47 CFR 20 - COMMERCIAL MOBILE RADIO SERVICES

In this document, the Commission amends rules regarding the attributes of “voice telephony service” to be supported by the Federal universal service support mechanisms. This action is necessary to reflect the evolution of the marketplace and to limit supported services. The Commission also waives certain effective dates so that intercarrier compensation for non-access traffic exchanged between Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) and Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers pursuant to an interconnection agreement in effect as of December 23, 2011, will be subject to a default bill-and-keep methodology on July 1, 2012, rather than on December 29, 2011. This action is necessary to limit marketplace disruption by delaying bill-and-keep until carriers are eligible to receive recovery as part of the transitional revenue recovery mechanism for this type of traffic.

In a rule published November 29, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopted fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding. This document provides additional information to the final rule document published on November 29, 2011.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces the effectiveness of hearing aid compatibility requirements that have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning a rule that requires facilities-based providers of commercial mobile data services to offer data roaming arrangements to other such providers on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, subject to certain limitations, thereby advancing the Commission's goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to competitive broadband mobile data services.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reforms and modernizes the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopts fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces that it has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for public information collection 3060-0411, which is associated with the new complaint mechanism for resolving data roaming disputes with commercial mobile data service providers.

In this document, the Commission amends rules regarding the attributes of “voice telephony service” to be supported by the Federal universal service support mechanisms. This action is necessary to reflect the evolution of the marketplace and to limit supported services. The Commission also waives certain effective dates so that intercarrier compensation for non-access traffic exchanged between Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) and Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers pursuant to an interconnection agreement in effect as of December 23, 2011, will be subject to a default bill-and-keep methodology on July 1, 2012, rather than on December 29, 2011. This action is necessary to limit marketplace disruption by delaying bill-and-keep until carriers are eligible to receive recovery as part of the transitional revenue recovery mechanism for this type of traffic.

In a rule published November 29, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopted fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding. This document provides additional information to the final rule document published on November 29, 2011.

In this document the Commission seeks comment on revisions to the Commission's wireless hearing aid compatibility rules. The Commission's rules define hearing aid compatibility by reference to a third party technical standard. Recently, a new version of that technical standard was developed to test the hearing aid compatibility of the newest generation of digital wireless handsets. The proposed rules would adopt the revised version of the technical standard into the Commission's rules.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces the effectiveness of hearing aid compatibility requirements that have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In this document, a Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding concerning a rule that requires facilities-based providers of commercial mobile data services to offer data roaming arrangements to other such providers on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, subject to certain limitations, thereby advancing the Commission's goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to competitive broadband mobile data services.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reforms and modernizes the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopts fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announces that it has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for public information collection 3060-0411, which is associated with the new complaint mechanism for resolving data roaming disputes with commercial mobile data service providers.

In this document, the Commission continues to strengthen its existing Enhanced 911 (E911) location accuracy regime for wireless carriers by retaining the existing handset-based and network-based location accuracy standards and the eight-year implementation period established in our September 2010 E911 Location Accuracy Second Report and Order but providing for phasing out the network-based standard over time. We also require all Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers, launching new stand-alone networks, to comply with the handset-based location criteria, regardless of the location technology they actually use. In addition, we will require wireless carriers to periodically test their outdoor E911 location accuracy results and to share the results with Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), state 911 offices, and the Commission, subject to confidentiality safeguards.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopts a rule that requires facilities-based providers of commercial mobile data services to offer data roaming arrangements to other such providers on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, subject to certain limitations, thereby advancing the Commission's goal of ensuring that all Americans have access to competitive broadband mobile data services.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements contained in regulations concerning wireless E911 location accuracy requirements. The information collection requirements were approved on March 30, 2011 by OMB.

The Federal Communications Commission published in the Federal Register of February 28, 2011, a document concerning modernization of the FCC Form 477. Inadvertently the Comment Filing Procedures section of the February 28, 2011 publication mistakenly references WC Docket No. 10-191. This document removes that incorrect reference and replaces it with the correct docket number in this proceeding, WC Docket No. 11-10.

In this document, the Commission considers whether and how to reform the Form 477 data program, which serves as the Commission's primary tool for collecting broadband and local telephone data. The Commission believes it is time to consider whether modifying the Form 477 will improve the Commission's ability to carry out its duties under the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), and is an important part of the Commission's larger initiative to modernize and streamline how the Commission collects, uses, and disseminates data.

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comments on the operation and effectiveness of the Commission's rules relating to hearing aid compatibility of wireless handsets. On the basis of the evaluation, the Bureau will consider whether to recommend to the Commission both rule revisions and non-regulatory measures to ensure that persons with hearing loss will continue to have broad access to evolving modes of wireless communication.

The Notice of Inquiry (NOI) initiates a comprehensive proceeding to address how Next Generation 911 (NG911) can enable the public to obtain emergency assistance by means of advanced communications technologies beyond traditional voice-centric devices. The NOI seeks to gain a better understanding of how the gap between the capabilities of modern networks and devices and today's 911 system can be bridged and seeks comment on how to further the transition to IP-based communications capabilities for emergency communications and NG911.

The order provides notice that the comment period cycle for the Commission's Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) and Notice of Inquiry (NOI) has been extended to provide interested parties a meaningful opportunity to file full and informed comment for a complete record concerning the numerous issues raised in the proceeding.