Costs of removing and replacing covered customer premises equipment produced by Huawei or ZTE are eligible for reimbursement through the FCC supply chain reimbursement program, said a Wireline Bureau order Thursday granting Cincinnati Bell's request for clarification in docket 18-89. Some also refer to this gear process as rip-and-replace.
Comcast asked the FCC Wireline Bureau to clarify that locations receiving services through its library pilot program can "continue to receive complimentary services" after the waiver expires June 30, said a letter posted Wednesday in docket 02-6. The bureau granted Comcast's waiver of certain E-rate gift rules earlier this month (see 2110080047).
Meetings and roundtables between North American Numbering Council members and the FCC are exempt from ex parte rules, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. This is so the group can "develop and shape its advice and recommendations to the commission more efficiently and effectively." The exemption applies only to presentations from NANC members on behalf of the group, not on an individual member's own or organization's behalf.
Illinois Commerce Commission staff should file direct testimony Dec. 14 on Apollo’s buy of Lumen’s ILEC assets, said ICC Administrative Law Judge Marchant Johnson at a virtual prehearing conference Tuesday. A status hearing will be Dec. 21 at 10:30 a.m. CST, she said. It’s one of several state reviews getting underway (see 2110150030 and 2110120015).
The FTC and Frontier Communications will go to trial July 5 on the agency's claim the telco misrepresented its speeds to DSL customers, wrote U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge Gary Klausner in an order posted Monday in case 2:21-cv-04155 (see 2110040066).
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Nov. 26, replies by Dec. 27, in docket 17-59 on a Further NPRM that would require gateway providers to implement Stir/Shaken caller ID authentication and perform robocall mitigation, says Tuesday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the item during the agency's September meeting despite some industry concerns (see 2109240060).
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted a request by groups including Public Knowledge, the Communications Workers of America and Incompas to extend the comment period for Embarq's, now Century/Lumen, petition to discontinue its legacy phone service, said an order Friday in docket 21-298 (see 2110180067). Comments are now due by Nov. 24, replies Dec. 16.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Nov. 5, replies by Nov. 12, on Liberty Mobile USVI's proposed buy of Broadband VI, said a public notice Friday in docket 21-386. Liberty would acquire 96% of Broadband VI. Liberty's "experienced management team" would assume operations of Broadband VI, including its Connect USVI Fund obligations.
Telcos’ Texas USF lawsuit against the Public Utility Commission “is precisely the type of suit that sovereign immunity is designed to prevent,” said the PUC and the Texas attorney general office in a Thursday brief at the Texas Appeals Court for the 3rd Judicial District in Austin. Appellants seek to control how the PUC exercises discretionary authority from the legislature, effectively asking the court “to compel the PUC to nearly double the assessment rate imposed on Texans to fund the TUSF,” they said in a brief provided by plaintiff Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative. The state appellees asked the court to affirm a lower court’s ruling to dismiss the rural LECs' complaint about the PUC not fully funding state USF (see 2106210048). TSTCI is reviewing the brief, CEO Weldon Gray said Thursday.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau sent cease-and-desist letters to Duratel, Primo Dialler and PZ/Illum Telecommunication demanding the network providers stop permitting apparent illegal robocalls. Duratel and PZ/Illum were found to have apparently originated "substantial numbers of government imposter scam calls." Primo Dialler was found to have apparently originated robocalls that "threatened utility discontinuation and offered fake credit card rate reductions." This "should serve as a warning sign to other entities that believe the FCC has turned a blind eye to this issue," said acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Thursday.