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
New Filing Fees Delayed
The FCC announced a delay in the effective date for its new application fees. The fees will now become effective July 3, 2014 (instead of June 6, 2014). See the Regulatory Mix dated May 8, 2014 and our March 31, 2014 Blog “FCC Announces Application Fee Increases.” The effective date was delayed due to an inadvertent error in the original Federal Register publication. This necessitated a corrected Federal Register filing which was published June 3, 2014. Based on this correction date of June 3, 2014, the effective date of FY 2014 Application Fees will be July 3, 2014, 30 days after publication of the correction.
Wireless Location Accuracy
The FCC has extended the date for filing reply comments on its proposed wireless E911 location accuracy requirements to July 14, 2014. See the Regulatory Mix dated February 21, 2014. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Bulletin dated April 8, 2014. The original due date was June 11, 2014.
Michigan
The PSC has sent a notice to all basic local service providers reminding them that they should have revised the Lifeline/Link-Up program description in their tariffs consistent with the April 17, 2012 order in MPSC Case No. U-170019. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Bulletin dated May 8, 2012. If your Lifeline/Link-Up tariff has not been updated, the PSC requests that you revise your tariff and submit the new version to Commtariff@michigan.gov for approval by June 30, 2014. Carriers that provide Lifeline customers with the additional $2.00 state Lifeline credit must also continue to include the Lifeline surcharge in the appropriate section of their local tariff.
ENERGY
Connecticut
On June 3, 2014, the Governor signed into law legislation impacting the electricity market for residential customers. Among other things, the law requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to redesign the (1) standard billing format for residential customers’ electricity bills; (2) customer account summaries on the electric companies’ websites; and (3) rate board, the website that provides information on the rates of electric companies and electric suppliers. PURA must also develop a standard summary form of the terms and conditions of the contracts between electric suppliers and residential customers. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see today’s Bulletin for further details.
Delaware
The Delaware Public Service Commission released proposed amendments to its Rules for Certification and Regulation of Electric Suppliers. The purpose of the proposed revisions is to ensure electric choice for customers; to provide additional protection for customers; to require electric suppliers to include additional details regarding the rates, terms, and conditions of service in their offers to customers to provide electric supply services; to clarify sections of the Supplier Rules; and to make the certification process for electric suppliers more uniform. A public hearing on the proposed revisions will be held on June 26, 2014.
