On May 10, the FCC issued a public notice proposing to conduct real-world trials and seeking input on specific potential trials related to the transition of the PSTN to Internet Protocol (IP) technology. The goal of any trials, according to the Commission, would be "to gather a factual record to help determine what policies are appropriate to promote investment and innovation while protecting consumers, promoting competition, and ensuring that emerging all-IP networks remain resilient." The FCC is seeking comment on several potential trials relating to the ongoing transitions from copper to fiber, from wireline to wireless, and from time-division multiplexing (TDM) to IP. 

"COMPTEL applauds the FCC's interest in addressing the industry's transition of the PSTN from TDM to IP technology. Given that the competitive industry has been leading the implementation of the IP transition for well over a decade, we welcome the opportunity to provide detailed information to the FCC on our experiences in implementing IP technologies into our networks. In fact, some of COMPTEL's member companies have been all-IP since 1999 and our industry were the earlier adopters of VoIP in the mid-'90s," COMPTEL CEO Jerry James said in a statement. "As the Public Notice recognized, implementation in the United States has been 'delayed' aside from the efforts of some cable companies and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs)." 

He continued, "The most critical aspect of the transition of the PSTN to IP technology that needs to be addressed is interconnection between competitors and the ILEC on an IP basis for the purpose of exchanging managed voice traffic. COMPTEL believes Commission affirmation of competitors' interconnection rights on an IP basis under the Act, which we initially asked to be addressed in 2008, would achieve the new, innovative services it wishes to unleash at a faster pace than a trial. Nonetheless, COMPTEL believes the outcome of any trial on the transition to IP should include an IP-to-IP interconnection arrangement that complies with the standards set forth in the Act and will be available for opt-in as part of interconnection agreements."

COMPTEL today filed comments in the FCC's NPRM proposing to adopt reporting, record keeping and record retention requirements to facilitate the monitoring of rural call completion issues. Because an unacceptable number of long distance telephone calls to customers in rural areas are not being completed and such unreliable telephone service is adversely impacting public safety, businesses and consumers, the  proposed data collection efforts are designed to allow the FCC to review a long distance provider's call performance to specific areas. While COMPTEL supports the goal of this NPRM, simply collecting call answer rate data will only confirm the continuing existence of a problem with completing calls to rural exchanges; it will not resolve the problem. COMPTEL urged the Commission to focus on facilitating solutions that would ensure "that telephone service to rural consumers is as reliable as service to the rest of the country."    

Today is the last day to  submit a session proposal for the COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2013 Convention & EXPO, which is taking place Monday, September 23 to Thursday, September 26, at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando.  

Share your insights into business strategies, innovative technologies and/or regulatory trends that are shaping the future of the competitive communications industry. We also welcome your input on other relevant, thought-provoking and timely topics, panel discussions and case studies that would be of interest to the communications industry.

For details on how to submit a proposal and a link to the online submission form, please visit the COMPTEL PLUS website. If you have questions, please email Tracy MacDonald or call 202-296-6650. 

Increase Your Company's Visibility by Exhibiting or Sponsorships
In addition to speaking at COMPTEL PLUS, we offer a number of other ways to increase your company's exposure among the more than 2,000 attendees expected at the Orlando show:  

• Exhibit - COMPTEL PLUS attracts a diverse, expanding mix of attendees, with almost half who are senior-level decision makers. By exhibiting at COMPTEL PLUS, you can get the undivided attention of these individuals. Prime exhibit spaces are moving fast. Visit the COMPTEL PLUS website for more information regarding exhibiting, email Rick Ardalan or call 202-296-6650 or email David Gerhardt or call 312-265-9664.
• Sponsor - By becoming a sponsor at COMPTEL PLUS, your company can stand out from the crowd. In addition, sponsors can improve their chance of securing a meeting room, save money on exhibit costs, and obtain conference passes and content space in the conference program guide. Information on available sponsorships and more is on the COMPTEL PLUS website. For questions, email Amy Smith or call 202-296-6650.