Incompas asked FCC Wireline Bureau and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau staff to "consider a minor change" to the proposed definition of a gateway provider in the FCC's NPRM aimed at curbing illegal robocalls, said an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 17-59 (see 2112130046). The group proposed defining gateway providers as "the first intermediate provider in the call path of a foreign-originated call that receives traffic at its U.S.-based facilities before transmitting the call directly to another intermediate provider or a terminating voice service provider in the U.S." Require gateway providers to comply with requirements that other intermediate providers follow instead of "obligations the commission has not assigned to other classes of voice service providers," Incompas said. It also asked the FCC to "preserve providers' call blocking flexibility" to prevent over or under blocking.
Organizations for the deaf and hard of hearing told an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel that the commission should "move quickly" on its pending video relay service rates proceeding, said an ex parte posted Monday in docket 03-123 (see 2107300056). Telecom for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the National Association of the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America, American Council of the Blind, Gallaudet University's Technology Access Program, Communications Services for the Deaf, and the Samuelson-Glushko Technology Law & Policy Clinic at Colorado Law met with David Strickland, Rosenworcel's acting legal adviser. The groups cited several priorities, including adopting "long-overdue" IP captioned telephone services metrics and standards, "equitable access to contemporary forms" of telecom relay services for incarcerated individuals, and implementing the disability advisory committee's recommendations on real-time text and videoconferencing accessibility. They also sought rules on "ensuring the accessibility and usability of closed captioning display settings."
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved the rural healthcare program's FY 2022 funding request review procedures for the telecom program, it said in a letter to the Universal Service Administrative Co. Friday in docket 02-60. The approval is "subject to further modifications" or "instruction from the commission."
Lumen's dispute with Aureon on tariff refunds "has been ongoing" in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, the ISP told FCC Wireline Bureau staff, said an ex parte posted Friday in docket 18-60 (see 2203240058). Lumen disputed Aureon's claim that it "had reached a settlement agreement" and "the refund proceeding would not impact its financial obligations to Lumen." The ISP said it plans to file comments "at the appropriate time."
USTelecom, AT&T, Lumen, Verizon, Consolidated and Windstream told FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau staff that consumer broadband labels should be "tailored to meet their purpose," said an ex parte posted Thursday in docket 22-2. The ISPs had "concerns" about calls to include a label on monthly bills, saying it "would be burdensome and costly to providers without any real benefit to consumers." They also repeated calls to avoid "esoteric metrics that are meaningless to the average consumer" and said the FCC should "educate consumers on what speeds support their planned activities" (see 2203250053).
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau granted Hamilton Relay conditional certification to provide IP captioned telephone service on a fully automatic basis, said an order Wednesday in docket 03-12 (see 2204140058). The certification was granted "for a period not to exceed two years" and is conditioned on Hamilton verifying that "its actual provision of service to registered users meets or exceeds the commission's [telecom relay service] minimum standards," the order said. The bureau also granted Hamilton a partial waiver to amend the language of its consumer self-certification because some calls would be handled without the involvement of communications assistants.
Ariel sought full five-year certification for Sorenson Communications to provide video relay services supported by the Telecom Relay Service Fund, said an application posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. It also sought full certification for CaptionCall to provide IP captioned telephone service. The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau directed Ariel to file applications within 15 days of completing its purchase of Sorenson and its subsidiary CaptionCall (see 2203230044).
The FCC Wireline Bureau released a set of best practices for domestic Communications Act Section 214 applicants seeking approval for transactions including a transfer of USF high-cost obligations, per a public notice Tuesday. The bureau "has recently received higher volumes" of such applications, it said, and recommended applicants include certain information to "expedite the timely acceptance ... and minimize the need for supplemental filings." Such information includes a list of all USF high cost support received that would be transferred, information about whether any entities are eligible telecom carriers, how a transfer may affect an entity's Connect America Fund Phase II or Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support, cost study areas to be transferred, and whether any entities currently participating in Lifeline, the emergency broadband benefit program, or affordable connectivity program would continue to do so.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and NTCA told the FCC they're "concerned that a lack of transparency and accountability" in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction could put some locations to be served at the gigabit tier "at risk of receiving service levels that fall short both of the expectations set by the commission for the auction and of awardee commitments," said a letter posted Monday in docket 19-126. NRECA and NTCA said Resound Networks' plan to "alter its deployment strategy" by using fixed wireless technology in areas it planned to be fiber "presents significant concerns." The groups noted RDOF applicants seeking to use fixed wireless to provide gigabit level service need to "make a case" that they could do so, and "careful scrutiny is warranted now, especially in a case like this where the winning bidder reportedly seeks to switch from a proven technology to one that is subject to a number of practical challenges." Resound was among the winning bidders that agreed to withdraw bids for certain census blocks that may already be served or are unpopulated (see 2109010084).
Fixed broadband service providers can now access a "preliminary version" of the FCC's broadband serviceable location fabric, said a Wireline Bureau, Broadband Data Task Force, and Office of Economics and Analytics public notice Thursday in docket 19-195 (see 2204060046). Access is currently limited to providers that "filed fixed broadband deployment data in past Form 477 filings," the notice said. Also Thursday, FCC staff issued guidance for state, local and tribal governments to submit verified broadband availability data through the broadband data collection system.