Reidy

Karen Reidy, COMPTEL's vice president of regulatory affairs, was named last week as one of FierceTelecom's "Women in Wireline 2013." She was honored for helping competitive carriers obtain a level playing field for much of her 16-year career as a telecom lawyer. Karen was a legal counsel at MCI for nine years, before joining COMPTEL, where she has focused on issues such as the transition of the PSTN to IP technology and last mile access.

Mary Stanhope, vice president of product and marketing for Global Capacity, and Joti Balani, vice president of marketing for Lumos Networks - both executives at COMPTEL member companies - were also honored in this year's rankings.

To read more about accomplishments of the Women in Wireline 2013, visit the FierceTelecom website. 

Last week the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation hosted a hearing on the nomination of Tom Wheeler to become the next Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  During his testimony, Wheeler focused on the importance of competition in the communications markets.

Following the hearing, COMPTEL CEO Jerry James commended Wheeler's pro-competitive stance, saying, "We applaud Mr. Wheeler for his strong statements on the importance of competition during today's Senate hearing. COMPTEL and its members agree wholeheartedly that competition truly is a power unto itself that must be encouraged by the FCC because competitive retail markets produce better outcomes for consumers. To ensure functioning free markets for retail communications services, Commission oversight of the wholesale communications marketplace is essential. The FCC has an important role to play in making certain that competition thrives and brings innumerable benefits to consumers across the country. We are hopeful that the new leadership at the FCC will continue to make strides in promoting and protecting competition, and we look forward to working with the agency as it addresses key issues, such as interconnection and last mile access, which will have a significant bearing on the competitiveness of the communications marketplace."

An archived webcast of the hearing can be found on the Committee's website.

On Thursday, September 26, during the COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2013 Convention & EXPO, Technologies Management Inc. will host a half day workshop entitled, "Striking the Right Balance with VoIP: A Primer on Maintaining Compliance While Improving Profits and Gaining a Competitive Edge."

As regulatory requirements for VoIP providers evolve, so must a company's business strategy. During this workshop speakers from a cross section of companies will explain their business strategies, and what they've done to establish or maintain regulatory compliance, improve profits and continue to grow market share. You will learn about the alternatives to the VoIP safe harbor that may reduce federal universal service and other fees that can erode your bottom line. Speakers also will examine the business implications of providing direct numbering resources to VoIP providers and who is in the best position to prosper, as well as the financial impact of alternatives to taking the safe harbor option for reporting revenues.

The workshop will be presented in three parts:

• VoIP Regulatory Strategies: One Size Does Not Fit All 
• VoIP Numbering: How It Works and the Impact on Business Models 
• Optimizing Your Form 499 Strategy: Safe Harbor vs. Traffic Study and Managing Exemptions

For more details about the workshop and COMPTEL PLUS, visit www.comptelplus.org.

Register Now and Take Advantage of Discounted Rates

Early bird registration is now open. If you register before July 12, you can save up to $330 off regular rates.  Also, don't miss out on reserving a room at our host hotel, the Gaylord Palms. Book your room today. The COMPTEL PLUS rate is $235 per night.    

On June 19, UNITEL hosted a webinar to discuss how its partnership with COMPTEL can enable the association's members to maximize the value of their investments in employee life, short-term disability, long-term disability and critical illness benefits.
During the webinar, entitled  "Trying to Gain Control of Employee Benefits Costs? COMPTEL and UNITEL Can Help,"  Mike Reed, an account executive for UNITEL, explained how his company can provide:

• Extended rate guarantees
• Tiered benefit structures
• Enhanced disability options
• Cost savings