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 the tentative agenda for its July 16, 2015, Open Meeting. The items are as follows:
- Incentive Auction Procedures – A Procedures Public Notice to commence the incentive auction in the first quarter of 2016 that adopts a balanced set of auction procedures that will ensure an effective, efficient, and timely auction. The Public Notice establishes and provides information on final procedures for setting the initial spectrum clearing target, qualifying to bid, and bidding in the reverse and forward auctions.
- Mobile Spectrum Holdings – An Order on Reconsideration addressing petitions for reconsideration of certain aspects of the Mobile Spectrum Holdings Report and Order.
- Competitive Bidding – A Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, Third Order on Reconsideration, and a Third Report and Order that provides meaningful opportunities for small businesses, rural telephone companies, and businesses owned by members of minority groups and women to participate in the provision of spectrum-based services, and also strengthens the FCC’s rules to protect against unjust enrichment to ineligible entities.
Nebraska
The Nebraska PSC is seeking further comment on its proposal to restructure the NUSF by separately determining price cap carrier support going forward in a manner that is more consistent with the FCC’s Connect America Fund mechanism. The PSC proposes to freeze the support allocated to price cap carriers at 2015 levels and then allocate ongoing support between voice and broadband networks. Comments on the proposal are due by June 30, 2015. Reply comments are due July 14, 2015. A hearing will be held July 21, 2015.
