An October FCC order that will increase rates for incarcerated people’s communications services (IPCS) on an interim basis takes effect Friday, said a notice for that day's Federal Register. The agency approved the changes 2-1 with a dissent by Commissioner Anna Gomez (see 2510280045). The required compliance date is 120 days after publication.
NTCA representatives discussed with the FCC its members' concerns about changes to the enhanced alternative Connect America cost model (E-ACAM) program, according to a filing Tuesday (docket 10-90) that recapped a meeting with aides to Chairman Brendan Carr. Adjustments should be made in a way “that reasonably reflects the costs associated with serving rural geographies and mitigates potentially substantial volatility in support, so that providers can fulfill the obligations of the program consistent with a reasonable ground-level understanding of the areas to be served at the time of program elections,” NTCA said.
The FCC sought comment Tuesday on an interconnected VoIP numbering authorization application from DayStarr. Comments are due Dec. 17 in docket 25-118.
AT&T asked the FCC to allow it to stop offering legacy voice services to some 90,000 customers in 18 states starting on or after Nov. 15, 2026. The carrier previously “grandfathered” the services throughout the affected area and isn’t accepting new applications for service, said a filing posted Tuesday. “Here, as with AT&T’s earlier discontinuance applications approved by the Commission, discontinuing the Affected Services will benefit the public and serve as an important step toward meeting both AT&T’s and the Commission’s goal of advancing next-generation communication technologies.”
CEO Jens Laipenieks and others from the Arctic Slope Telephone Association Co-op met with an aide to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on how delays in permitting construction plans are affecting implementation of the Alaska Connect Fund. For example, the group cited the problems that the Tanana Chiefs Conference has had installing fiber connecting three unserved communities under a $35 million grant, said a filing Tuesday in docket 23-328.
Appalachian Power Co. is denying Comcast access to its poles that have preexisting safety violations unless Comcast pays for replacing the pole, Comcast told the FCC in a pole attachment complaint posted Wednesday. Comcast said it needs access to thousands of Appalachian power poles for its network expansion work in Virginia, including bringing connectivity to 13,000 BEAD-funded locations in the state. It said Appalachian has adopted a policy where Comcast must pay the total cost of replacing the preexisting violation pole, "with, at best, the potential for a 50% reimbursement at the whim of the preexisting violator." That's despite FCC rules saying pole owners can't charge new attachers the cost of addressing preexisting violations of safety or construction standards or delay new attachers while the pole owner tries to fix the preexisting violation or seek reimbursement from the preexisting violator. Appalachian didn't comment.
"Trusted" U.S.-based submarine line terminal equipment owners and operators that don't pose a big national security risk should be exempt from all SLTE-related licensing and reporting requirements, NCTA said last week (docket 24-523). An example would be NCTA members that use completely domestic SLTE and lease fiber capacity to provide connectivity from a U.S. location to another U.S. location, it said. With those systems being wholly domestic and owned and operated by trusted U.S.-based entities, they don't pose a notable national security risk and should be excluded from any FCC subsea cable system licensing rules, NCTA said.
Comments are due Dec.10 on AT&T’s applications to discontinue domestic non-dominant carrier telecommunications and interconnected VOIP services for its Easy Reach 800 Service nationwide and for AT&T Phone for Business in Richardson, Texas, according to a public notice Tuesday. The applications will be granted automatically on Dec. 26 unless the FCC notifies AT&T that they won’t be.
The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research supported FCC proposals to speed up copper retirements and otherwise speed the move of carriers off legacy networks in comments posted Wednesday in docket 25-208. “Outdated requirements … have come at a steep cost for consumers as they delay buildout of better technology, keep consumers vulnerable to copper theft and 911 outages, and keep consumers paying high prices for poor performance,” the center said. Carriers also report that maintaining legacy systems requires spending “that could otherwise be put towards faster deployment of better technology.”
The FCC Wireline Bureau sought comment this week on a request by Amherst Telephone Co. to transfer control of the company to the Amherst Communications Employee Stock Ownership Trust. The local exchange carrier provides service in the Amherst, Polonia and Rosholt exchanges in parts of Portage, Marathon and Waupaca counties in central Wisconsin. Comments are due Dec. 8, replies Dec. 15, in docket 25-309.