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
August Open Meeting
The FCC announced the final agenda for its August 6, 2015, Open Meeting. As expected, the agenda includes items addressing the IP Transition. See our 7/13/15 Blog FCC-Moves-Forward-On-IP-Transition-Rules. Audio/Video coverage of the meeting will be available at www.fcc.gov/live. The Agenda items are described as follows:
- Technology Transitions –A Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will advance longstanding competition and consumer protection policies on a technologically-neutral basis and further the technology transitions underway in fixed communications networks that offer the prospect of innovative and improved services to consumers and businesses alike.
- Ensuring Continuity of 911 Communications –A Report and Order that would protect consumers through the transitions from legacy copper networks to modern networks by adopting rules to ensure that consumers have options, and sufficient information about those options, to maintain 911 communications at home during power outages.
- Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability -An Eleventh Notice of Inquiry on whether advanced telecommunications capability is being deployed and is available to all Americans, including, in particular, elementary and secondary schools and classrooms, in a reasonable and timely fashion.
The FCC will also consider: (1) an Order on Reconsideration addressing petitions for reconsideration of certain aspects of the Mobile Spectrum Holdings Report and Order; (2) a Procedures Public Notice, which adopts a balanced set of auction procedures that will ensure an effective, efficient, and timely auction; (3) a Report and Order that adopts technical and operational rules for unlicensed services, including wireless microphone operations, in the broadcast television bands and in the post-incentive auction 600 MHz band; and (4) a Report and Order that adopts a plan to accommodate the long-term needs of wireless microphone users by providing new opportunities for their use in the broadcast television bands and in several other frequency bands.
ENERGY
Pennsylvania
The PUC released a Secretarial Letter to remind electric generation suppliers (EGS) and natural gas suppliers (NGS) to pay their annual fee (as established by Act 155 adopted by the PUC on April 23, 2015, in Doc. No. M-2014-2448825). The annual fee is based on: (1) EGS and NGS gross intrastate operating revenues; and (2) a minimum fee of $350 from each EGS and NGS firm regardless of reported gross intrastate operating revenues. The $350 minimum fee was due to the PUC by July 1, 2015. The PUC said that due to inaccurate billing address information many EGSs and NGSs have failed to pay the $350 minimum fee. Therefore the PUC reminds suppliers that it is the responsibility of the supplier to maintain updated and current contact information with the Secretary of the Commission. All EGS and NGS firms that have not yet paid the $350 minimum fee must remit payment to the PUC no later than August 15, 2015. The fee structure also includes an additional amount based on gross intrastate operating revenue. If an EGS or NGS firm has reported gross intrastate operating revenues for 2014, that supplier firm will receive a second invoice for that portion of the annual fee on or about August 31, 2015.
