The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
TELECOM
FCC
The FCC has eliminated the effective competitive opportunities test (ECO Test) that applied to: (1) international section 214 applications and cable landing license applications filed by foreign carriers or their affiliates that have market power in countries that are not members of the World Trade Organization (WTO); and (2) notifications filed by authorized U.S. carriers or cable landing licensees affiliated with, or seeking to become affiliated with, a foreign carrier having market power in a non-WTO country that the U.S. carrier or a cable landing licensee is authorized to serve. The FCC will retain other policies designed to protect competition and the public interest, i.e., the dominant carrier safeguards and reporting requirements, and the “no special concession” rules. It will also coordinate with Executive Branch agencies to protect national security and take into account law enforcement, foreign policy and trade policy considerations.
The FCC also issued a Small Entity Compliance Guide in connection with its order adopting rates for interstate Inmate Calling Services (ICS). The Guide describes the compliance requirements associated with the Order that were not stayed by the Court of Appeals, including the rate caps and the mandatory data collection that is pending Office of Management and Budget Review. It also includes compliance dates, definitions, weblinks, and citations. See the Regulatory Mix dated April 22, 2014.
ENERGY
Connecticut
PURA issued an interim DRAFT decision in its “ESTABLISHMENT OF RULES FOR ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS AND EDCS CONCERNING OPERATIONS AND MARKETING IN THE ELECTRIC RETAIL MARKET” docket. PURA said “The record in this proceeding demonstrates the need to take immediate steps to improve certain aspects of Connecticut’s retail electricity market. In this Interim Decision the Authority amends the definitions for rate plan offers, imposes immediate customer notification requirements on licensed Suppliers, and requires all Suppliers to update their company contact and agent information.” PURA said it proposed action on key issues in this docket now so that when the decision is finalized (in the next several weeks) electric suppliers would have time to adjust their offers and marketing materials so that consumers can make more informed choices before the summer season.
