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 (our popular subscription service).
TELECOM
California
A California Public Utilities Commission Administrative Law Judge decision would require TracFone Wireless, Inc. (a prepaid wireless carrier) to pay $24,425,262.48 in past due user fees and public purpose program surcharges, including interest. The decision finds that penalties are not warranted.
Kansas
The Kansas Corporation Commission affirmed its earlier decision finding that rate of return regulated rural local exchange carriers are not entitled to Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF) support as a supplement for any revenue shortfall resulting from a reduction of intrastate terminating access revenue due to the FCC’s federal access charge reform. The Commission said that the FCC’s Order preempts language in the Kansas statute that any reduction to intrastate access revenue shall be recovered from the KUSF.
Washington
The Washington Utilities Commission will begin work on implementation of legislation establishing a state universal communications service program. The law (Second Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1971), establishes a five-year targeted program to support small ILECs serving high-cost rural areas of the state to be funded by legislative appropriations. The Commission must adopt rules by July 1, 2014. The law also eliminates the Lifeline and TRS taxes currently collected by local exchange carriers and instead funds those programs through state general fund appropriations.
Save the date for TMI’s VoIP Workshop at COMPTEL PLUS – September 26, 2013, In Orlando, FL.
