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Vol. 10, No. 7      February 18, 2014
In This Issue
TOP OF THE NEWS
KELLEY DRYE WORKSHOP
COMPTEL PLUS
AT THE FCC
CYBERSECURITY
MEMBER PROFILE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
BE SEEN AT COMPTEL PLUS
 
Book Your Exhibit Space Before Time Runs Out

 

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The COMPTEL PLUS Spring 2014 Convention & EXPO is the ONLY place where you can meet prospective customers and close lucrative business deals in the course of a few days.

 

Select exhibit spaces still remain - so don't miss this opportunity to get your company noticed and improve your bottom line.

 

For more information on exhibiting at COMPTEL PLUS, e-mail Kevin Morris or call 202-296-6650. 

COMPTEL
IN THE NEWS

 

On Friday, February 14, COMPTEL Chief Advocate and General Counsel Angie Kronenberg participated in a live webcast hosted by BroadbandUS TV entitled "Net Neutrality, the IP Transition -- Where Are We, What's Next?"


To view the webcast, click here.

 

MEMBER NEWS









For more information about submitting member company news, please contact Gail Norris.
FCC DEADLINES

February 18

February 28


March 1

March 3

March 11
SOCIALIZE WITH COMPTEL

 

@COMPTEL 

@COMPTELPLUS 

@COMPTELADVOCACY
                          

Diamond Rio publicity shot

 
TOP OF THE NEWS
COMPTEL Board Nominees Announced
COMPTEL will hold its annual Board elections on March 17 at the COMPTEL PLUS Spring 2014 Convention & EXPO in Las Vegas. Elections will be held for four Directors in the Small Member category, six Directors in the Medium Member category, and eight Directors in the Large Member category. All voting member companies whose dues are current are entitled to vote for candidates in their Membership category. Candidates in each category are:

Large Member Category (annual revenues above $300 million)
  • Cbeyond Inc. - Julia Strow, Co-Founder
  • EarthLink - Chris Murray, Senior Vice President of Public Policy
  • Granite - Sam Kline, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
  • Sprint - Ben Vos, Vice President, Emerging Solutions
  • tw telecom inc. - Rochelle Jones, Vice President-Regulatory
  • Windstream - Eric Einhorn, Senior Vice President-Government Affairs 

Medium Member Category (annual revenues between $25 million and $300 million)

  • Alpheus Communications, LLC - Scott Widham, CEO
  • ANPI - Gene Chohon, Vice President, Sales - Carrier Solutions
  • FirstLight Fiber - Kurt Van Wagenen, President & CEO
  • TNCI & Blue Casa Telephone - Jeff Compton, CEO/President

Small Member Category (annual revenues under $25 million) 

  • ComSpan - Mark Scully, President
  • Fatbeam - Greg Green, President
  • Global Convergence Solutions - Chris Birdsall, Executive Vice President, Global Sales
  • Neutral Path Communications - Scott Bergs, Co-Founder & CEO
  • TeleQuality Communications Inc. - Tim Koxlein, Founder & CEO 
COMPTEL PLUS WORKSHOP
COMPTEL PLUS Workshop to Explore How Providers 
Can Capitalize on New Business Strategies
Kelley Drye to Lead Discussions of How Legal and Policy Changes Unlock New Opportunities to Capitalize on "The Next Big Thing"

Kelley Drye will host a free, comprehensive, workshop on Wednesday, March 19, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the COMPTEL PLUS Spring 2014 Convention & EXPO in Las Vegas. This half-day workshop is designed to help service providers identify new opportunities as changes in technology, the marketplace, and the regulatory environment continue to disrupt existing business plans. Entitled "The Next Big Thing: Capitalizing on Emerging Trends at the Intersection of Public Policy and Business," the workshop will feature in-depth discussions with leading industry executives, mini-sessions focused on key regulatory issues led by Kelley Drye subject-matter experts and a wrap-up session with COMPTEL's policy team.

"We've designed this fast-moving workshop for C-level executives, business development executives and regulatory personnel who want to identify and assess the risks and opportunities associated with offerings in the wireline, wireless and satellite markets," said Steve Augustino, a partner at Kelley Drye. "Our goal is to have attendees walk away with at least one new idea that they can leverage to ensure their businesses adapt and thrive now, and long into the future."

