Sparring Begins on FCC Draft to Ease Telecom Service Discontinuances, Network Changes
Initial reaction diverged on an FCC draft to streamline telecom service discontinuance and network change processes, which Chairman Ajit Pai placed on the tentative agenda for the June 7 commissioners' meeting (see 1805170060). Some incumbent telco representatives Friday welcomed the draft order to reduce regulatory barriers to wireline infrastructure deployment, while Public Knowledge and a counsel representing large business customers voiced objections. Various others said they were reviewing the draft's details and didn't comment.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
Verizon is "encouraged by the Commission’s ongoing efforts to modernize legacy regulatory processes so as to keep pace with new technologies," emailed a company spokesman. "The FCC’s continued work to streamline outdated rules will ease the processes for moving consumers from outdated networks to modern, more reliable ones and will help providers update their systems and networks as technology evolves.”
"ITTA is pleased to see Chairman Pai continue to follow through on his commitment to streamline or eliminate outdated regulations that hinder carriers’ ability to move to broadband networks and services," emailed Genny Morelli, president of the midsize telco trade group. She said the proposed changes "will facilitate ITTA members’ transition to next-generation networks and services to the benefit of consumers."
But Public Knowledge said the draft would "eliminate crucial protections of the Communications Act meant to provide consumers with notice, educational materials, and purposeful processes when transitioning from legacy to next-generation services." Not having those will leave them "vulnerable to service downgrades without notice or even an adequate replacement," the group said in a release. "Upgrading to next-generation services, like high-speed broadband, is important and essential to closing the digital divide," said Daiquiri Ryan, PK policy fellow. "While the copper network may be dated, millions of Americans still rely on it to support devices like credit card machines, fax machines, school fire alarms, and medical devices. With this order, the FCC gives carriers the green light to provide consumers with less notice about service changes and less time to respond. If passed, this order puts rural communities, small businesses, the elderly, and people with disabilities at risk of suddenly losing access to vital services or, worse, experiencing a downgrade in service."
Colleen Boothby, Ad Hoc Telecommunications Users Committee counsel, voiced concerns about the proposed discontinuance actions, though she said there were "bigger changes" in a November streamlining order (see 1711160032). "This order greatly increases the burden on end users to protect themselves in their contracts from the costs and disruption of service discontinuances," she said. "The shorter notice periods will also be tough on enterprise customers. They’ll need to be vigilant about spotting a discontinuance notice in the first place and getting it to the right person in the company to follow up with the FCC when necessary."
"Killing the network change notification rule is a bigger concern for business customers," added Boothby, of Levine, Blaszak. "They have substantial [customer premises equipment] investments that can be stranded if the carriers’ unilateral network changes make existing equipment incompatible with network services. Once again, the Commission’s rule changes put the onus on customers to protect themselves via contract, which isn’t easy to do where competitive choices for network services don’t exist or just aren’t very robust."