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 Briefing.
TELECOM
FCC
ILEC Annual Access charge tariff filings
The FCC established procedures for the 2016 annual access charge tariffs and Tariff Review Plans (TRPs) to be filed by ILECs. Among other things, the Order sets an effective date of July 1, 2016, for the ILEC’s July 2016 annual access charge tariff filings and establishes the dates for filing petitions to suspend or reject an ILEC tariff filing and replies to such petitions. Price cap ILECs must file their short form TRPs by May 17, 2016. Comments may be filed by Mary 31, 2016; reply comments may be field by June 7, 2016. 15-day tariff filings must be made by June 16, 2016, with petitions to reject or suspend due June 23, 2016, and replies to such petitions due June 27, 2016. 7-day tariff filings must be made by June 24, 2016, with petitions due by noon on June 28, 2016, and replies due by noon on June 29, 2016.
Video Navigation
The FCC announced it had extended the time for filing comments in response to its Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking aimed at allowing consumers to choose how they access the multichannel video programming to which they subscribe. Comments will now be due April 22, 2016; reply comments will be due May 23, 2016. Given the interest in this proceeding, the FCC’s Media Bureau determined that it would be efficient to set aside a specific period for ex parte meetings. Accordingly, Staff from the Media Bureau will be available for meetings with interested parties to discuss issues raised in comments and replies on June 6 through June 10, 2016. To the extent interested parties have an unavoidable conflict such that they cannot meet on any of these dates, they may contact Media Bureau staff to discuss alternate arrangements. To schedule a meeting, parties should contact Brendan Murray, Brendan.Murray@fcc.gov, or Lyle Elder, Lyle.Elder@fcc.gov of the Media Bureau, Policy Division, (202) 418-2120.
Canada
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The CRTC has announced that Canadians will be able to send Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) to the Commissioner for help in resolving issues with television service providers. All licensed television service providers will have to become members of the CCTS by September 1, 2017. As a result, if a Canadian cannot resolve a complaint with a communications service provider, regardless If it is a television service provider, Internet service provider, wireless service provider or telephone service provider, the CCTS will become the single point of contact for obtaining resolution. The CCTS is an independent organization that helps customers of communications service providers to resolve complaints and can require communications service providers to provide customers compensation in addition to any amount to be refunded to correct a billing error.