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 announced it is accepting applications from entities interested in receiving certification to distribute equipment under the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) to qualifying residents in Utah. Applications will be accepted until November 21, 2014. In 2012, the FCC selected the Utah Public Service Commission as the NDBEDP certified program for the state of Utah. In October 2014, the PSC informed the FCC that it would not continue participating in the NDBEDP and that it would relinquish its certification as of January 31, 2015. The certified program selected for Utah will be reimbursed for eligible NDBEDP related costs that it incurs after its selection and during the third year of the NDBEDP pilot program, which began July 1, 2014, and ends June 30, 2015. Any public program or private entity may apply to the FCC for certification if it meets the FCC’s qualification requirements.
Utah
The PSC is proposing additional amendments to its Lifeline rule to address errors and consistency issues associated with the prior rule amendment. TMI Regulatory Bulletin Service subscribers see Bulletin dated 8/11/14. Specifically, it proposes to (1) amend §R746-341-5(A)(1) to clarify that that the list of state ETC duties is not exclusive by adding the words “but not limited to;” (2) amend §R746-341-5(A)(5) to clarify that state ETCs must remove the Lifeline discount from a participant’s account as directed by the program administrator within five business days (rather than five days) of notification of the participant’s ineligible status; and (3) amend §R746-341-5(A)(8) to require that an ETC send the program administrator the participant list by May 1. Comments on the proposed changes will be accepted until December 31, 2014. The rule may become effective January 7, 2015.
