The Nevada Public Utilities Commission will seek consumer feedback on an AT&T application for provider of last resort (POLR) relief in parts of two counties (docket 24-08001), the PUC said Friday. POLRs must provide basic and business phone services to anyone who requests it in the company’s territory. AT&T says that POLR designation isn’t needed anymore because other companies now provide telecom services in its area, said the PUC: However, the carrier says it's not asking to discontinue service to existing customers. The consumer sessions will take place Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. PST in Ely, Nevada, and 3 p.m. PST in Battle Mountain, Nevada. In addition, the PUC said it plans to hold a hearing Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. PST.

The Michigan Public Service Commission granted AT&T’s request to surrender its AT&T Corp. license after an internal restructuring. PSC members, at a partially virtual meeting Thursday, voted 2-0, with one commissioner absent, to grant a consent agenda including the AT&T item. AT&T Corp. no longer had customers or operations in Michigan due to a restructuring that transferred the customers to AT&T Enterprises, AT&T explained in a Sept. 10 letter (docket U-17031). “This internal restructuring was seamless to customers as AT&T Enterprises, LLC provides the same services, on the same terms and conditions, in the same service territory and using the same network as AT&T Corp. The customers’ services, prices, terms and conditions of service were not affected.”

The U.S. District Court for Southern Ohio set oral argument for March 12 on summary judgment motions in NetChoice’s challenge of Ohio’s social media parental notification law. The argument starts at 9:30 a.m. in Columbus, with 20 minutes for each side, including up to five minutes for rebuttals, Judge Algenon Marbley ordered Wednesday in case 2:24-cv-00047. NetChoice’s motion seeks to permanently block the statute on constitutional grounds, while the defendant, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R), argues the law is "valid" and enforceable.

Windstream received New Jersey’s OK for its deal with Uniti Group, in which Windstream and Uniti will become subsidiaries of a new parent corporation (docket TM24060411). New Jersey Board of Public Utilities members voted 4-0 to grant the companies’ June 14 petition as part of a consent agenda at a livestreamed meeting Wednesday.

Michigan should strengthen data breach laws, the state’s attorney general department said Wednesday. The office supported a package of five state Senate bills (SB-888 to SB-892), currently in the Senate Consumer Protection Committee, that would include a requirement that companies quickly notify the AG department about breaches. Most states already require such notification, but Michigan’s AG usually finds out about breaches through media reports, the department said. Michigan AG Dana Nessel (D) said, “Passing legislation to mandate these protections would affirm our commitment to defending consumers’ interests in the face of ever-increasing numbers of data breaches impacting their personal information.”

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission already “extensively litigated” issues raised in a Lumen petition disputing an order finding violations of state service-quality rules, the state’s attorney general's office said Monday in docket C-20-432. The AG office urged that the PUC reject the petition to reconsider ordering Lumen’s CenturyLink to quickly rehabilitate its network statewide (see 2409300012). CenturyLink failed to satisfy the standard for reconsideration and the commission order reflects the record and the law, said the office, adding that the company hasn't provided good service for years.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission plans to hold informal conferences about pole attachments on Friday, as well as Nov. 1, Nov. 22 and Dec. 3, said a PSC order Friday. All the meetings start at 10 a.m. and will be virtual and in-person.

A Pennsylvania Senate panel voted unanimously to send an 811 measure to the floor Monday. The Consumer Protection Committee voted 14-0 to clear HB-2189 with an amendment. The House previously passed the bill, while the Senate approved its version (SB-1237). The bills would reauthorize Pennsylvania’s call-before-you-dig law (see 2410020005).

NTIA hopes it will wrap up approvals of states' and territories’ initial plans for the broadband, equity access and deployment (BEAD) program by month’s end, Administrator Alan Davidson said Friday. At a virtual press conference, Davidson joined White House and California officials in announcing approval of volume two of California’s initial plan. The action greenlights California access to its $1.8 billion BEAD allocation, NTIA said. Just five states still need volume-two approval, an NTIA dashboard showed Friday. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Ohio and Texas. Timing of the remaining approvals depends “a little bit on the remaining states that are out there,” said Davidson. “We’re really … at the endpoint now and this is all very much still exactly on track and on time.” Davidson praised California for showing a commitment to investing in resiliency in its BEAD plan. Also, he said California has done well to weave together various federal and state funds in its effort to connect everyone. Meanwhile, National Economic Council Deputy Director Jon Donenberg praised the California plan’s emphasis on affordability. California Public Utilities Commission President Alice Reynolds said the BEAD funding is “vital” for bridging the digital divide. “We will maximize these funds,” said Reynolds. "Projects will be deployed in a timely fashion."

The California Public Utilities Commission might waive penalties from a condition in the CPUC’s November 2021 decision that approved Verizon buying Tracfone. The condition required that Verizon migrate all Tracfone wireless customers to the Verizon network within two years. The CPUC plans to vote Nov. 7 on draft resolution T-17849 to waive the penalty that would amount to $60,000 per day. “Verizon and TracFone have engaged in concerted efforts using a robust outreach plan, incentives, and strategies … to migrate customers in compliance with” the condition, the draft said. “The Commission understands that it is the consumer's choice not to migrate to the Verizon network. Customers who choose not to migrate despite repeated efforts to inform them of the opportunity to do so and not lose service will receive ample notice 60 days, 30 days, and 7 days before their service ends.” Consumer advocates have been fighting with Verizon over customer migration delays (see 2402230055).