Denver-based internet provider Bluepeak said this week that it would undertake a $150 million network upgrade across South Dakota to overbuild its existing broadband infrastructure and extend its fiber-to-the-home connectivity. That investment will come atop more than $95 million already spent in the state on fiber broadband access to about 55,000 residents. With the second phase of investment, the company's network will reach more than 175,000 locations in South Dakota, it said.
A Missouri bill prefiled Tuesday would require two-way voice service providers to block voice calls from numbers that aren't valid North American Numbering Plan numbers, that aren't allocated to a provider by the NANP administrator, or that are valid and allocated but unused. The Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act (HB-2472), proposed by Rep. Jim Kalberloh (R), would also set an Aug. 28, 2027, deadline for voice device providers to implement Stir/Shaken authentication protocol or another technology for verifying and authenticating caller ID. A voice service provider that knowingly fails or neglects to comply would face fines of up to $75,000.
Portable electronic communication devices would join the list of items not allowed in prison or jail in Missouri under HB-2414, a bill prefiled this week by state Rep. Dean Van Schoiack (R). The prohibited devices would include cellphones, personal digital assistants and pagers, according to the bill, and a violation would be a Class D felony.
The District of Columbia would revise its existing 911 surcharge structure, moving to a fee of $1 a month for each access line across non-prepaid technologies, under a bill introduced Monday by Councilmembers Christina Henderson (I) and Matthew Frumin (D). The bill would also increase the prepaid wireless surcharge.
Wisconsin's law against calling 911 to falsely report an emergency would expand to also include texting false reports to 911 under SB-782, a bill introduced Friday by state Sen. Van Wanggaard (R). It was referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. According to the bill, texting a false report to 911 would carry the same penalties as making a false call: a fine of $100-$600, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, for a first offense, and a Class H felony for a repeat offense committed within four years.
New Hampshire would permit one-party consent for audio and video recordings that aren't made in violation of privacy or for blackmail, under HB-1508, prefiled last week. The legislation is scheduled to be introduced in January and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. It also requires the state Justice Department to conduct a public information campaign explaining the law changes in the bill. It was sponsored by Republican House members Joseph Barton, Donald McFarlane, Katelyn Kuttab, Calvin Beaulier and James Thibault.
VoIP providers in California have been getting State Board of Equalization notices about having to file annual property tax statements starting next year, which is what the cloud communications industry had hoped the FCC would prevent, telecom lawyer Jonathan Marashlian of Marashlian & Donahue wrote Friday. The tax development springs from the California Public Utilities Commission's 2024 decision reclassifying interconnected VoIP providers as “telephone corporations," he said. "Once the CPUC decided to regulate VoIP like legacy telephony, other state agencies quickly followed suit—and found new ways to tax VoIP providers," he said.
Oklahoma would make it a felony offense, punishable by fines of up to $50,000 and/or imprisonment, for entering an easement, right of way or premises with intent to steal copper wiring or cable if the theft causes $100,000 or more in damages, under a bill prefiled Wednesday with the state Senate. SB-1232 was filed by Sen. Bill Coleman (R). The cable industry has pushed for more enforcement attention and stronger sanctions for copper thefts (see 2509030003).
Michigan's telemarketing law could see sweeping changes under SB-351, recently passed by the Senate, Klein Moynihan's David Klein wrote this week. The legislation set disclosure requirements that would require a telemarketer to provide his or her first and last name and the full name, address and telephone number of the organization/person on whose behalf the call is made, Klein said. Marketing text messages would have to include the organization/person on whose behalf the text message is initiated, he added. The bill says the attorney general's office investigating telemarketers that it believes are violating Michigan’s Telemarketing Act would be required to notify the telemarketer before commencing an action and give the telemarketer an opportunity to cease the alleged misconduct, according to Klein. The bill would allow for civil fines of $50,000 to $100,000 for conduct directed at people 75 or older or who have a disability.
Recording telephone calls or other conversations in New Jersey without consent from all parties would be illegal under a bill introduced this week by Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D). AB-6186 would allow exceptions for law enforcement, however. While New Jersey currently requires one-party consent, it would join 11 other states in moving to all-party consent, it said.