For several years, the major incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) have been heralding the benefits of transitioning their networks to IP technology. The FCC has supported this transition. Agreeing that “less is often more” and reviewing related decisions in one entry may be helpful, this entry highlights the FCC’s recent decisions on policies and procedures
The FCC released a Public Notice on August 8 announcing an Amendment to the Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (NPA) for the Collocation of Wireless Antennas. The NPA Amendment was entered into by the FCC, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO). The original NPA was entered
On August 4, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Declaratory Ruling granting in part two separate petitions that were filed last year – one by the Edison Electric Institute and American Gas Association, and another by Blackboard, Inc. – regarding application of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) to certain types
On July 14, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission released a Report Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issuing service rules for four spectrum bands above 24 GHz. These bands are intended to be the future home for 5G wireless services and technologies currently being developed. The FCC’s new rules authorize mobile operations on a
Last week, the FCC released a Fact Sheet outlining a draft Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking the Commission will vote on in July. The proposal would make additional licensed spectrum available in the 28, 37 and 39 GHz bands. It also would make 7 GHz of spectrum available for unlicensed use
Last week was the annual Wireless Infrastructure Show put on by the industry association PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association. The first announcement at the show was a new name for the association–the Wireless Infrastructure Association or WIA—with a new website at www.wia.org. There is no change in the mission or priorities of the
I had the pleasure of speaking at the first annual Wireless West Conference in Anaheim, CA on April 20. Wireless West was organized and managed by five state wireless associations–Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Northwest (which incorporates Oregon and Washington). 400 attendees sold out the event.
Continue Reading “Section 6409 vs. Reality”– A Panel Discussion at the Wireless West Conference
It is all-too-fitting that the annual USF report is due on April 1. For many filers, OMB’s “Estimated Average Burden Hours Per Response” of 13.5 hours for completing the Form 499-A is laughable. The FCC could substantially reduce USF reporting burdens by implementing a number of overdue changes.
Many process improvement proposals offered in comments
For better or worse, you decide, the FCC is challenged when adopting policies or making decisions that impact enterprise customers. This is the second of two entries on enterprise customers and the FCC.
IP Transition. Responding to persistent calls from AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink, the FCC is in the midst of setting the ground rules for telecom carriers to migrate from copper networks and TDM services to fiber networks and all-IP services, consistent with Section 214 of the Act which requires the FCC to balance carriers’ and end-users’ (residential, SMB and enterprise) interests as carriers seek to discontinue existing services and facilities.
Continue Reading Enterprise Customers and the FCC–Part 2
For better or worse, you decide, the FCC is challenged when adopting policies or making decisions that impact enterprise customers. This is the first of two entries on enterprise customers and the FCC.