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Vol. 11, No. 24
June 22, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
COMPTEL PLUS
AT THE FCC
BROADBAND ADVOCACY
COMPETITORS' RECEPTION
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
CEO BLOG

COMPTEL CEO Chip Pickering talks about businesses that have chosen competitive providers in his latest blog, "The Customer is Always Right."

MEMBER NEWS










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

July 1
July 16

July 22

July 31
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Diamond Rio publicity shot

 
TOP OF THE NEWS
Exciting Changes Underway for COMPTEL PLUS Fall 
Thanks to everyone who submitted session proposals last week for the COMPTEL PLUS Fall Business Expo 2015. There are many education changes in store for our Fall show with the focus on our expanded marketplace that includes networks for business, content/over-the-top and data center/cloud providers, as well as international companies that are operating and expanding into the U.S. Look for interactive discussions, thought leadership and debate on current policy and business issues in The Hub. On the show floor there will be vendor demos, Ask the Experts sessions and facilitated networking. We'll also have hot topic breakout sessions, workshops and panel discussions that can't be missed. 

No matter your business, COMPTEL PLUS - October 18-21 in San Francisco - will have the education and networking you are looking for. Don't miss out - register by July 17 to save more than $200. 
AT THE FCC
FCC Reforms Lifeline for the Broadband Age
At its open meeting last Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission took additional steps to reform the Lifeline program and ensure that Lifeline funds are efficiently used and targeted to those low-income consumers most in need of assistance to maintain connectivity in the 21st Century. 

COMPTEL CEO Chip Pickering said that the association is "pleased that the FCC has adopted long sought changes to the Lifeline rules that will help further minimize waste, fraud and abuse in the program, and is considering implementing additional changes to modernize the program." 

He added that "we are especially grateful for Commissioner Clyburn's efforts to promote the use of the Lifeline program as a means of bridging the digital divide and ensuring that low-income consumers are able to apply their Lifeline subsidy to broadband, as well as voice service. Since she was chair of the Federal-State Joint Board on USF over five years ago, Commissioner Clyburn has worked diligently on strong reforms to protect the integrity of the program to ensure that low-income consumers can be connected. In particular, we appreciate her leadership on transferring responsibility for eligibility determinations from the providers to a disinterested third party. These reforms are critical to enable what today are essential services for the delivery of telemedicine and education to consumers."


COMPTEL Urges FCC to Grant Granite's Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Section 271 Network Elements
On June 15, COMPTEL filed comments urging the FCC to expeditiously grant the petition for declaratory ruling filed by its member company Granite Telecommunications seeking to preserve and promote the competition that has been made possible using Section 271 network elements.

As COMPTEL explained, competitive carriers have relied on combined packages of unbundled DS0 loops, switching and shared transport to bring competitive choice to hundreds of thousands of business customer locations across America.

The independent unbundling obligations of Section 271 of the Act provide a critical regulatory backstop for competitive carriers' commercial negotiations with the BOCs for the combinations of wholesale inputs needed to serve these business customers. Section 271(c)(2)(B)(v) and (vi) is the only legal requirement that BOCs provide unbundled local switching and shared transport to competitive carriers. However, the competition and consumer welfare benefits made possible using these wholesale inputs are being jeopardized by USTelecom's argument that BOCs have no legal obligation to provide Section 271 network elements in combination with each other.
BROADBAND ADVOCACY
More Choice, More Competition: Stop BOB Campaign
Last week the Broadband Coalition has launched its BOB (Big Old Broadband) campaign, which calls for more choice and competition in broadband. 

The campaign is designed to showcase how BOB has contributed to a lack of choice for broadband service, frustrating consumers and businesses for far too long. The BOB campaign sets out to help end monopoly and duopoly control, and support competition.

The BOB campaign includes a video and a petition to sign and share that asks both the FCC and Congress to support policies that give Americans more choice in broadband service.

Other ways you can support the BOB campaign:
COMPETITORS' RECEPTION
COMPTEL Seeks Sponsors for Competitors' Reception 
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) will host its Summer Committee Meetings July 12-15 at the New York Marriott Marquis. COMPTEL is planning to host a Competitors' Reception at New York Marriott Marquis on Saturday, July 11. Please note that the Competitors' Reception is not sponsored by NARUC nor is it a part of the Annual Meeting agenda.

If your company would like to sponsor, please email Karen Reidy or call 202-296-6650 by tomorrow - Tuesday, June 23. 
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.

June 23            Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy

June 30           Regulatory/Legislative Committee Meeting 
2 p.m.              Contact Karen Reidy
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