INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering (at left) presents raffle winners with their prizes. Here is the grand prize winner, Matthew Schaefer of the University of Nebraska, who won $1,500.

$1,000 prize winner
Jim Gurol of California Telecom

$500 prize winner
Chriselda Soto of VTX1

FCC DEADLINES

November 2
Responses to Comments/Oppositions Due on Applications of Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable and Advance/Newhouse Partnership to Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations

November 12
Replies to Responses/Oppositions Due on Applications of Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable and Advance/Newhouse Partnership to Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations

November 20

Comments Due in Special Access Proceeding

November 24

Reply Comments Due on Emerging Wireline Networks and Services FNPRM

December 11

Reply Comments Due in Special Access Proceeding

COMPTEL is Now INCOMPAS

Association Evolves as Unified Voice for
Competition Across Evolving Technology Platforms

During the COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2015 Business Expo in San Francisco last week, COMPTEL CEO Chip Pickering announced that the association is changing its name to INCOMPAS. The rebranding is integral to the association's continued growth and commitment to defending competition policy across a wide spectrum of evolving technology platforms.

"The name INCOMPAS illustrates our commitment to innovation, competition and the future. We have a rich history, successfully leading efforts to open markets to new networks, new technology and new ideas," Pickering said in a press release. "Moving forward, we wanted a name that reflected both our values and our growing membership. This change will create expansion opportunities for our membership, our trade shows and our advocacy efforts. We are INCOMPAS, we are the future of competition."

In addition to competitive broadband providers, INCOMPAS now counts video providers, social media leaders, content providers, wireless companies, Internet companies, international leaders, start-ups and venture capitalists among its growing membership base.

The new INCOMPAS name is effective immediately and will be implemented across the organization's products and services over the next several months. Learn more on the INCOMPAS website or plan to attend one of the association's upcoming events:

The INCOMPAS 2016 Policy Summit, February 8-11 in Washington, D.C.
The 2016 INCOMPAS Shows, April 10-13 in Washington, D.C., and October 23-26 in Dallas.

COMPTEL PLUS Fall Business Expo

Last week's COMPTEL PLUS Fall 2015 Business Expo in San Francisco brought together more than 1,500 attendees for four days of networking and deal making. The annual fall event featured industry thought leaders delivering keynote addresses and participating in vibrant panel discussions; a new expo design with subject-specific education zones; and a variety of opportunities to meet-and-greet current and prospective clients.

INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering speaks with FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel during the Monday Opening Keynote.

Industry CEOs Chris Ancell of XO Communications, Randy Brouckman of EdgeConneX, and Laura Thomas of TNCI shared their insights on the future of competition with INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering during Monday's Keynote Roundtable. Other high-level executives joined keynote addresses to discuss competition and investment, the disruptive impact of technology on video delivery, and the future of content.

In the Expo Hall, we debuted new platform zones to bring additional educational programming focused on Networks, Data Center & Cloud, and Over-the-Top (OTT). COMPTEL PLUS also upped the ante on networking opportunities, providing more meeting space in the Deal Center and throughout the Expo Hall, and a series of parties and social events.

The show kicked off on Sunday night with a Wine Walk Welcome Reception, sponsored by Netflix, and had daily networking socials, including the Beers with Peers reception on Monday and the Tuesday closing party at Mezzanine sponsored by Google Fiber, featuring entertainment by the band Pop Rocks and guest singer Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray.

Video of keynote sessions and select interviews will be available at comptelplus.org early next week.

INCOMPAS Opposes Charter-
Time Warner Cable Merger

On October 14, INCOMPAS (formerly COMPTEL) filed with the FCC a petition to deny the proposed merger between Charter-Time Warner Cable/Bright House. Stressing the need to address the costs of video programming in order to incentivize broadband competition, INCOMPAS argued that proposed Charter-Time Warner Cable merger is bad for broadband competition and bad for consumers.

INCOMPAS, CCA Urge FCC Not to Delay Special Access Comments

In an October 23 filing with the FCC, INCOMPAS and the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) urged the FCC to move forward with the current comment deadlines on the competition data collected in the special access proceeding. Industry Industry groups representing large incumbent telecom providers are seeking to delay the comment deadlines on competition information for several months.

"For 10 long years, the big telecom providers have worked to delay the analysis of competition data," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering. "Consumers and business customers are tired of waiting for more choices and better prices. Full speed ahead for competition."

FCC Investigates Lock-Up Provisions

On October 16, the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau initiated an investigation into the terms and conditions of certain incumbent local exchange carrier tariff pricing plans of AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and Verizon for business data services (special access services) that competitors allege are unreasonable, anticompetitive, and lock up the vast majority of the demand for TDM-based business data services - assertions that these ILECs have disputed.

"Lock up provisions are anti-consumer, anti-customer and anti-competitive. These lock-up plans are tethering customers to old technology and incumbent networks. In order to speed the tech transitions, we must address these anticompetitive terms and conditions and unleash competition. This will be a fast, market-driven approach to opening new markets for investment," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering. Read more on the INCOMPAS website.

INCOMPAS Praises "Dig Once" Bill

On October 22, Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), the Ranking

Member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Chairman of the Subcommittee, introduced the Broadband Conduit Deployment Act of 2015 that would make the installation of fiber-optic cables a criterion of federal road construction projects, consequently reducing costs of post-construction

installation and expediting the process of broadband deployment.

"INCOMPAS (formerly COMPTEL) supports the bipartisan effort of Rep. Eshoo and Rep. Walden to increase the deployment of broadband in our country through the 'dig once' legislation. The bill highlights the shortcomings of our current broadband infrastructure and draws attention to the many Americans who remain excluded from its connective benefits," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering. "INCOMPAS additionally welcomes the economic promise of the 'dig once' bill, which would save costs and decrease barriers to broadband deployment, thereby stimulating broadband competition."

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