In this new workshop format, Kelley Drye will interweave discussions and presentations with seven snapshot mini-sessions covering topics such as IP trials; Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and text marketing; privacy and data security; 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) obligations; and essentials for E-rate, Lifeline, and rural broadband. In-depth discussions will include an open panel discussion among wireline, wireless and satellite executives, who will forecast trends, examine business strategies, and identify the new opportunities; and another featuring service providers working within the various USF funds, who will talk about the challenges they're facing. The workshop will conclude with a coffee-talk style conversation with members of COMPTEL's policy team, including CEO Chip Pickering, Chief Advocate and General Counsel Angie Kronenberg, and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Relations Alan Hill. 

For more details about the workshop and its speakers, visit the COMPTEL PLUS website. 
 
Check Out the Full COMPTEL PLUS Agenda
The Kelley Drye workshop is just one part of the wide-ranging educational agenda at COMPTEL PLUS.  To learn more, visit the Schedule-at-a-Glance and Speaker pages on the website.
COMPTEL PLUS
Go Mobile with the COMPTEL PLUS MAP 
We're putting the power of COMPTEL PLUS in the palm of your hand with the COMPTEL PLUS Mobile Access Planner (MAP). Whether you're looking for a specific exhibitor in the EXPO hall, trying to find the time and location of that presentation you can't miss, keeping up with the latest show news, or seeking a meeting with other attendees, the COMPTEL PLUS MAP can help.

The COMPTEL PLUS MAP is an easy-to-use mobile platform that allows you to access all the vital information about COMPTEL PLUS right from your Apple, Android or Blackberry smartphone or tablet. With the COMPTEL PLUS MAP, you can: 
  • Set Up Meetings with the COMPTEL PLUS Business PLANner
  • Navigate the EXPO Hall 
  • Find the Must-Attend Events
  • Discover our Expert Speakers
  • Keep Up With Breaking News
For more details about how to leverage the MAP to make your trip to the convention more successful, visit the COMPTEL PLUS website.
AT THE FCC
COMPTEL Opposes CenturyLink Forbearance Petition
On February 14, COMPTEL filed its opposition to CenturyLink's petition for forbearance from dominant carrier regulation and the Computer Inquiry tariffing requirements with respect to its packet-switched and optical transmission services. 
 
COMPTEL noted that CenturyLink fails to meet the statutory requirements for forbearance under Section 10 of the Communications Act. Specifically, COMPTEL said, CenturyLink has not shown that dominant carrier regulation of its packet-based special access services (1) is no longer necessary to ensure just, reasonable, and not unjustly or unreasonably discriminatory rates, terms, and conditions; (2) is no longer necessary to protect consumers; and (3) is in the public interest. In addition to its own comments, COMPTEL noted its supports of the Joint Opposition filed by tw telecom et al, which stated that CenturyLink fails to show that it is now, or will be anytime in the foreseeable future, subject to sufficient facilities-based competition in the provision of packet-based special access services in the legacy CenturyTel and legacy Embarq regions to justify forbearance; nor does CenturyLink proffer any additional "evidence" that demonstrates that forbearance is warranted.
CYBERSECURITY
Administration Releases Cybersecurity Framework
On February 12, the Administration formally released the final version of its 2014 Cybersecurity Framework, which was overseen by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and developed through industry workshops and public comment. It is designed to be a voluntary, technology neutral framework outlining best practices and global standards in order to demonstrate the necessary processes in adopting a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and to provide a "common language."
MEMBER PROFILE
Goodin MacBride Delivers Expert Representation 
Goodin MacBride has been serving the competitive telecommunications industry through the provision of expert regulatory and legal representation since 1983. Based in San Francisco, the company advises and represents carriers and other wholesale and retail service provides in state and federal regulatory affairs, business contracts and transactions, and other legal matters affecting their businesses and relationships with customers, partners and competitors.
 
Visit the COMPTEL website to learn more about Goodin MacBride.

For more information on submitting a member profile, or updating an existing one, e-mail Anna Bayer or call 202-296-6650. 
COMMITTEE MEETINGS 
All COMPTEL Committee meetings are held at the Association's headquarters, 1200 G St NW, Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005, unless otherwise noted.  All times listed are Eastern. For more information, call 202-296-6650.

February 18    Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy

February 24    Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting 
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy
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