The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.
TELECOM
CRTC
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) invites comments on whether to require wireless service providers to participate in Canada’s National Public Alerting System, which will ensure that Canadians receive timely warnings of imminent threats to life and property on mobile devices. By May 30, 2016, parties are invited to provide detailed comments, with supporting rationale, on the topics raised in this notice, as well as to submit their own proposals on related topics.
California
The PUC has approved the transfer of control of both Time Warner Cable Information Services, LLC and Bright House Networks Information Services, LLC to Charter Communications, Inc. The California PUC approval was the last hurdle to complete the deal. “We are pleased to have now obtained all approvals,” said Tom Rutledge, President and CEO of Charter Communications. “We look forward to closing these transactions next week and to begin delivering the many benefits of these transactions to consumers.” The FCC approved the transaction last week. Charter agreed to a number of conditions as part of the FCC approval. Many of the conditions either codified or reflected specific commitments Charter offered proactively at the beginning of the transaction review process, including no data caps or usage-based billing, a commitment to build out high-speed broadband service to unserved and underserved customers, the fastest low-income broadband program of any major service provider, and settlement-free peering.
Connecticut
The PURA has scheduled oral arguments on May 24, 2016, concerning its investigation into Frontier’s proposed network modernization strategy plan. In particular, the PURA will discuss Motions No. 4 and 7 and correspondence dated May 12, 2016. Those motions address a protective order for confidential information in responses to interrogatories. The Office of Consumer Counsel (Office) argued that Frontier is trying to limit its access to information and its ability to represent ratepayers in this proceeding.
PURA said that it intends to conduct its own focused audit and review of Frontier’s network modernization program. The scope of the audit and review will include, but not be limited to, verification of the status of its network modernization as committed to by Frontier in Docket No. 14 01 46. It is the opinion of the PURA that this audit will provide the essential information sought by the PURA and the Office in this proceeding as well as satisfy the requirements set forth in the Settlement Agreement adopted in the October 15, 2014 Final Decision in Docket No. 14-01-46.
New York
Verizon has asked for an extension of time in which to produce testimony and exhibits pursuant to the PSC’s March 21, 2016, Order in the proceeding to consider Verizon’s retail service quality process and programs. TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 4/22/16. The March 21st Order requires Verizon to file testimony/exhibits by May 20, 2016. Parties’ comments would be due May 28, 2016. On May 6, 2016, the PSC issued a notice scheduling a procedural conference to be held on June 7, 2016. The purpose of the conference is to identify the parties, discuss scheduling and process proposals, and to address other matters that may arise. The PSC has not yet responded to Verizon’s request for an extension of time.
