Beyond dropping the proposed $4.5 million fine against Telnyx, the FCC should halt altogether its "effective measures" rule on blocking illegal calls, Free State Foundation President Randolph May wrote Thursday. The Telnyx notice of apparent liability (NAL) for allegedly violating the effective measures rule would ultimately create unspecified requirements that are at the same time more stringent than anything the FCC previously established in notice-and-comment rulemakings, May said. The proposed fine "smacks of 'regulation by enforcement' ... because regulated entities are deprived of the ability to know and follow the law." FSF previously called for rescinding the Telnyx NAL (see 2503120071).
The FCC Wireline Bureau released a notice Thursday reminding eligible telecommunications carriers of the requirements of the Communications Act. The public notice reiterates “the Lifeline compliance plan requirement for non-facilities-based providers that qualify for forbearance from the statutory requirement that they offer supported services using their own facilities, and actions the Bureau may take if a provider does not.”
Telnyx, which is facing a proposed $4.5 million notice of apparent liability (NAL) from the FCC (see 2503050026), has been reinstated to the Industry Traceback Group (ITG). Telnyx said Tuesday that the FCC recommended the reinstatement. Telnyx's logo on Tuesday was included among those companies on the ITG website's list of "supporting partners." Telnyx CEO David Casem said, “We have been clear from the beginning that [Telnyx] is a victim of Biden-era regulation by enforcement that violates multiple executive orders from President [Donald] Trump and that we are completely innocent in this matter.” Casem added, “The FCC’s actions facilitating our reinstatement with the ITG are a welcomed first step in the process of clearing our name for good and show the Commission's commitment to righting this wrong. We remain confident that the facts of this case are on our side, and we will not rest until the NAL against us is fully resolved.” The FCC and ITG didn't comment.
The FCC on Wednesday suspended seven individuals convicted of E-rate fraud from participating in the program and started a proceeding to permanently bar them from the program. All pleaded guilty last year to defrauding the E-rate program in connection with funds provided to private religious schools in Rockland County, New York.
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved Tuesday the withdrawal of the Catasauqua Area School District in Pennsylvania from the FCC’s schools and libraries cybersecurity pilot program. The district said it recognizes the importance of the program but lacks the financial support to continue.
Asset management company Pearce announced Tuesday that it has acquired JoeMax Telecom, which provides engineering, site acquisition and project management services for the telecom industry. “The acquisition expands Pearce’s presence in the northeast region and adds new technical capabilities,” said a news release. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.
Better modeling of where Alaskans live within census blocks or polygons would give a better picture of GCI’s compliance with its Alaska Plan mobile commitments, the company said Monday in docket 16-271. It petitioned for a waiver or modification that would let it use the broadband serviceable location fabric in the Alaska population-distribution model in certain circumstances. "Wireless networks are built to serve where the people actually are, which will be more accurately reflected by adopting these changes," it said. GCI also asked for a change to the Alaska Plan's overperformance waterfall, so that if the company overperforms relative to its fiber or LTE commitments, the excess populations "waterfall down" to the next performance tier.
Electric utilities American Electric Power and Dominion Energy jointly filed in support of the Edison Electric Institute's petition asking the FCC to clarify that utilities have “prior express consent” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to send “demand response calls and texts” to their customers (see 2503100047). “Demand response initiatives are developed and implemented by electric utility companies to incentivize their customers to limit power use during periods of peak demand, or to shift power use to times of lower demand,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 02-278. “The immediate impact of such behavior is to reduce stress on the electric delivery system, and in turn, to minimize the likelihood of a black out or brown out when power demand is expected to reach the maximum that the system can sustain,” the companies said. Utility National Grid USA also supported the petition.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard oral argument Wednesday on the National Treasury Employees Union’s pursuit of an emergency stay of President Donald Trump's executive order slashing staff at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The challenge is one of several that NTEU, which represents FCC employees, has against recent efforts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Trump administration (see 2503310047).
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau on Monday delayed for a year some of the requirements of the agency's February 2024 Telephone Consumer Protection Act consent order (see 2402160048). Originally set to take effect Friday, the requirements were delayed until April 11, 2026.