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
FCC
The FCC waived the requirement that price cap eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) receiving frozen or incremental support file new five-year build-out plans by July 1, 2014. Since the Connect America Cost Model was just finalized, price cap carriers have not yet had the opportunity to make a state-level commitment for Connect America Phase II funding and thus do not know which areas they will be serving in the future. Therefore, the FCC found that it was not in the public interest to require new five year plans at this time. The FCC granted a similar waiver in 2013.
The FCC also asked for comment on two petitions for limited waiver of the record keeping, retention, and reporting requirements adopted in its Rural Call Completion Order. The petitions were filed by Midcontinent Communications and AT&T Services, Inc. Comments are due May 12, 2014; reply comments are due May 19, 2014. Midcontinent says it its only subject to the rules because the FCC changed the filing threshold from the proposed standard of 100,000 customers to the final standard 100,000 domestic retail subscriber lines. Midcontinent says the rules will require it compile and report call completion information to which it currently lacks effective access. Midcontinent seeks a waiver in combination with an alternative prevention and reporting regime. AT&T seeks a waiver pursuant to paragraphs 95-97 of the FCC’s Order that apply to covered providers that qualify for the Managing Intermediate Providers Safe Harbor.
Ohio
The PUCO has granted a blanket 30-day extension to the filing of annual reports for calendar year 2013 by all regulated entities. Annual Reports will be due by May 30, 2104. This will allow Staff additional time to ensure that any technical issues related to using the Commission’s new on-line system have been resolved.
