The telecom industry warned California regulators not to overstep, in Friday comments on three rulemakings at the California Public Utilities Commission. Litigation is likely if the CPUC ramps up VoIP regulation, said internet-based phone providers in docket R.22-08-008. Meanwhile, in docket R.23-04-006, video franchise holders said there’s no need to revamp how they’re treated under the state’s Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act (DIVCA). Consumer groups fail to support their calls for stricter and more widely applied service-quality metrics for voice, said telecom groups in reply comments in R.22-03-016.
Verizon needs another year to migrate TracFone California customers to its network due to inaction by affected users, Verizon said in a Friday letter to the California Public Utilities Commission. In 2021, the CPUC approved Verizon’s TracFone buy with a condition that it migrate all TraceFone customers to Verizon’s network by Nov. 22 this year. Verizon seeks an extension to Nov. 22, 2024, “to align with federal regulatory obligations and to continue its efforts to persuade TracFone’s California-based customers to migrate through customer-friendly incentives in light of widespread customer inaction despite Verizon and TracFone’s robust outreach to affected customers.” The FCC’s merger approval allowed three-years minimum for customer migration, Verizon said. Saying it can’t force anyone, the carrier said it’s doing everything it can to move customers. “Despite robust outreach and generous incentives, a large number of customers have not migrated,” it said. “These customers have been contacted on a nearly weekly cadence, with some customers having received over 50 communications to date.” The carrier later in the letter described the number of unmoved customers as a “large percentage of the original universe of TracFone customers on non-Verizon networks.” If customers don’t move by the current deadline, Verizon would continue to provide service for the time being but cease to communicate migration offers, it said. “Such customers, assuming they do not switch service providers of their own volition, will remain in this status until TracFone ceases to provide service over the third-party network used to serve the customers.” Verizon would inform customers before they lose service, it said. The carrier asked the CPUC to extend the deadline by June 22.
Texas legislators passed broadband funding and consumer privacy bills before adjourning Monday. Gov. Gregg Abbott (R) has until June 18 to consider many of the bills. "This was a big, important session for rural telecom,” said Texas Telephone Association (TTA) Executive Director Mark Seale in an interview Tuesday.
The 42 GHz NPRM, teed up for a vote at the FCC’s June 18 meeting (see 2305180069), was largely unexpected, though it had apparently been in the works since 2021 when staff for Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel started asking about putting the band to work, industry officials told us. The 500-MHz of spectrum is uniquely unoccupied, with no federal or nonfederal incumbents.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) appoints Wesley Bennett, commissioner-Department of Local Government Finance, to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, effective June 26; replacing Stefanie Krevda, who stepped down … Public Service Commission of West Virginia promotes Andy Gallagher to communications director … Alan Chartock retires as WAMC Albany president-CEO; Operations and Engineering Director Stacey Rosenberry is interim CEO … CBS Stations promotes Kari Patey to vice president-producer development for 14 CBS local newsrooms across country, new position; she remains vice president-news director, CBS News Minnesota, until successor is found.
With the FCC facing growing interest from space operators seeking approval for operations on and above the moon's surface, the agency also needs to update its rules for that lunar future, space policy experts told us. The commercial interest in the moon also should trigger ITU action, they said. The FCC didn't comment.
Industry opposed extending California service-quality rules to VoIP and wireless -- and to sharpening the current penalty mechanism for plain old telephone service (POTS) -- in comments Thursday at the California Public Utilities Commission. Consumer groups urged the CPUC to expand and sharpen the teeth of its oversight regime. The responses to a staff outages report largely tracked with previous comment rounds in docket R.22-03-016 (see 2212220052 and 2205100048).
An FCC draft NPRM, released Thursday, on the 42 GHz band seeks comment on three versions of a shared licensing approach. A proposed NPRM on facilitating the launch of next-generation 911 is a follow-up to a National Association of State 911 Administrators' petition seeking a rulemaking or notice of inquiry to fully implement NG911 (see 2110190066 and 2201200043), a draft makes clear. The FCC also released a draft NPRM proposing to strengthen robocall and robotext rules. All are scheduled for commissioner votes at the June 8 meeting. Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled the agenda Wednesday (see 2305170059).
The Nebraska Public Service Commission reviewed challenges to applications for federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund grants Tuesday. Commissioners voted 5-0 for the order in docket CPF-1 at a livestreamed meeting. The commission upheld two and denied four Windstream challenges to Allo Communications projects, while upholding three challenges by Allo to Windstream applications. The PSC upheld three of 10 challenges by Windstream and one by Zito Midwest to Nextlink Internet applications. The agency upheld three of five Windstream challenges, while denying one Nextlink challenge, to Pinpoint Communications projects. The PSC denied three challenges by Nextlink and one by Midstates Data to Lumen projects. It upheld one of three Windstream challenges to Charter Communications projects. The PSC upheld one Windstream challenge to a Vyve Broadband project and denied one Nextlink challenge to a Stealth Broadband application. Also, the PSC said one application by Cox, one by Windstream and six by Great Plains Communications were withdrawn or incomplete and therefore not eligible for funding. Also at the meeting, Nebraska PSC members voted 5-0 for an order to release a 2023 schedule and application materials for the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program. Applications will be accepted June 16-26. The program provides up to $20 million annually for broadband networks with at least 100 Mbps symmetrical speeds.
The Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA) urged the FCC to change course on the 4.9 GHz band and issue a single national license, in reply comments in docket 07-100. PSSA had some support, but most commenters who commented on that want the band to remain independent of FirstNet. Comments were due Monday in docket 07-100.