Are you ready for The INCOMPAS Show? Less than a week remains until this Spring's biggest networking event takes place at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center near Washington, D.C.


	Dennis Elwell Verizon Partner Solutions

The show kicks off Sunday, April 10, at 5:30 p.m. with our opening keynote "Delivering a Better Network," a conversation with Dennis L.D. Elwell, group vice president of Verizon Partner Solutions. INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering will talk with Elwell about how the soaring demand for data and applications are driving the need to deliver a world class network. The conversation will center around innovations required to deliver on the promise of the digital age, as well as trends and opportunities in the wholesale industry.

Following the Sunday keynote, we'll host a Taste of D.C. Welcome Reception, where you can jump start your etworking, and catch up with colleagues and friends.

The networking continues Monday and Tuesday, April 11-12, with extended Deal Center hours (7 a.m.-6 p.m.) and a wide range of valuable education sessions on business and technology trends at the Hub and in the INCOMPAS Theater in the Expo Hall. Between sessions, you can explore exhibitor booths and discover new products, services and partners.


	FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler

Monday will culminate with a keynote address by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, taking place in The Hub at 4 p.m.

More great educational sessions are in store for Tuesday, with a focus on encryption, security, privacy and cybersecurity, with a Grand Prize drawing in the Expo Hall and a Backyard BBQ closing party.

Didn't get all your deals done? Never fear - we've added extra time the morning of Wednesday, April 13, with the new Deal and Dash. From 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., you'll be able to grab some breakfast and wrap-up your meetings before heading home.

Schedule meetings in advance and make the most of your time at The INCOMPAS Show. You can use the Business PLANner app to download the pre-registered attendee list and schedule appointments while onsite at the Gaylord.

Register Today
Online registration closes Friday, April 8, so register today and avoid the lines at the show.

FCC Furthers Lifeline Reform and Privacy Guidelines for ISPs

At its Open Meeting on March 31, the FCC voted to reform the Lifeline program by providing support for stand-alone mobile or fixed broadband Internet access service and approved a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes to establish privacy guidelines for broadband Internet Service Providers.

Lifeline

The Third Report and Order sets minimum standards:

For fixed broadband, a minimum monthly usage allowance standard of 150 GB at a speed of 10 Mbps downloads/1 Mbps uploads. There also will be a mechanism (employed on a yearly basis) to determine whether or not that usage allowance standard should be increased.
Mobile broadband standards will be phased in starting at 500 MB per month of 3G data by December 1, 2016; 1 GB by December 1, 2017, and increasing to 2 GB per month by the end of 2018.
Rather than the previously announced unlimited minutes standard, mobile voice will be required to provide 500 min/month beginning on December 1, 2016, with increases to 750 min/month on December 1, 2017, and 1000 min/month on December 1, 2018.
Stand-alone voice service will see its subsidy decreased to $7.25 on December 1, 2019, $5.25 on December 1, 2020, with no support by December 1, 2021 (with limited exceptions).

The order also introduces a National Eligibility Verifier, which will eventually eliminate the need for providers to conduct customer eligibility verification and streamlines the program entry process for by creating a Lifeline Broadband Provider category.

Privacy Guidelines for Broadband ISPs

The NPRM proposes rules implementing the privacy requirements of Section 222 of the Communications Act for broadband ISPs. It proposes rules that would give broadband customers the tools they need to make informed decisions about how their information is used by their ISPs and whether and for what purposes their ISPs may share customers' information with third parties.

FCC Offers Guidance to ETCs
on Lifeline Recertification

Last week the FCC released a public notice with guidance for eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) on the process to elect the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to perform Lifeline recertification for their subscribers in 2016.

According to the notice, the process closely resembles the one used in 2015. In addition, ETCs must provide notice of their intention to have USAC perform the recertification by May 2, 2016.

NEF to Host "Benefits of FiberLocator" Webinar on April 7

Join executives from NEF this Thursday, April 7, from Noon-1 p.m. ET for a webinar entitled "Benefits of FiberLocator."

FiberLocator, an online application that provides on-demand access to telecom network and colocation information, was built by the network planners and procurement specialists at NEF to streamline workflows and save users considerable time and resources in the search for fiber optic maps, lit buildings and data centers.

This webinar will provide an overview and product demonstration of FiberLocator, and discuss the new INCOMPAS members-only program, which provides affiliated carriers and industry vendors discounted rates on FiberLocator Online, as well as consulting services.

Register today for this informative, free webinar.