NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association met recently with the FCC to discuss problems that small companies have experienced with enrolling in the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) for its Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) by the National Verifier. Separately, NTCA asked the Commission to waive application of its budget control mechanism to certain types of universal … Read More
Several Senate Bills Push Rural Broadband Funding
The U.S. Senate has fully awakened to the need to close the digital divide between rural and urban America. A bill introduced by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and several others, would dedicate 10% of the net proceeds from spectrum auctions mandated by Congress to the buildout of broadband networks in high-cost rural … Read More
Carr Calls for Large Streaming Companies to Share USF Burden
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, in a recent Newsweek op-ed, suggested that large online streaming service providers – Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Microsoft – should begin paying their fair share of Universal Service costs. He pointed out that these five companies account for 75% of all traffic on rural broadband networks and almost 78% … Read More
FCC Responds to Senators’ Call for More Accurate Broadband Maps
In an April letter, a group of U.S. Senators reminded the Commission that Congress had enacted the Broadband DATA Act almost a year ago to improve what have been inaccurate and incomplete broadband maps. Unfortunately, it pointed out, the “previous administration took little action toward fulfilling its congressional mandate to update” these “flawed” maps. The … Read More
FCC Issues Small Company Compliance Guide on Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls
The Commission, in its Fourth Report and Order, took several steps to crack down on illegal robocalls. It recently published a set of guidelines to assist RLECs and other small carriers in complying with this important rulemaking to curb these calls. Three affirmative obligations are required of all such voice service providers: First, they must … Read More
NTCA Renews Calls to Waive USF Cuts from Budget Control Mechanism
In a recent meeting with the FCC, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, asked again that the Commission waive application of its budget control mechanism to certain kinds of universal service support. NTCA correctly pointed out that such cuts in support would be extremely harmful as small USF recipients and their customers face the economic … Read More
Commission Restrictions Lead to New Certification Requirements
As you may know, the FCC has prohibited the use of Universal Service Funds to purchase, obtain, maintain or in any other way support equipment or services from companies found to post a threat to national security. After release of the Supply Chain First Report and Order in November, 2019, Huawei and ZTE were identified … Read More
Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Opening of Robocall Mitigation Database
In Public Notice DA 21-454, released April 20, 2021, the WCB announced the immediate opening of its Robocall Mitigation Database, provided detailed instructions, and established a June 30, 2021 deadline for voice service providers to submit all required information to the database. Previous FCC rulings in this matter directed all voice service providers to file … Read More
FCC Adopts Order to Transition Toll Free, 8YY Calls to Bill-and-Keep
In an effort to curb such abuses as arbitrage, traffic pumping and double dipping, the Federal Communications Commission has adopted final rules for the compensation of 8YY traffic. FCC Order WC Docket No. 18-156, 8YY Access Charge Reform, is a somewhat complicated order that prescribes new billing rules from July 1, 2021 through July 1, … Read More
ICORE Announces IIBS
We are extremely pleased to introduce our new ICORE Integrated Billing System™ (IIBS). IIBS features our very successful and long-standing Carrier Access Billing System paired with our newly developed user friendly End User Billing Program. We are currently in final testing, with plans to make IIBS available shortly. With IIBS, we are now able to … Read More
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