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
Special Access Data Collection
The FCC has released lists identifying (1) the entities that filed data and information in response to its Special Access Data Collection questions (Attachment A); and (2) the entities that filed certifications indicating that they are not covered by the scope of the collection (Attachment B). The FCC said its Wireline Competition Bureau is in the process of facilitating public access to the collected data and information consistent with the restrictions contained in its protective order released. When reviewing the attached lists, interested parties wanting to bring attention to inaccuracies or omissions in the lists can send an e-mail to SPADC@fcc.gov with contact information for the sender and details regarding any inaccuracies/omissions. The FCC reminded parties reviewing the lists that a filing by one entity may include information for one or more affiliated companies and that the data collected were mainly from calendar year 2013.
Elimination of Rules
The FCC announced the date for filing comments in its proceeding to remove or revise certain rules for which it previously granted unconditional forbearance for all carriers. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Bulletin dated 6/7/13. Comments are due by June 5, 2015; reply comments are due by June 22, 2015. The following rules are included in the rulemaking: (1) Section 64.804(c)–(g), which governs a carrier’s recordkeeping and other obligations when it extends to federal candidates unsecured credit for communications service; (2) sections 42.4, 42.5, and 42.7, which require carriers to preserve certain records (3) section 64.301, which requires carriers to provide communications service to foreign governments for international communications; (4) section 64.501, governing telephone companies’ obligations when recording telephone conversations; (5) section 64.5001(a)–(c)(2), and (c)(4), which imposes certain reporting and certification requirements for prepaid calling card providers; and (6) section 64.1, governing traffic damage claims for carriers engaged in radio-telegraph, wire-telegraph, or ocean-cable service. The FCC also proposes to remove references to ‘‘telegraph’’ from certain rules.
New Jersey
The Board of Public Utilities issued a RFP seeking proposals from vendors to operate the One-Call Damage Prevention System’s One-Call Center in accordance with a tariff approved by the Board for a five-year period starting on March 1, 2016. Specifications for the operation of the One-Call Center can be found in the RFP posted on the website of the NJ Department of the Treasury. (click here) Bid proposals must be received by June 18, 2015.
