Interconnected VoIP providers are telephone corporations subject to the same laws and rules as other wireline and wireless telcos, the California Public Utilities Commission said in a proposed decision Friday. The CPUC may vote as soon as Oct. 17 on the item that aims to set a regulatory framework for VoIP providers (docket R.22-08-008). Consumer groups dismissed industry concerns that VoIP regulation is federally preempted (see 2307030036). "California’s Constitution specifically extends the Commission’s jurisdiction to companies engaged in ‘the transmission of telephone and telegraph messages,’” said the draft. “This includes services delivered over any technology, including but not limited to, traditional copper lines, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, and mobile or fixed wireless radios.” Under the proposal, the CPUC would create two utility type designations. Digital voice nomadic (DVN) providers, covering those with only nomadic interconnected VoIP services, would be subject to a registration process similar to the CPUC's existing wireless identification registration, it said. Digital voice fixed (DVF) providers that sell fixed interconnected VoIP would "continue to be subject to operating authority requirements similar to traditional wireline service providers,” the draft said. DVN and DVF providers would be required to post performance bonds, pay the CPUC user fee and file annual operating and affiliate transaction reports, it said. The state commission would require facilities-based interconnected VoIP providers to obtain certificates of public convenience and necessity to operate in California. Non-facilities-based fixed interconnected VoIP service providers would use the Public Utilities Code Section 1013 registration process to get operating authority. The CPUC proposed an automatic migration process for interconnected VoIP providers already registered under the previous informal process under Section 285. Also, the CPUC would remove some existing requirements for wireline telcos to align with the interconnected VoIP rules, the draft said. The agency said improvements to application processes for operating authority would include "standardized fees and performance bond amounts," an expedited 21-day California Environmental Quality Act review process and "presumptive confidential treatment of certain financial and business information."
Responding to state budget cuts in the Broadband Loan Loss Reserve Fund Program (BLLRF), the California Public Utilities Commission clarified Thursday during a meeting that it will award just $50 million of the originally planned $750 million. The program was meant to support broadband deployment costs for nonprofits, local and tribal governments. But at the same livestreamed session, commissioners approved about $91 million in grants from the federal funding account (FFA) for 10 last-mile projects.
California should shut down AT&T’s deregulation bid, consumer groups argued in briefs to the California Public Utilities Commission Friday. After denying AT&T relief from carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations in June (2406200065), the state commission is weighing AT&T’s separate application to relinquish its eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation (docket A.23-03-002). AT&T claimed that the CPUC has no choice but to grant the application for statewide relief.
Verizon will purchase Frontier in a $20 billion all-cash valued transaction, the companies announced Thursday. The deal is expected to close in 18 months, subject to regulatory and Frontier shareholder approval. Verizon will gain 2.2 million fiber subscribers, extending the company's network reach to 25 million locations across 31 states and Washington, D.C., as a result. Frontier also renewed a commitment to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.
CTIA presented a 109-page argument against California regulating wireless service quality. Comments were posted through Tuesday at the California Public Utilities Commission. The commission is weighing a staff proposal that moves away from the CPUC’s light-touch approach to wireless and interconnected VoIP. While industry widely panned the plan and hinted at lawsuits, public advocates said expanding regulation of newer voice services is a must.
The California Public Utilities Commission proposed $174.4 million in federal broadband grant awards for 15 last-mile projects in Santa Clara and four other counties. Recommended grantees include three tribal entities, the CPUC said Friday. The commission has a vote planned for its Sept. 26 meeting on two draft resolutions (T-17845 and T-17846) including the recommended awards. The CPUC recommended a $91 million round of federal grants earlier this month (see 2408090016). Commissioners last Thursday agreed on another $237 million in grants using money from 2021's American Rescue Plan Act and the state's general fund (see 2408220044). CPUC members may also vote Sept. 26 on a proposed decision approving volume two of the CPUC’s proposed rules for NTIA’s broadband equity, access and deployment (BEAD) program. The CPUC submitted both volumes of its initial plan to NTIA on Dec. 26, 2023, the draft released Friday noted. During the NTIA’s review of California’s volume two, the federal agency requested changes “on seven separate occasions,” it said. “The deadlines for submitting BEAD applications will be announced by the [CPUC] Communications Division Staff, after the NTIA approves the final eligibility map.” California still needs NTIA volume-two approval to access its $1.86 billion BEAD allocation.
The California Public Utilities Commission gave the green light Thursday to $237 million in grants for last-mile broadband infrastructure projects across primarily rural areas of the state. The funding comes from 2021's American Rescue Plan Act and the state's general fund. CPUC President Alice Reynolds called the pair of 5-0 votes on resolutions T-17833 and T-17835 awarding the grant applications "a fabulous example of putting these funds to work." Recipients include incumbent providers, communities and tribes. The projects cover more than 30,000 unserved locations in Alpine, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Santa Barbara and Tulare counties. The CPUC made $88.5 million worth of similar grant awards in July (see 2407110057).
California appropriators last week halted multiple telecom-related bills meant to help vulnerable communities. Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D) blamed the broadband industry after the Senate Appropriations Committee held back her bill that would have banned digital discrimination as the FCC defines it (AB-2239). However, that committee and its Assembly counterpart advanced several other telecom and privacy bills to final floor votes.
T-Mobile condemned a plan allowing people without social security numbers to seek low-income telephone support in California. In comments this week, T-Mobile subsidiary Assurance Wireless said the California Public Utilities Commission’s July 22 proposed decision "poses a serious threat to the integrity and the functionality of” California LifeLine. Consumer advocates applauded the plan that requires providers to accept applications from those without SSNs, though they raised major privacy concerns with a proposal to use LexisNexis’ TrueID authentication software for identity verification. The CPUC may vote Aug. 22 on the proposal in docket R.20-02-008 (see 2407230040).
California will award almost $91 million more in its fifth round of broadband grants, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced Thursday. The commission recommended approval for projects in Marin, Mendocino, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Sutter counties, benefiting an estimated 32,000 Californians. This brings the total amount in grants CPUC has recommended to $435 million for projects in 22 counties, out of an available $2 billion from the Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program (see 2407110057).