Connection MasterHead 600x113
Vol. 11, No. 10March 9, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
TOP OF THE NEWS
COMPTEL PLUS
AT THE FCC
ON THE HILL
WEBINAR PROGRAM
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
WELCOME 
NEW MEMBER


For more information about becoming a member of COMPTEL, email Kevin Morris or call 202-296-6650.
MEMBER NEWS





For more information about submitting member company news, please contact Gail Norris.
COMPTEL PLUS 
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS


Milo Medin
Vice President, 
Access Services
Google, Inc.
Monday, April 13
10:30 a.m.


Marcelo Claure
President & CEO
Sprint
Tuesday, April 14
2:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the 
FCC DEADLINES

April 6


May 18
SOCIALIZE WITH COMPTEL

 

@COMPTEL 

@COMPTELPLUS 

                          

Diamond Rio publicity shot

 
TOP OF THE NEWS
Make Your COMPTEL PLUS Connections Count 
With Our Interactive, Online Business PLANner 

On your mark, get set...NETWORK!  Did you know you can start to set up meetings and find prospective customers well in advance of the COMPTEL PLUS Business Expo 2015? It's as simple as registering for the show and then logging into the COMPTEL PLUS Business PLANner. 


The Business PLANner is an interactive meeting planning app that enables you to schedule meetings with existing and prospective clients during the convention, April 12-15 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando.

How the COMPTEL PLUS Business PLANner Works
Once registered for COMPTEL PLUS, you will get full access to the Business PLANner. Just log in to download the pre-registered attendee list and send requests to other attendees to set up meetings in the COMPTEL PLUS Deal Center, sponsored by ThinQ; at a booth during exhibit hours; or in a meeting room.
COMPTEL PLUS
Extend Your Company's Marketing Reach 
With the COMPTEL PLUS Show Daily 
If your company is an exhibitor or sponsor of the COMPTEL PLUS Business Expo 2015, it can gain even more visibility at the show and online with the COMPTEL PLUS Show Daily. The Show Daily is our popular print magazine - also available on the COMPTEL Plus website and via the Mobile Access Planner - features breaking news from our exhibitors and sponsors.

The Show Daily will hit the newsstands in the Gaylord Palms at COMPTEL PLUS the mornings of Monday, April 13, and Tuesday, April 14. The deadline to submit news is Friday, March 27. Advertising opportunities also are available.  For editorial guidelines and to learn how you can advertise, visit the COMPTEL PLUS website. For inquiries about other PR opportunities, email Gail Norris or call 202-296-6650.

If you still have not secured your booth space, or selected a sponsorship, it's not too late. Please email Kevin Morris about exhibiting, Amy Smith about sponsorships or call 202-296-6650.
AT THE FCC
COMPTEL Joins Other Associations in Asking the FCC to Reconsider its New Treble Damages Policy 
On March 6, COMPTEL joined with USTelecom, CTIA and NCTA in filing a joint petition asking the FCC to reconsider a new policy statement that adopts a treble damages approach to calculating fines for violations of federal program payment rules, regardless of other factors. This policy statement was issued without public notice, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.

FCC Announces Tentative March Agenda
The FCC announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the Open Meeting, which is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 26:
  • Market Modification: The Commission will consider an NPRM to implement Section 102 of the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014, which directs the FCC to adopt rules that permit the modification of a commercial television broadcast station's local television market for purposes of satellite carriage rights, including the promotion of consumers' access to television broadcast station signals that originate in their state of residence.
  • Local Number Portability Administration: The Commission will consider an Order addressing the recommendation of the North American Numbering Council regarding what company should serve as the next local number portability administrator.
Rural Call Completion Reporting Requirements Published in Federal Register
On March 4, the Rural Call Completion Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements were published in the Federal Register. The Office of Management and Budget has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the FCC's Report and Order  WC Docket No. 13-39, FCC 13-135. 

If your company makes the initial long distance call path choice for more than 100,000 lines, it must start recording call completion data April 1 and file its first report (for the second quarter) August 1.  The Notice also reiterates that long distance service providers that have more than 100,000 lines but do not make the initial call path choice must notify the FCC of that fact by letter and must identify the long distance carrier(s) to which the long distance calls are handed off. The identified long distance providers must be copied on the letter and the letter must be filed with the FCC by April 1.
ON THE HILL
Senate to Hold FCC Oversight Hearing March 18 
The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission" at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. Chairman Wheeler and Commissioners Clyburn, O'Rielly, Pai and Rosenworcel are the witnesses.

As part of the Committee's oversight responsibilities, the hearing will have a broad scope covering every aspect of the agency, from its Fiscal Year 2016 budget request to major policy issues before the Commission. This will be the Committee's first public opportunity to directly question the Commission about its controversial Open Internet Order. The Committee is also expected to explore matters related to the modernization of the nation's communications laws and the reauthorization of the agency, which has not occurred in 25 years.

House Hearings Planned
FCC Chairman Wheeler has been invited to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Tuesday, March 17, and before the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Communications & Technology on Thursday, March 19. However, neither of these hearings have been officially put on the committee calendars yet. We'll update you as more details become available.  
WEBINAR PROGRAM
Learn About UNITEL HR Advisory Services 
During March 17 Free Webinar  
Who can you turn to when you need answers to tough human resources questions or need to train your employees? COMPTEL partner UNITEL Insurance offers an outsourced HR advisory service that can help you navigate the constantly changing health care environment, including new Affordable Care Act requirements, as well as hundreds of complex employment law issues that businesses face with regard to hiring, termination, discrimination, pay and classification, time off/FMLA continuation, COBRA, employee relations and employee safety. 
 
Learn more about UNITEL HR Solutions during a FREE, live webinar on March 17 at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. 
 
During the webinar, UNITEL account executive Carl Zeutzius will explain how this unique HR service can help you save money and reduce the overall risk related to managing people and safety within your company. 
 
To register, click here.
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.

March 10          Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy

March 17         Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting 
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy
© 2015. All Rights Reserved.