47 CFR Part 51 - INTERCONNECTION

In this document, the Commission proposes to allow rate-of-return carriers receiving universal service support under the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) to voluntarily migrate their lower speed circuit-based business data service (BDS) offerings to incentive regulation. It also seeks comment on whether to remove ex ante pricing regulation from these carriers' higher speed BDS offerings and on whether further regulatory relief is warranted for these carriers' lower-speed circuit-based BDS in areas deemed competitive by a potential competitive market test. Additionally, the document proposes to allow other rate-of-return carriers receiving fixed support to opt into the same incentive regulation proposed for A-CAM carriers. Finally, the Commission seeks comment on proposed rule changes that would implement the proposals made in this document, including corrections to inaccuracies contained in its current rules.

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 associated with the Commission's discontinuance rules. This document is consistent with the Accelerating Wireline Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 17-154, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

In this document, the Commission reconsiders rules adopted in the Rate-of-Return Reform Order. Specifically, the Commission replaces the surrogate cost methods for Consumer Only Broadband Loops, revises CBOL imputation rules, and lastly, clarifies matters concerning reductions in the Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support. Further review of the record supports the adjustments, and further promotes the Commission's goals of providing certainty and stability for carriers and continued consumer access to advanced telecommunications and information services.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted an Order that closes Lockbox 979091 and modifies the relevant rule provisions of filing and making fee payments in lieu of closing the lockbox.

In this document, a Report and Order takes a number of actions aimed at removing unnecessary regulatory barriers to the deployment of high-speed broadband networks. The Report and Order adopts pole attachment reforms, changes to the copper retirement and other network change notification processes, and changes to the section 214(a) discontinuance application process. The Commission adopted the Report and Order in conjunction with a Declaratory Ruling and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in WC Docket No. 17-84, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register .

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 associated with the Commission's Rate-of Return Reform Order . The reforms adopted in this Order require rate-of-return LECs to make tariff filings with the necessary tariff materials outside of the normal tariff filing period. This document is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the rules.

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on how best to move toward complete nationwide number portability (NNP) to promote competition among all service providers. The NPRM proposes to eliminate the N-1 query requirement, and also proposes to forbear from the dialing parity requirements for competitive LECs that remain after the 2015 USTelecom Forbearance Order as they apply to interexchange services. The NPRM asserts these changes will remove regulatory barriers to NNP and better reflect the competitive realities of today's marketplace. The NOI seeks to refresh the record in the 2013 Future of Numbering NOI. It also seeks comment on four NNP models proposed by ATIS: Nationwide implementation of local routing numbers (LRNs); non-Geographic LRNs (NGLRNs); commercial agreements; and iconectiv's GR-2982-CORE. The NOI finally seeks comment on the implications of these proposals as they relate to public safety, access by individuals with disabilities, tariffs, and intercarrier compensation.

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 associated with the Commission's network change disclosure rules pertaining to copper retirement notices. This document is consistent with the Technology Transitions Declaratory Ruling, Second Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration, FCC 16-90, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

The Commission invites interested parties to update the record on issues raised by the Commission in the 2011 Intercarrier Compensation (ICC) Transformation Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) regarding the network edge for traffic that interconnects with the Public Switched Telephone Network, tandem switching and transport, and transit (the non-access traffic functional equivalent of tandem switching and transport). The Commission seeks updated comment in light of regulatory and marketplace developments that have occurred since the 2011 ICC Transformation FNPRM, including the transition of certain terminating traffic to bill-and-keep, and implementation of the adopted mandate to move all traffic to bill-and-keep. The Commission also seeks comment on other developments related to those issues that should be considered in the context of further ICC reform.

In this document, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ) seeks comment on a number of actions designed to remove regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment at the federal, state, and local level, speed the transition from copper networks and legacy services to next-generation networks and services, and reform Commission regulations that increase costs and slow broadband deployment. The NPRM seeks comment on pole attachment reforms, changes to the copper retirement and other network change notification processes, and changes to the section 214(a) discontinuance application process. The Commission adopted the NPRM in conjunction with a Notice of Inquiry and Request for Comment in WC Docket No. 17-84.

