A December FCC order creating a reassigned phone number database to help combat unwanted and illegal robocalls to people with new numbers (see 1812120026) took effect Tuesday with Federal Register publication. Commissioners approved the order 4-0 Dec. 12, adding a safe harbor giving some protection from Telephone Consumer Protection Act liability to parties using the database. Information collection requirements clearance by the Office of Management and Budget.

Sorenson gave the FCC suggestions for what information users seeking to self-certify should submit to the telephone relay service user registration database, said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 03-123. Sorenson met Chief Technology Officer Eric Burger and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Chief Patrick Webre and other staff including from the Office of the Managing Director. “We discussed the possibility of implementing a quarterly process requiring users of certain enterprise accounts to verify that the account is still being used or supervised by the person or department who it was assigned,” the company said.

Consumer groups for the deaf and hard of hearing want the video relay services access technology reference platform open-source user software and interoperability profile for relay user equipment (RUE profile) to continue, provided that “concerns about process and direction have been addressed.” In a Friday filing in docket 03-123, the groups told the FCC it's “essential that the process follow inclusive design practices, further to the principle of ‘nothing about us without us.’” The FCC last year gave VRS providers another year, until April 29, to implement the RUE profile with certain VRS devices (see 1804270020). The letter’s signers include Telecommunications for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, National Association of the Deaf, American Association of the DeafBlind, Deaf Seniors of America, Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Sprint wants the FCC to waive existing telephone relay service rules that preclude the carrier from being compensated for expenses, including R&D. It has been the only IP relay carrier since 2014, providing with the “expectation that the Commission would restructure the IP Relay compensation structure to be sustainable over the longer term,” it filed, posted Friday in docket 03-123. The company requests interim waiver allowing $1.85 a minute for the 2019-20 funding year.

Delays to California Camp Fire restoration efforts mean AT&T needs the FCC to renew emergency authorization to suspend wireline telecom services until May 31, 2020, the carrier requested, posted Thursday in docket 19-13. Since Jan. 28, AT&T restored service to 12 more distribution areas in Butte County, bringing the total to 38 (27.7 percent) of 137 DAs, it said. “Restoration has been delayed in some areas due to contamination issues and road closures caused by heavy rains and mud slides the past 45 days and the local highway departments have been unable to restore road access,” the telco said: The California Office of Emergency Services says "it may take more than a year to complete an estimated 13,000 properties that need to be cleared and soil-tested before utilities crews will be allowed to enter some areas.” AT&T asked in docket 18-306 to extend another emergency discontinuance authorization, related to Carr Fire restoration in Trinity and Shasta counties, until this May 31. Since Nov. 26, the company has restored service to four more distribution areas in Shasta County, bringing the total to 89 (95.7 percent) of 93 DAs in the two counties affected by the Carr Fire. The carrier reported in docket 19-14 that it restored service to all customers affected by Woolsey and Hill wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so it no longer needs emergency authorization there.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai extended the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee's term by six months to Sept. 24, the agency said Wednesday: It account for "the expansion of the IAC during the course of its two-year term from 15 to 30 members, and will allow the expanded IAC to complete tasks that were assigned during its October 2018 meeting.” The FCC decided in December to double membership of the group representing local, state, and tribal interests; the change took effect in January (see 1801050034).

The FCC agreed to pay Jason Prechtel $43,078 in attorney's fees and costs to settle his final claim in a lawsuit over agency handling of his Freedom of Information Act requests for electronic comment submission details. The FOIA case is "dismissed with prejudice," said the stipulation signed by Judge Christopher Cooper of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia Wednesday in Prechtel v. FCC, No. 17-1835. There was no admission of liability or fault on the part of the defendants, the FCC and the General Services Administration. The parties in February resolved the records-release claims (see 1902130075).

FCC elimination of a rule requiring opt-out notices for fax advertisements sent with a recipient's prior consent takes effect Wednesday, says a rule for that day's Federal Register. It noted the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declared the rule unlawful, leading to a Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau order Nov. 14 (see 1811140054).

NTIA is seeking expressions of interest to be a member of the FirstNet board. One of 12 appointments of nonpermanent members expires in August, said a Federal Register notice Tuesday. Expressions of interest must be postmarked or electronically transmitted by April 18.

NTIA said it’s changing its domain to NTIA.gov from NTIA.doc.gov, including email addresses. The change makes the site consistent with other Commerce Department websites, NTIA said Monday.