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Vol. 11, No. 19
May 18, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
COMPTEL PLUS
OPEN INTERNET
AT THE FCC
ON THE HILL
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
MEMBER NEWS




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

June 4

June 15

July 1
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TOP OF THE NEWS
COMPTEL PLUS Early Bird Registration Opens Today
Early bird registration for the COMPTEL PLUS Fall Business Expo 2015 opens today. Register before July 17 and take advantage of significant savings on full conference and networking passes.  

With the full conference pass, you'll gain access to all COMPTEL PLUS has to offer, including admittance to keynote addresses, educational tracks, the expo, meeting rooms, COMPTEL PLUS Deal Center, networking receptions and other events, as well as conference materials. The networking pass is designed for attendees who are interested only in the expo and networking events. 

While you're registering, you also can make your hotel reservations at our host hotel - the San Francisco Marriott Marquis.
OPEN INTERNET 
COMPTEL Supports FCC in Open Internet Intervention
On May 12, COMPTEL filed a motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to intervene in the appeal of the Federal Communications Commission's landmark Open Internet Order filed by a collection of large incumbent telephone, cable and wireless providers and their trade associations.

COMPTEL was an active participant in the rulemaking proceeding that resulted in the Order and intends to support the FCC's defense of the Order and the new rules.

"The FCC Open Internet Order is a win for streamers and dreamers, allowing consumers to continue welcoming new network builders and video competition with open arms," said Chip Pickering, CEO of COMPTEL. "We are proud to join with other tech leaders to defend the FCC's Open Internet Order against attacks by old economy Internet service providers that seek to block or slow down new ideas and new markets."

COMPTEL's intervention filing joined other filings from member companies Cogent, Level 3 and Netflix, as well as tech leaders and companies that are pushing back against the legal attempts to overturn the FCC Open Internet Order: the Ad Hoc Telecommunications Users Committee, Akamai, CDT, Credo Mobile, Demand Progress, DISH, Etsy, Fight for the Future, Free Press, Kickstarter, Meetup, NARUC, NASUCA, Open Technology Institute, Public Knowledge, Tumblr,  Square Ventures, Vimeo and Vonage.
AT THE FCC 
FCC Seeks to Refresh Record for Pole Attachments
The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau is seeking comment to refresh the record on a petition for reconsideration or clarification filed by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), COMPTEL and tw telecom inc. on the cost allocators used to calculate the telecom rate for pole attachments. 

The petitioners request that "the rules be clarified or amended by specifying [that] the cost allocator to be applied [will be] based on the number of attaching entities."  

Comments are due June 4 and reply comments June 15. 
ON THE HILL 
Senate Appropriates Subcommittee 
Holds Hearing on FCC 2016 Budget 
On May 12, the Senate Appropriations Committee Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee hosted a hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2016 funding request and budget justification for the FCC. Witnesses were FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Ajit Pai. Visit the subcommittee website to download statements and slides from the hearing. 

House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee 
Holds Hearing on FCC Reauthorization
On May 15, the House Energy & Commerce Committee Communications and Technology Subcommittee held a hearing on "FCC Reauthorization: Improving Commission Transparency - Part II." Witnesses were Stuart M. Benjamin, the Douglas B. Maggs Chair in Law and Associate Dean for Research at Duke Law; former FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell, who is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute; and Randolph J. May, president of the Free State Foundation. 

To see witness testimony and draft legislation from the hearing, visit the subcommittee website
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.

May 19             Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy

May 26             Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting 
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy
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