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Today's Regulatory Mix: Florida Competition Report Shows Customers Choosing New Services, Hawaii  Further Extends Prohibition On Disconnects/Late Fees During COVID-1,Washington Governor Prohibits Residential Disconnections During COVID-19

Florida Competition Report Shows Customers Choosing New Services

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) announced the results of its annual Report on the Status of Competition in the Telecommunications Industry.

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Announces New Version of FCC Speed Test App and Release of Updated Mobile Raw Data, FCC Announces Additional CAF II Support Awards

FCC Announces New Version of FCC Speed Test App and Release of Updated Mobile Raw Data

In a press release, the FCC announced the release of an updated version of its FCC Speed Test app, continuing its commitment to ensure consumers have the tools and resources to evaluate how well their mobile broadband connections are performing.

Today's Regulatory Mix:  FCC Finalizes Agenda for August Meeting, USDA Announces Funding for Maryland Broadband

FCC Finalizes Agenda for August Meeting

The FCC announced the final agenda for its August 6, 2020 Open Meeting. It includes the following items:

• Inmate Calling Services – A Report and Order on Remand and a Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would respond to remands by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and propose to comprehensively reform rates and charges for the inmate calling services within the Commission’s jurisdiction.

Today's Regulatory Mix: Nebraska Opens Window for Wireless Infrastructure Grant Program, FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel Releases New Podcast

Nebraska Opens Window for Wireless Infrastructure Grant Program

In a recent opinion, the Nebraska PSC opened a grant window for its wireless infrastructure grant program.  The PSC found that the amount made available for the 2020 grant application cycle should be set at $5.2 million. The application window for the next round of grants should open on August 10, 2020 and extend through October 1, 2020.

Today's Regulatory Mix: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Affirms Lower Court Ruling Reversing PUC's DAS Order, FCC Chairman Circulates Order to Ensure Predictable Increases in Mobile Broadband Provided Through Lifeline Program

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Affirms Lower Court Ruling Reversing PUC’s DAS Order

In June 2018, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) March 2017 Distributed Antennae Systems (DAS) Order.  The Court determined that DAS network operators’ transport service is a telecommunications service under PA law even though Wireless Service Providers (WSP) use it to transmit a service not regulated by the PUC (i.e. CMRS).  The Court decided that DAS network operators are a public utility, reversed the PUC’s March 2017 decision, and returned jurisdiction to the PUC to issue certificates of public convenience (CPC) to providers of DAS.

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Names Robocall Traceback Manager, FCC Announces Price Cap Carrier CAF Phase II Election Deadline, FCC Announces Quite Period On USF Forbearance Petition

FCC Names Robocall Traceback Manager

The FCC announced it has designated USTelecom – the Broadband Association’s Industry Traceback Group as the official consortium for coordinating industry-led efforts to trace back the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls. The Industry Traceback Group is a collaborative group comprised of voice service providers across wireline, wireless, VoIP, and cable services.

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Clarification on Emergency COVID-19 Related Calls, FCC Agenda for Virtual Workshop on Role of Libraries in Advancing Broadband, USDA Announces Funding for North Carolina Broadband

FCC Clarification on Emergency COVID-19 Related Calls

The FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) confirmed that calls and text messages made by or on behalf of commercial labs, health insurers, physicians, and pharmacies (health care entities) that, pursuant to guidance from federal, state, or local government officials, communicate with individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to provide them with information regarding donating their plasma after recovering,

Today's Regulatory Mix: NARUC Urges Review Of Intrastate Inmate Calling Rates, New DEPLOY Broadband Act Would Fund Rural Broadband Development, FCC Chairman Announces Progress on Addressing Diameter Network Security Issues

NARUC Urges Review of Intrastate Inmate Calling Rates

In a press release, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners said it agrees with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on the issue of exorbitant inmate calling rates See the Regulatory Mix dated7/21/20 and is urging its member state commissions to review inmate calling rates in their respective jurisdictions.  NARUC President Presley said in part:

Today's Regulatory Mix: FCC Chairman Pai Makes Statement on 30th Anniversary of ADA, Colorado Revises 911 Law

FCC Chairman Pai Makes Statement on 30th Anniversary of ADA

Chairman Pai issued a press release, marking the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H. W. Bush.

Today's Regulatory Mix: NARUC Resolution on ETCs, FCC Announces 5G Mid-Based Spectrum Auction, FCC Urban Rate Survey Released

NARUC Resolution on ETCs

At its Summer Policy Summit, the National Association Of Regulatory Utility Commissioners adopted a resolution urging Congress decline to pass a House bill that eliminates the State eligible telecommunications carrier (“ETC”) designation role.