey Paradis, Illinois Commerce Commission; Philip Bartlett, Maine Public Service Commission; Pradip Chattopadhyay, New Hampshire PUC; Karen Kemerait, North Carolina Utilities Commission; Gabriella Passidomo Smith, Florida PSC; Nick Myers, Arizona Corporation Commission; and Brian Rybarik, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners spoke with FCC staff about the group's opposition to a NumberBarn application for authorization to obtain numbering resources (see 2412090055). Association representatives met with an aide to Commissioner Olivia Trusty, Wireline Bureau Chief Joseph Calascione and other bureau staff, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 19-99.

NTCA, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and other commenters told the FCC last week that they dislike a proposal to deregulate telephone access charges more now than they did five years ago, when the agency last sought comment (see 2008050030).

The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) adopted two resolutions at its Summer Policy Summit in Boston this week, calling for enhanced federal-state collaboration on telecom policy, particularly in phone number management and universal service funding. NARUC’s telecom committee passed both Monday, and the full board of directors adopted them Wednesday.

Danielle Thumann, senior counsel to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, indicated on Tuesday that the commission is looking closely at changing its rules for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a step sought by CTIA (see 2503270059), as well as cutting regulations approved during the last administration. NEPA was the first issue Thumann raised while speaking at a Federalist Society 5G webinar.

During a panel at NARUC's Winter Policy Summit this week (see 2502250010), Michael Santorelli, director of New York Law School's Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute, mentioned New York's Affordable Broadband Act, on which the U.S. Supreme Court denied a petition for rehearing Monday. States shouldn't follow New York's lead because the law is "unnecessary and sets a dangerous precedent for legislative overreach," Santorelli said. Instead, he urged that states focus on "updating laws to facilitate broadband buildout."

NARUC's board of directors on Wednesday approved the two resolutions adopted by its telecom committee Monday (see 2502240060).

Broadband officials and experts emphasized the need for greater communication and partnerships between industry and government to complete the transition from copper infrastructure to fiber and other technologies during NARUC's Winter Policy Summit on Tuesday. Some stressed the need for greater oversight of the transition and carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations. Others discussed the potential effects of the challenge to the FCC's Title II broadband reclassification and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision for a second time to deny rehearing a challenge to New York's broadband affordability law.

Telecom and utility companies must engage in early communication and collaboration to ensure efficient and safe broadband deployment, industry leaders said Monday at NARUC's Winter Policy Summit. NARUC Telecom Committee members also voted unanimously to adopt two resolutions on utility demand response communication and on vandalism or theft of communications infrastructure.

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington promotes Adam Cassady from legal adviser to chief of staff ... NARUC President Tricia Pridemore taps for board Katie Anderson, Arkansas Public Service Commission, succeeding Lillian Mateo-Santos, Puerto Rico Energy Bureau; for subcommittee-education and research, Erik Helland, Iowa Utilities Commission, and Doyle Webb, Arkansas PSC, replacing Pridemore and succeeding John Betkoski, Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority; for Gas-Electric Alignment for Reliability (GEAR) Task Force, Josh Byrnes, Iowa Utilities Commission.