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
Fixed Broadband Services Data Survey
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced the posting of the fixed broadband services data collected in the 2013 urban rate survey as well as explanatory notes regarding the data. The data can be accessed at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/urban-rate-survey-data. The Bureau initiated the survey in December 2013 and collected the rates offered by a statistically valid sample of providers of fixed services identified using FCC Form 477 data in 500 urban census tracts. The Bureau collected 2,105 monthly rates for broadband service in urban areas. The reported download speeds ranged from 0.5 Mbps to 20,480 Mbps while the upload speeds ranged from 1.125 Mbps to 1,024 Mbps. In addition to varying speeds, the service offerings differed as to usage allowances, if one applied.
The Bureau is also seeking comment on its proposed methodology for calculating the reasonable comparability benchmark for fixed broadband services. (As a condition of receiving Connect America Fund support, recipients must offer voice and broadband services in supported areas at rates that are reasonably comparable to rates for similar services in urban areas.) The Bureau proposes to use a weighted linear regression model to calculate the average urban rate. It said that its proposed methodology would result in a broadband benchmark that ranges from $68.48 to $71.84 for services meeting the current broadband performance standard of 4 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream, with the specific benchmark depending on the associated usage allowance. Comments will be due 30 days after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register.
Dormant Proceedings
The FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau is seeking comment on whether certain docketed Commission proceedings should be terminated as dormant. The list includes dockets in which no further action is required or contemplated as well as those in which no pleadings or other documents have been filed for several years. To the extent that a particular proceeding includes a petition addressing the merits or other pending pleadings, a party’s failure to file comments in response to this Public Notice will be construed as consent to termination of that proceeding. A party aggrieved by a docket termination may file a petition for reconsideration with the Bureau or an application for review with the full Commission. Comments will be due 30 days after publication in the Notice in the Federal Register; reply comments will be due 45 days after publication.
