inter-carrier compensation's archive

FCC Voted Today too

by On Rad's Radar? in November 5th, 2008

Topics: Broadband, CLearwire, Sprint, Wireless, alltel, cableco, cellular, fcc, inter-carrier compensation, mergers, telco, usf, vzw

The FCC voted today too. They took the Inter-Carrier Compensation and USF off the agenda, much to Martin’s dismay.

“Federal regulators have approved a plan to open up unused, unlicensed portions of the television airwaves known as “white spaces” to deliver wireless broadband service.” [Y! news] [fcc.gov]

FCC approved, with conditions, the mergers of Sprint-Nextel/Clearwire and Alltel-Verizon. [fcc.gov]

FCC opened an investigation into the pricing policies of major cable operators and Verizon. “The agency wants to ensure the companies’ customers are getting treated fairly, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said in an interview with The Associated Press.” [Y! news]

Tags: alltel, clearwire, fcc, inter-carrier compensation, mergers, sprint, usf, vzw

Related Entries

FCC Doing Heavy Lifting -
Oct 23, 2008
Verizon Rumors -
Jun 05, 2008
Cogent and Sprint De-Peer -
Oct 31, 2008
FCC Demands VoIP E911 -
Oct 29, 2008
Logitech buys SightSpeed -
Oct 29, 2008
Sprint is at risk of default -
Oct 27, 2008
Every Where But Here -
Oct 27, 2008
“Licensed-Lite” White Spaces by WISPA -
Oct 27, 2008
Is Nuvox Buying One? -
Oct 21, 2008
Where’s the growth? -
Sep 28, 2008

TrackBacks
| Comments | Tag with del.icio.us | On Rad’s Radar? Home | Permalink: FCC Voted Today too

Tags: alltel, vzw, sprint, clearwire, fcc, mergers, inter-carrier compensation, usf

Copyright On Rad’s Radar?

Click here to read more from inter-carrier compensation

FCC Doing Heavy Lifting

by On Rad's Radar? in October 23rd, 2008

Topics: VoIP, White Spaces, Wi-Fi, carrier, duopoly, fcc, inter, inter carrier, inter-carrier compensation, martin wants, mergers, phone, rural, telco, telecommunications, wireline

The FCC is holding a meeting on Nov. 4. On the agenda: Inter-Carrier Compensation, Alltel-VZ merger, Clearwire-Sprint merger, and a vote of White Spaces. Lots of heavy lifting on this agenda. Martin wants to give his pals at VZ one more gift before he goes.

The VZ-Alltel merger is big, but the topic that can really rock telecom is the Inter-carrier Comp issue, which has been a stagnant FCC docket for years.

If companies can show high costs, they will continue to benefit from the subsidy program. Martin also wants to eliminate wireless providers’ right to claim government subsidies for offering service in hard-to-reach areas. Martin wants all companies, wireless included, to show they have incurred losses in providing rural service before they can collect the subsidy. Without those changes, Martin worries that the subsidy fund will collapse of its own weight and rates will go up anyhow. [CNN]

It depends want the Compromise looks like — and it will be a large compromise. Democrats want one thing. Republicans another. Cellcos versus Wireline. Rural versus Urban. Inter-Carrier Comp even bleeds into the USF issue. How? Because rural carriers count on both Universal Service Fund subsidies AND rather high call termination charges to keep afloat.

Why now? The ISP inter-carrier comp rule has been in court for six years. Earlier this year, the DC Court ruled that the FCC had to get off the pot:

The court set the deadline for an order from the FCC at November 5, 2008, six months from the date of oral argument, stated it will not grant an extension and warned that if an appropriate order is not timely issued, it will vacate the interim inter-carrier compensation rules.

Consumer groups are against another largess for the monopolies at the expense of the ratepayers.

The head of the Federal Communications Commission wants a massive overhaul of the fees that phone companies pay each other when they connect calls. Supporters say the reforms will help fund improved broadband Internet access for rural America, but consumer advocates question how much the plan will raise people’s phone bills. “This could be potentially a billion-dollar giveaway to phone monopolies, paid for out of consumers’ pocketbooks,” said Chris Murray, an attorney with Consumers Union. [AP]

Intercarrier comp is how the various phone companies pay each other for traffic. VoIP providers and cellular carriers, especially Sprint, would like a fairer shake. The old RBOCs would like the Rural LEC’s to stop getting so much money. (see Free Conference services not getting paid by RBOCs).

The National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, which represents small phone carriers, told FCC officials earlier this month that a new rate of $0.0007 per minute puts many of their members’ livelihoods at risk.

And then there is the White Spaces issue. When broadcasters make the DTV transition in 1Q09, there will be unused spectrum that the Wireless World would like to use for its own bandwidth needs. However, due to bleed over (interference) with cordless microphones and other broadcasting devices, the NAB is opposed. [see dailywireless]

All of this is at one meeting while America votes.

Tags: fcc, inter-carrier compensation, mergers, white spaces

Related Entries