Sprint, Windstream, Granite Seek BDS, Sec. 214 Transitions; ACA Cites Pole Issues
Sprint and Windstream highlighted their business data service concerns at the FCC, as commissioners consider a draft BDS order tentatively scheduled for an April 20 vote (see 1703300052). Officials of both companies "discussed the importance of providing BDS customers with…
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sufficient time to adapt to a radically altered BDS framework, and ensuring that incumbent local exchange carriers do not increase DS1 and DS3 rates in response to deregulation," said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 05-25 on a meeting they had with an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn Thursday. That day, Chairman Ajit Pai released the BDS draft to create "a new framework that minimizes unnecessary government intervention" and relies more on market forces. A day earlier, Granite Telecommunications officials had met with Pai and an aide and separately with a Clyburn aide on BDS-related technology transition issues. "Granite discussed the importance of maintaining a reasonable transition timeframe for the interim rule that incumbent LECs seeking [Communications Act] Section 214 authority to discontinue a TDM-based commercial wholesale platform voice service that is currently used as a wholesale input by competitive carriers must provide competitive carriers with reasonably comparable access on reasonably comparable rates, terms, and conditions," said a filing posted Monday. "Granite asked that the Commission set a concrete end date to the interim rule rather than tie the end date to actions in other proceedings." Pai Thursday also circulated a draft NPRM and notice of inquiry on wireline infrastructure deployment aimed at expediting the copper retirement process, streamlining the Section 214 discontinuance process, and improving pole-attachment conditions through process and rate changes. The American Cable Association met with Pai aides and Wireline Bureau and Wireless Bureau officials Thursday about actions to accelerate broadband deployment, with a focus on problems its members encountered on pole attachments. Member representatives said state and local governments often were helping providers "tear down the barriers to deployment, which can be especially fruitful in making the difference about whether to deploy to more rural areas," said an ACA filing posted Tuesday. "They recommended the Commission collect examples of these 'positive models' to provide a roadmap for regulatory action or development of model local codes."