VOL. 12, NO. 28

July 18, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

The INCOMPAS Show

AT&T Rate Hike

On the Hill

UNITEL Webinar

INCOMPAS BLOG

INCOMPAS CEO
Chip Pickering:
"Competition and Innovation Principles will Help FCC Unlock the Box"

COMPETITORS' RECEPTION

You're invited to the Competitors' Reception, Saturday, July 23, from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the
Music Row 3 room at the Omni Nashville Hotel. The event will take place prior to the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Summer Committee Meetings.

The reception is sponsored by INCOMPAS, the Midwest Association of Competitive Communications, Granite, CompSouth, TSI, Windstream, Level 3 and Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 3, 2016

1 p.m. ET

UNITEL Webinar:

HR Solutions - Making HR Easy

September 14, 2016

1 p.m. ET

UNITEL Webinar:
Cyber Security and Data Breach - The Rising Specter of Cyber Liability For Communication Companies?

October 23-25, 2016

The INCOMPAS Show

Dallas

MEMBER NEWS

EarthLink Announces Acquisition of Boston Retail Partners to Expand its Technology Consulting Offering for Retailers

TelePacific Rolls Out Advanced SD-WAN Connectivity in Nationwide Pilot

Windstream Wins Fourth Straight Growth Excellence Leadership Award

FCC DEADLINES

July 26
Reply Comments Due in Business Data Service Tariff Investigation Order and Further NPRM

Registration Now Open for
The INCOMPAS Show in Dallas

First 400 Registrants Receive Early Bird Discount

Registration opened today for The INCOMPAS Show, which will take place October 23-25 in Dallas.

The first 400 people to register by September 2 will receive the early registration rate. INCOMPAS also is offering special group pricing. For more information on this new group pricing option, email Sam Reardon.

The INCOMPAS Show will kick off Sunday with a welcome reception hosted by Google Fiber. Monday and Tuesday will feature keynote speeches; a network optimization session, a network planning and procurement panel and a smart cities panel; vendor and industry sessions; exclusive Expo Hall hours, an invitation-only CEO Breakfast sponsored by Inteliquent, and many opportunities for networking.

Sponsorships and Exhibit Space Still Available

Interested in raising your company's visibility among the top purchasers in the competitive communications marketplace? Learn more about exhibiting and sponsorships or how to develop your custom proposal of benefits by emailing Lorien Parry or calling 312-673-5545.

FCC Votes on Proposal to
Speed 5G Deployment

At its Open Meeting on July 14, the FCC voted to move forward on a proposal that will speed the deployment of 5G technology.

INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering said of the proposal: "Competition policy laid the foundation for 5G, and competition policy must guide the 5G future. Wired infrastructure is central to wireless growth, and the FCC's business data service proposal will bring more competition to market, lowering costs, speeding deployment, and increasing investment and infrastructure. We commend the entire FCC for their commitment and support of 5G, and look forward to working with them to ensure all American's benefit from competition policy."

FCC Rejects AT&T Rate Hike

On July 15, the FCC rejected a proposal from AT&T to eliminate cost saving portability plans that provide consumers with lower costs and greater flexibility and has suspended an investigation into its tariff changes.

In response to this FCC action, Angie Kronenberg, INCOMPAS chief advocate and general counsel, said in a statement that "[w]e commend the FCC for rejecting AT&T's attempt to eliminate cost saving portability plans that bring flexibility and lower costs to competitive wholesale providers and the business customers they serve. It was a rate hike sneak attack pure and simple, and we are pleased the FCC rejected this bullying display of market power. Rate hike sneak attacks only create greater urgency for the FCC to take comprehensive action to reform the business data service reform this year. Business customers want lower prices and more choices, not rate hike threats."

Hill Hearings Focus on FCC

Two telecommunications-related hearings were held on Capitol Hill on July 12. First the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation examined "How Will the FCC's Proposed Privacy Regulations Affect Consumers and Competition?" The hearing examined the FCC's proposal to apply a new regime of privacy rules to broadband internet access providers. To view the webcast or download testimony, visit the committee website.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on "Oversight of the FCC," with Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioners Clyburn, O'Rielly, Pai and Rosenworcel testifying. To view the archived webcast and statements, visit the committee website.

UNITEL to Host "Making HR Easy" Webinar on August 3

Register today for "Making HR Easy," a free webinar at 1 p.m. ET, August 3 hosted by UNITEL Insurance, an INCOMPAS partner and one of the leading communication insurance brokers in the U.S.

This webinar will focus on why it is important to have a strategic HR resource available to your company to assist with HR and safety compliance. UNITEL HR solutions offers you access to certified HR professionals to answer your difficult HR questions. The company also offers valuable online HR/safety training, in addition to a vast web portal featuring thousands of forms and resources, including an employee handbook builder.

Registration is required.