Petitions for Reconsideration and Clarification (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by David Springe and David C. Bergmann, on behalf of NASUCA, and Kathy D. Smith, on behalf of NTIA.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) initiated this rulemaking in August 2015 to help guide and accelerate the transitions from networks based on TDM circuit-switched voice services running on copper loops to all-IP multi-media networks using copper, co-axial cable, wireless, and fiber as physical infrastructure. In this Second Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, we take several actions aimed at stripping away anachronistic rules while ensuring that competition continues to thrive and consumers are protected during technology transitions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts significant reforms to place the universal service program on solid footing for the next decade to “preserve and advance” voice and broadband service in areas served by rate-of-return carriers.

The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register of March 24, 2016 announcing that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements. This document corrections the DATES section.

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 associated with the Commission's network change disclosure rules pertaining to copper retirement notices. This document is consistent with the Emerging Wireline Networks and Services (EWNS) Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 15-97, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

The Commission initiated this rulemaking in January 2015 to help guide and accelerate the technological revolutions that are underway involving the transitions from networks based on TDM circuit-switched voice services running on copper loops to all-IP multi-media networks using copper, co-axial cable, wireless, and fiber as physical infrastructure. This rulemaking and order on reconsideration is only one of a series of Commission actions to protect core values and ensure the success of these technology transitions. In this item, we take steps to ensure that competition continues to thrive and to protect consumers during transitions. These steps will help to ensure that the technology transitions continue to succeed.

In this document, the Commission takes further action on a rulemaking it initiated in January 6, 2015, to help guide and accelerate the technological revolutions that are underway involving the transitions from networks based on TDM circuit-switched voice services running on copper loops to all-IP multi-media networks using copper, co-axial cable, wireless, and fiber as physical infrastructure. This Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) is only one of a series of Commission actions to protect core values and ensure the success of these technology transitions. In this FNPRM, we take steps to ensure that competition continues to thrive and to protect consumers during transitions. These steps will help to ensure that the technology transitions continue to succeed.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau clarifies certain rules related to the implementation of the intercarrier compensation transition for rate-of-return local exchange carriers adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order. Specifically, the Bureau clarifies the Commission's rules governing Eligible Recovery calculations to address limited unanticipated results of the application of the true-up process evidenced by the rate-of-return carriers' 2014 annual access tariff filings.

In this document, the Commission amends procedural rules to require electronic filing through the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) for three common types of wireline proceedings: applications for authorization of domestic transfers of control; applications for authorization to discontinue, reduce, or impair a service; and notices of network changes. The rules establish three electronic inboxes within ECFS to handle the initial filing of the above-identified applications and notices, which have previously been filed only on paper. Accepted applications and notices will receive a distinct ECFS docket number. The Commission expects to continue to expand capabilities for online filing and intends to work toward the goal of providing such capabilities for every type of filing that the public might submit.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) initiates a rulemaking seeking public comment on: Ensuring reliable back-up power for consumers of IP-based voice and data services across networks that provide residential fixed service that substitutes for and improves upon the kind of traditional telephony used by people to dial 911; protecting consumers by ensuring they are informed about their choices and the services provided to them when carriers retire legacy facilities ( e.g., copper networks) and seek to discontinue legacy services ( e.g., basic voice services); and protecting competition where it exists today, so that the mere change of a network facility or discontinuance of a legacy service does not deprive small- and medium-sized businesses, schools, libraries, and other enterprises of the ability to choose the kinds of innovative services that best suit their needs. The proposed rules and the comment process that follows will help the Commission ensure that the fundamental values of competition, consumer protection, public safety, and national security are not lost merely because technology changes.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau clarifies and amends certain provisions of the Commission's new rules relating to intercarrier compensation transformation reforms adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order.

This document announces the approval of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection requirements in the sections outlined in the DATES section.

The Report and Order eliminates comparably efficient interconnection (CEI) and open network architecture (ONA) narrowband reporting requirements applicable to the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs). These requirements have been in place to monitor the BOCs' compliance with access and interconnection services that they must offer to competitive enhanced service providers (ESPs). The Commission no longer relies on the reports in the course of its decision making, and there is nothing in the record indicating that the reports contain information that is useful to ESPs. Eliminating them will improve the way the Commission collects, uses, and disseminates data, including by altering or eliminating collections that are no longer useful or necessary to carry out our statutory responsibilities.

