Today’s Regulatory Mix: FCC Corrects Time Period for Requested Traceback Information, FCC Announces Filing Window for “Rip-and-Replace” Program

 

FCC Corrects Time Period for Requested Traceback Information 

In July, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) requested service providers and the USTelecom’s Industry Traceback Group to submit information for the commission’s annual report regarding private led efforts to trace back the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls.  Submissions are due November 15, 2021.  Information was requested for the period covering July 27, 2021, through October 31, 2021.  On September 23, the Bureau issued a Public Notice correcting the time period to be November 1, 2020, through October 31, 2021. 

 

FCC Announces Filing Window for ‘Rip-and-Replace’ Program 

The FCC announced that the application filing window for the FCC’s $1.9 billion Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program will open Friday, Oct. 29 at 12:00 a.m. ET and close Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The Reimbursement Program is intended to cover the costs incurred by providers of advanced communications in removing, replacing, and disposing of equipment or services in their networks that have been deemed a national security risk. Specifically, covered equipment and services are those produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Co. or ZTE Corp. that were obtained by providers on or before June 30, 2020. 

The FCC also released an infographic showing the expected timeline and other pertinent information. A public notice announcing which applications have been accepted is expected to be released early in the first quarter of 2022. The FCC plans to issue its funding allocation decisions early in the second quarter of 2022. Participants are expected to begin filing claims for reimbursement in the second quarter, after the allocation decisions are issued. 

The FCC also released a 23-page FAQ document on the reimbursement program. 

The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related 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 an Inteserra Briefing.