the regulatory mix

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

Local Numbering Portability Administrator(s) (LNPA)

The Chief of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has directed the North American Numbering Council (NANC) to review and evaluate all claims of potential unfairness in the selections of a new LNPA. These claims include a suggestion that a bidder “has obtained confidential, nonpublic information about its competitive standing and price relative to the other bidders” and an allegation that the LNPA selection “process utilized to date has been flawed.” NANC was also asked to address whether there have been any attempts, outside of the ordinary process contemplated by the Request For Proposals (RFP), to influence NANC or North American Portability Management, LLC representatives that have been involved in the selection process. As part of its recommendation, NANC must (1) include a detailed description of the steps taken to review these concerns regarding the process, and (2) submit findings as to whether the process was conducted in a fair and impartial manner, as contemplated by the FCC’s orders. 

Just days later, Neustar, Inc., the current LNPA and a bidder to be the new LNPA, filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling asking the FCC to: (1) amend the LNPA NRFP to include input from all industry constituencies; (2) clarify rules governing the LNPA to ensure the selection process proceeds in a transparent and impartial manner; and (3) direct the NAPM to pursue additional proposals consistent with the revised RFP

 

Open Meeting

The FCC has announced the agenda for its February 20, 2014, Open Meeting. It will consider the following items:

  • Closed Captioning of Video Programming: A Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that addresses the quality and technical compliance of closed captioning on television programming to ensure that video programming is fully accessible to individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing (CG Docket No. 05-231); and
  • Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Requirements: A Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to ensure that accurate caller location information is automatically provided to public safety officials for all wireless calls to 911, including indoor calls, to meet consumer and public safety needs and expectations, and to take advantage of new technological developments (PS Docket No. 07-114).

 

TELECOM & ENERGY

 

California

The PUC has adopted regulations in a Decision that revises General Order 95 to incorporate new and modified rules to reduce the fire hazards associated with overhead power lines and aerial communication facilities in close proximity to power lines. The Decision also approves a consensus plan for investor-owned electric utilities (IOUs) to report fire incidents to the Commission’s Safety and Enforcement Division (SED), and for SED to use this data to identify systemic fire-safety risks and develop measures to mitigate the fire-safety risks.

 

The IOUs are authorized to track the costs they incur to implement the regulations adopted by this decision and to seek to recover such costs in their general rate case (GRC) proceedings. The Small Local Exchange Carriers may use their annual California High Cost Fund-A Tier 3 advice letters to recover the costs they incur to implement the regulations adopted in this proceeding until their next GRC proceedings.

 

 

Energy Industry Bulletin

 

Regulatory Digest