Audio conference call provider ZipDX asked the FCC to "not grant a blanket extension" for foreign service providers that haven't registered in the robocall mitigation database. The request came in a letter posted Monday in docket 17-97 (see 2108040075). It said U.S.-based providers should seek an extension that applies to the requesting provider accepting calls from the foreign source listed in its request. "Rather than asking that the can be kicked further down the road, gateway providers accepting foreign traffic should be analyzing that traffic as of TODAY to ensure it meets the appropriate metrics," ZipDX said.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau granted in part and denied in part AT&T's abandonment clause claim against Florida Power & Light on utility pole attachments, said an order posted Monday in docket 20-214. The bureau granted AT&T's claim that FPL "engaged in unjust and unreasonable practices" by sending its notice of abandonment contrary to the terms of its joint use agreement. FPL was directed to remove any remaining signs that said a pole was the property of AT&T because it "could have caused consumer confusion." The bureau denied AT&T's request that it amend the abandonment clause. The bureau also dismissed AT&T's payment default clause claim with prejudice because it "violated the commission's rules by failing to assert the claim in its first complaint," which is pending before the commission regarding the rate it pays to attach its facilities to FPL's poles. The bureau previously granted in part AT&T's complaint on unreasonable pole attachment rates (see 2101140066). AT&T is "reviewing the decision," emailed a spokesperson. FPL didn't comment.
Frontier's alleged misrepresentation of its DSL speeds to customers is "textbook deception" and "violates federal and state consumer protection statutes," said (in Pacer, docket 21-cv-04155) the FTC and six states, asking the U.S. District Court for Central California Friday to deny Frontier's motion to dismiss its claim against the ISP (see 2107210062). "Thousands of consumers have complained that defendants were not providing the Internet speeds they have paid for," plaintiffs said. The officials said the court has standing to hear the claims because Frontier has "sufficient contacts within the United States to satisfy due process." Frontier didn't comment.
NTCA, NCTA and ATIS opposed the California Public Utilities Commission's petition for reconsideration of the FCC's decision to maintain confidentiality for information obtained in the network outage reporting system and disaster information reporting system. The opposition came in comments posted Friday in docket 15-80. The petition "fails to make a persuasive case that unfettered public access to NORS and DIRS filings would not be detrimental to national security," said NTCA. NCTA agreed. It said it isn't practical to determine the national security risks of releasing outage reporting information case by case: "It should be clear to all stakeholders that the risk of some type of attack on critical networks is far from idle speculation." ATIS said public disclosure may "decrease the utility of reports" because providers voluntarily share information under current rules. Rolling back the presumption of confidentiality "would discourage providers from voluntarily taking meaningful incremental steps to make more information available," ATIS said.
The Edison Electric Institute and California utilities asked the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to grant a petition for partial reconsideration from EEI and others of the commission's Telephone Consumer Protection Act exemptions order, said an ex parte letter posted Thursday in docket 02-278. The order places "arbitrary limits on informational, prerecorded calls" that will "significantly hinder customers’ ability to receive important information that is closely related to their utility service," said EEI, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and Pacific Gas and Electric.
Covington Electric Cooperative will accept the FCC’s offer to withdraw two census blocks it won during the Rural Digital Opportunity Phase I auction, it said in a waiver request posted Wednesday in docket 19-126 (see 2108040054). It asked the commission to waive all penalties associated with doing so. Tallahatchie Valley Internet Services also accepted the offer for one of the census blocks it won and asked for a waiver Wednesday. Tallahatchie is the third provider to accept the FCC's offer. Citynet agreed to withdraw five census blocks it won and last week asked for a similar waiver.
Comments are due to the FCC Aug. 24, replies Aug. 31, on Zoom's proposed buy of Five9, said a public notice Tuesday in docket 21-316. Under the agreement, Zoom subsidiary Summer Merger Sub would combine with Five9 and continue as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zoom.
Emergency broadband benefit program providers have until Aug. 16 to certify reimbursement claims for services provided in May and June if they have uploaded their claims but were unable to complete the certification of those claims by July 15, said an FCC Wireline Bureau order Tuesday in docket 20-445. Atlantic Broadband sought an extension to certify claims for June. The bureau previously gave all participating ISPs an extra month to submit claims for services provided in May (see 2106080046).
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted the Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s request to extend the comment period of its Further NPRM on interstate rate caps for inmate calling services, in an order Tuesday. Groups including the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, National Association of the Deaf and Public Knowledge backed the request (see 2108030073). Comments are due by Sept 27, replies Oct 27, in docket 12-375.
The proposed North American Numbering Plan Administration Fund size for FY 2022 will be $8.6 million with a contribution factor of 0.0000535, said an FCC Wireline Bureau public notice Monday in docket 92-237. The fund estimate and contribution factor will take effect Aug. 23 unless the commission acts.