The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
TELECOM
Kansas
The Corporation Commission resolved all remaining issues in its proceeding to consider implementation of recent changes in Kansas telecommunications law. Among other things, telecommunications carriers and electing carriers will no longer be required to file annual reports. Instead, they must respond to specific staff interrogatories by May 1 of each year. The Commission also: (1) eliminated the requirement for telecommunications carriers and electing carriers to file ICB contracts or promotions; (2) found that it maintains authority and jurisdiction to certificate IXCs; and (3) determined how to implement the statutory requirements to eliminate the identical support rule and cap Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF) support. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Kansas Bulletin dated 12/6/13.
FCC
The FCC is seeking comment by January 7, 2014, on several issues associated with the implementation of Phase II of the Connect America Fund. The first Public Notice seeks comment on: (1) the timing of Phase II support disbursements; and (2) how support should be phased-down in areas were Phase II support would be less than the current frozen support amount. Read the Notice here.
The second Public Notice announces the availability of version four of the Connect America Cost Model (CAM v4.0) and seeks comment on whether the FCC should adopt this version of CAM and the default inputs for purposes of calculating costs in price cap areas for implementing Connect America Phase II. The CAM v4.0 incorporates a number of modifications, including additional adjustments to address the unique circumstances and operating conditions in the noncontiguous areas of the United States. The Public Notice explains the changes. Read the Notice here
