USTelecom Supports NCTA Bid for Extension of BDS Comment Deadlines

the complex and important issues in this proceeding, NCTA’s Motion reflects valid concerns with compressed pleading cycles that seem designed primarily to meet an arbitrary deadline for completing the next phase by the end of the year," said USTelecom's filing Thursday in docket 05-25. "We agree with NCTA that this lends credence to the suggestion that the outcome of this proceeding is predetermined." USTelecom said it and others also need more time to do an independent review of a consultant's white paper that was commissioned by the FCC and attached to a Further NPRM. "Although we are grateful for the FCC’s prompt response to USTelecom’s request for access to additional information used for the analyses in the White Paper, we have since learned that not all of the requested information was provided," the group said. "Our consultants have explained that without the same access to the underlying raw data, they will not be able to replicate the results in the White Paper. Specifically, due to the FCC’s masking of bandwidth for connections of over 1 Gbps, they lack the bandwidth information used in some of the White Paper’s regression specifications. These specifications cannot be replicated. Additionally, they lack the 'proprietary Tom-Tom' data relied upon for certain controls at the ZIP Code level. They do not have adequate information to identify what Tom-Tom data were used or whether these data can be obtained at a reasonable cost." USTelecom also said a comment extension is justified by recent cable company modifications to data they previously submitted. Sprint and other ILEC critics oppose NCTA's request for extending the initial June 28 comment deadline by at least 45 days and a July 26 reply comment deadline by at least 30 days (see 1605180028 and 1605200061).