Telco Access Alert is a regular update of new and ongoing telecommunications regulatory proceedings at the state and federal levels.

Interstate Access Charge Proceedings for April 2013

Compiled by Andrew Regitsky, President, Regitsky & Associates

FCC Docket 05-25 – FCC Special Access Data Request is Stuck in Hold

On December 18, 2012 the FCC issued a massive data request that would enable it to collect the data it needs to conduct a market analysis of the special access industry and enable it to re-regulate ILEC special access rates if necessary.  Without ever stating it overtly, it was clear to the Commission that any attempt to impose new regulations on ILEC special access rates would be greeted with court appeals, therefore complete data was necessary to combat such efforts...

FCC Docket 05-25 – Industry Split on Petition to Reverse Forbearance from Dominant Carrier Regulation of ILEC Non-TDM-based Special Access Service

There is an important case running parallel to the ongoing special access proceeding discussed above.  It is based on a petition filed on November 2, 2012 by the Ad Hoc Telecommunications Users Committee , BT Americas, CBeyond, Computer  & Communications Industry Association, Earthlink, Megapath, Sprint Nextel, and tw telecom (“AD Hoc Petition”)  seeking to reverse several FCC forbearance decisions and reinstate dominant carrier status for ILEC non time-division multiplexed (“TDM”) special access services.  These are the broadband optical and packet-switched services sold to enterprise customers...

Docket-10-90 – Commission Adopts Cost Model for Connect America Fund (CAF) Phase II

 In an Order Report and Order released on April 22, 2013, the FCC released the framework for the cost model it will use to implement Phase II of the Connect America Fund.  This model will determine the funds that are provided to customers in areas of the country served by price cap LECs.  The Commission estimates that this will include 85 percent of the 6.3 million locations in the country that lack access today to terrestrial fixed broadband at or above the Commission’s broadband benchmark speed...  

Read the complete text of the FCC updates here (a PDF will open).