The FCC asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hold Consumers' Research's challenge of the Q1 2024 USF contribution factor in abeyance until a separate challenge the group filed is decided (see 2401030069), said the commission's motion Friday (docket 24-60006). Consumers' Research previously challenged the Q1 2022 contribution factor, which the court heard en banc in September (see 2309190072). "Because these cases involve the same parties and the same legal issues, it would best serve the interest of judicial economy and efficiency for the court to hold this case in abeyance until it issues a ruling" in the earlier case, the FCC said.
The Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector is reviewing RGTN USA's direct number access authorization request, said a DOJ letter to the FCC posted Wednesday in docket 23-335. An interconnected VoIP provider, RGTN requested numbers in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas (see 2309210055). The agency will notify the FCC when its initial request for information is complete and the 120-day initial review can begin, the letter said.
Consumers' Research filed a new challenge of the FCC's Q1 2024 USF contribution factor in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday. It's the third time the group challenged a contribution factor with this court (see 2310030069). The contribution methodology and ultimate quarterly factor "exceed the FCC's statutory authority" and violate the nondelegation doctrine, the group said in its petition for review (docket 24-60006).
ClearCaptions told the FCC it launched an emergency alert system for its VoIP-enabled home phones. Released Nov. 29, the feature is "used by nearly a third of all ClearCaptions customers" and can receive Federal Emergency Management Agency weather-related emergency alerts, the IP captioned telephone service provider said in a letter posted Thursday in docket 03-123. "The importance of ensuring the safety of at-risk communities cannot be overstated," ClearCaptions said, adding that the change didn't affect its compliance with applicable minimum standards.