In this Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Further Notice), the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on how to streamline or eliminate legacy regulations contained in the Computer Inquiry proceedings and that are applicable to the Bell Operating Companies (BOCs). The FNPRM: Seeks data on the changing market for narrowband enhanced services, in particular, the extent to which enhanced service providers (ESPs) continue to need access to the BOCs' basic network transmission services offered through comparably efficient interconnection (CEI) and open network architecture (ONA) services; proposes eliminating CEI requirements and seeks comment on whether to retain only limited ONA inputs that ESPs require in areas where there are no competitive alternatives; and seeks comment on the need for the continuing application of the All-Carrier Rule that requires non-BOC incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) to offer non-discriminatory access to basic network services for unaffiliated ESPs.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau clarifies and corrects certain provisions of the Commission's rules in response to recent petitions and other requests for clarification or correction of the new rules adopted as part of Universal Service Fund intercarrier compensation transformation reforms and also grants a limited waiver of the Commission's rules to address administrative concerns and rule inconsistencies.

This document makes a number of nonsubstantive, editorial or conforming revisions to the Commission's rules. These revisions are made to delete certain rule provisions that are without current legal effect or are otherwise obsolete. They are also made to clarify, simplify, and harmonize Commission rules, making the rules more readily accessible to the public and avoiding potential confusion for interested parties and Commission staff alike. In addition to deleting balance sheet account instructions that are now obsolete, as well as references to rules that have previously been deleted, this document deletes and amends rules that refer to unbundled network elements that are no longer subject to unbundling as a result of decisions in the Triennial Review proceedings or expired transition periods.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission revises and clarifies certain provisions of its rules relating to the transition of intrastate switched access rates and the operation of the transitional recovery mechanism that were adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order. The Commission also grants a number of limited waivers of the Commission's rules to address administrative concerns and rule inconsistencies.

The Federal Communications Commission published in the Federal Register of May 29, 2012, a document that reconsiders and modifies certain provisions of the Commission's rules that were adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order. This final rule correction states that the amendments made to 47 CFR part 51 shall be effective on July 13, 2012, and, the amendments made to 47 CFR part 54 shall be effective on June 28, 2012.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of 3 years, revisions to an information collection associated with the Commission's Connect America Fund, Report and Order ( Order ). The Commission submitted revisions to this information collection under control number 3060-0400 to OMB for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 77 FR 20629, on April 5, 2012. OMB approved the revisions on May 17, 2012.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission reconsiders and modifies certain provisions of its rules that were adopted in the USF/ICC Transformation Order. The Commission grants a Petition for Reconsideration and Clarification of the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc., Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies and Western Telecommunications Alliance. The Commission grants in part and denies in part a Petition for Reconsideration filed by the Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance and a Petition for Reconsideration and/or Clarification filed by Frontier Communications Corp. and Windstream Communications, Inc. Finally, the Commission denies a Petition for Reconsideration filed by the United States Telecom Association.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) published in the Federal Register of May 8, 2012, a document announcing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of information collections associated with the Commission's; Connect America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establishing Just and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal Service Support, Report and Order, ( Order ), released on November 18, 2011. That notice was consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules once it receives OMB approval. This document corrects information in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of that document.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Connect America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establishing Just and Reasonable Rates for Local Exchange Carriers; High-Cost Universal Service Support, Report and Order , ( Order ), released on November 18, 2011. The Commission submitted revisions to information collections under control number 3060-0986 to the OMB for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), 77 FR 13320, March 6, 2012, which were approved by the OMB on April 16, 2012. This notice is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules once it receives OMB approval. This document also notifies Eligible Telecommunications Carriers and other stakeholders that information filed pursuant to § 54.313(a)(2) through (a)(6) and (h) of the Commission's rules must be filed by July 2, 2012.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission clarifies certain rules. This document also modifies certain initial filing deadlines required to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirements, and finds good cause to delete certain rules that are now obsolete.