The FCC Wireline Bureau seeks comment on Verizon’s proposed waiver of the new phantom traffic rules adopted in the Universal Service Fund/Intercarrier Compensation Transformation Order, according to a public notice released Thursday (http://xrl.us/bmskzy). In its petition, Verizon requested the waiver so it could “complete its compliance assessment, develop remediation plans, and seek further waivers as appropriate.” Verizon also requested a limited waiver of the phantom traffic rules with respect to certain signaling system 7 network elements, multi-frequency signaling equipment, and originating/intermediate carrier IP traffic exchanges. Comments are due March 19; replies April 3.
Verizon executives spoke with FCC officials this week about the commission’s new rule phasing out universal service high-cost support to competitive eligible telecom carriers, and how that rule would be applied to Verizon Wireless in light of Verizon’s pre-existing Alltel merger commitment to phase out its CETC support over five years, according to an ex parte filing released Friday (http://xrl.us/bmskyr). At a minimum, they said, Verizon Wireless should receive high-cost support sufficient to meet its ETC obligations in 2012.
The FCC extended the comment deadline to March 16 on census block eligibility challenges for Mobility Fund Phase I support (http://xrl.us/bmskv8). “Given the issues involved in identifying potentially eligible census blocks, from among the more than 11 million census blocks covering the United States and the Territories, based on the availability of 3G or better mobile services, and in light of our recent release of an updated list of potentially eligible blocks based on January 2012 American Roamer data, we believe it serves the public interest for the Commission to allow additional time to develop a comprehensive public record on these issues,” the notice said. The original deadline was Feb. 24, but the Rural Telecommunications Group and the Blooston Rural Carriers sought a 21-day extension last week. RTG said it “questions the accuracy and reliability of the American Roamer data” and said it needed additional time to “fully investigate the data and tools released by the Commission.” Others, such as the Alaska Rural Coalition and the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, supported the requests. Reply comments will be due March 26; deadline for comments on all other issues raised in the Auction 901 public notice remains Feb. 24. Also Friday, RTG filed reply comments in the Mobility Fund Phase II proceeding, arguing that any decision prior to completion of Phase I on how to award Phase II support would be “premature” (http://xrl.us/bmsk3h). RTG urged the FCC to institute an examination period of no less than six months before making a decision on Phase II support. “An examination period will allow the Commission to address the inaccuracies of the American Roamer data and the centroid method of determining whether an area is eligible or not eligible for Phase II support,” said RTG General Counsel Carri Bennet.
The California Public Utilities Commission approved seven California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Rural and Urban Regional Broadband Consortia grants totaling about $1 million, the agency said. The program now has a total of 14 consortia groups working on broadband deployment, access and adoption in unserved and underserved areas.
The New York State Public Service Commission is considering a $400,000 penalty against Verizon for failing to comply with the commission’s timeliness-of-repair metrics (a wireline service quality standard) during October and December 2011, the agency said. Verizon has until March 8 to submit its explanation, legal analysis and all evidence on why the commission shouldn’t pursue a penalty action. Verizon is pleased that the commission acknowledged the negative impact of Tropical Storms Irene and Lee had on the telco’s ability to meet certain service quality standards, a Verizon spokesman said. But the company’s disappointed that the agency didn’t acknowledge the impact of the storms on infrastructure in certain upstate communities which caused Verizon to miss performance standards, he said. Verizon will review the commission’s order and respond accordingly, he said.
The Communications Workers of America backed a request by public interest groups asking that the FCC require Verizon and various cable companies to file unredacted copies of various marketing agreements tied to the sale of AWS licenses from cable consortium SpectrumCo and Cox to Verizon Wireless (CD Feb 8 p1). “Consumers have the right to expect increasingly robust choices for video, wireless and broadband services,” CWA said in a filing at the FCC (http://xrl.us/bmsku3). “Cross-platform competition for such services results in higher infrastructure investment, job growth, and lower prices for consumers.” The agreements could “limit the availability of competitive services, dividing up geographic areas for particular companies,” CWA said. “Such a result would lead to reduced investment in infrastructure, job losses, and higher prices for consumers.”
The state of Tennessee asked for a waiver from the FCC so it can build out an early public safety network in the 700 MHz band. “The State currently is implementing a statewide public safety Project 25 standard based interoperable radio system in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Regional Communications System,” the state said in a filing at the commission (http://xrl.us/bmsktd). “Tennessee would like to leverage and extend its experience, established governance model, antenna sites and other resources to add broadband Long Term Evolution (LTE) capabilities and deploy a system capable of providing next generation mobile data services for first responders across the State of Tennessee.” More than 30 jurisdictions have waiver requests pending at the agency. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski was asked during a House Communications Subcommittee hearing Thursday about the pace in considering the waivers (CD Feb 17 p3). The state of Massachusetts is also considering seeking a waiver so it can build out a public safety network, according to a filing last week (http://xrl.us/bmsktm).
The FCC began an audit of broadcaster equal employment opportunity rule compliance, randomly picking radio and TV stations who must give the agency by March 27 EEO public-file reports and other information. Cox Radio, Entercom, Iowa State University, San Mateo Community College in California and Saga Communications are among those whose stations got audit letters. Each year, the commission randomly audits for EEO compliance 5 percent of pay-TV systems and radio and TV stations, a public notice said Friday (http://xrl.us/bmskky).
The Tennis Channel said the FCC shouldn’t let Comcast file more comments supporting the cable operator’s request for the commission to stay (CD Feb 14 p21) an administrative law judge’s initial decision granting the independent network’s program carriage complaint. The agency’s rules “disfavor replies, expressly stating that replies to oppositions to stay requests ’should not be filed and will not be considered,'” the indie said. “That rule is especially applicable where the proposed reply merely seeks to reargue issues that Comcast already raised and discussed.” If the defendant in Tennis Channel v. Comcast can make another filing, the plaintiff said it also wants to make one, which it included in a filing posted Thursday in docket 10-204 (http://xrl.us/bmskgw).
An Obama administration official Friday dismissed calls to delay consideration of S-2105, the Cybersecurity Act. “It is our sincere hope that Senators will look at the significant amount of public debate that has been occurring on these issues and continue to work in a bipartisan manner to craft legislation to address the full range of cyber threats facing our nation,” the official told us. “Resorting to half measures is simply not commensurate with the very real and urgent risks to our nation. It’s time for the Senate to get down to business on a vital national security matter.” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chastised the authors of S-2105 for their “hurried process” during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing Thursday. The Cybersecurity Act “has already been placed on the calendar by the Majority Leader, without a single markup or any executive business meeting by any committee of relevant jurisdiction,” McCain said. “My friends, that’s wrong.” The administration official told us Senate committees have worked on and debated the proposal for at least four years. “Since the Administration delivered its cybersecurity legislative proposal last May, executive branch leaders have testified at 15 congressional hearings and provided dozens of briefings to members of congress and their staffs. We provided representatives to participate in dozens of bipartisan working group meetings to develop consensus provisions that incorporate elements from the Administration’s legislative proposals as well as previous Senate proposals. … How many more business meetings are necessary to begin debate?”