NTCA Washington Report

Volume 41, No. 16/April 23, 2009

In this issue:


NTCA Comments on Separations Freeze

NTCA Submits LNP Ex Parte Letter

FCC Approves Health Care Network Funding

Notes in the News





NTCA COMMENTS ON SEPARATIONS FREEZE

In joint comments filed April 17, NTCA asked that the FCC keep in place the=
current freeze of Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost al=
location factors until the agency crafts and implements a resolution for the=
separations process. In the meantime, the association recommended that rate=
-of-return carriers should be able to readjust their category relationships=
for the remainder of the freeze.

NTCA filed jointly with the National Exchange Carrier Association, OPASTCO,=
Eastern Rural Telecom Association and WTA. The group also asked that the co=
mmission specify that the freeze extension extend for a period not to exceed=
one year following issuance of commission orders reforming existing interca=
rrier compensation (ICC) and high-cost Universal Service Fund (USF) support=
rules.

This approach will "help avoid the need for an additional extension proceedi=
ng in 2010 and will assure the commission and the industry have adequate tim=
e to analyze needed changes to existing separations rules in light of revise=
d ICC and USF rules," the group stated.

The comments were filed in response to the commission's March 27 notice of p=
roposed rulemaking that asked for comment on extending the current freeze un=
til June 30, 2010 [Washington Report, April 2, 2009].

For the full text of NTCA's comments, visit www.ntca.org.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




NTCA SUBMITS LNP EX PARTE LETTER

In an ex parte letter submitted April 21, NTCA opposed the FCC's proposed 48=
-hour intermodal number porting interval and urged the commission to retain=
the current four business day porting interval for rural incumbent local ex=
change carriers.

The association highlighted the fact that many small, rural telecommunicatio=
ns providers lack automated systems, so the porting process requires employe=
e resources and time to complete. Only a very costly system upgrade or hirin=
g additional staff would help accomplish the proposed 48-hour interval.

In addition, NTCA stated that the way the commission reports instances of wi=
reline-to-wireless porting is not only inflated, but misleading. The way the=
reports track the porting data, the commission counts one port multiple tim=
es. For example, if a customer ported a wireline number to a wireless carrie=
r in 2006 and ported to a different wireless carrier in 2007 and another wir=
eless carrier in 2008, the port is counted as a wireline-to-wireless port th=
ree times. However, there was only one wireline-to-wireless port.

Even if the commission's reports were accurate, the association noted, less=
than 7% of the total ports reported in the first three quarters of 2008 wer=
e wireline to wireless. There simply is not much consumer demand for this ty=
pe of porting, NTCA stated.

Small, rural carriers should be using their limited resources for investing=
in new technologies and broadband deployment, not upgrading automated syste=
ms for the few, if any, porting requests they might receive, the association=
concluded.

For the full text of NTCA's letter, visit www.ntca.org.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




FCC APPROVES HEALTH CARE NETWORK FUNDING

The FCC announced via an April 16 press release its approval of funding unde=
r the Rural Health Care Pilot Program (RHCPP) for networks connecting hospit=
als regionally in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Ca=
rolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Funding for a telehealth projec=
t in Alaska also has been approved.

In response to the funding approval, Acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps st=
ated, "There is great potential to improve health care for those communities=
that currently have limited access to primary, specialty and preventive car=
e, as well as to enhance public safety by connecting health care providers,=
public health officials and first responders to these networks so that they=
can share crucial data during emergencies."

The FCC's $417 million RHCPP program was established in 2006 and is administ=
ered by the Universal Service Administrative Co. According to the press rele=
ase, 67 projects are eligible to receive RHCPP funding for telehealth networ=
ks serving 6,000 health care facilities in 42 states and three U.S. territor=
ies. As they move forward, these projects will implement broadband technolog=
y intended to bring more advanced medical practices to rural communities.

For more information, visit www.fcc.gov/cgb/rural/rhcp.html.

-- Dorie Pickle, 703-351-2035
-- dpickle@ntca.org




NOTES IN THE NEWS

In joint comments filed April 20, NTCA urged the FCC to grant a petition by=
the Coalition for Equity in Switching Support seeking clarification of Sect=
ions 36.125 and 54.301 of the commission's rules, which state that the local=
switching support amount for which an eligible telecommunications carrier i=
s eligible depends on the number of lines the carrier currently serves. NTCA=
filed the comments along with the National Exchange Carrier Association, OP=
ASTCO, Eastern Rural Telecom Association and WTA. The associations urged the=
commission to grant the petition without delay. For more details, the comme=
nts can be downloaded at www.ntca.org.

With the May 1 deadline approaching for compliance with the Federal Trade Co=
mmission's new red flag rules, telecommunications carriers are reminded to e=
nsure that they are in compliance. The new red flag rules require creditors,=
including telecommunications companies, and financial institutions to devel=
op and implement written identity theft prevention programs. The written pol=
icy must describe how the company will detect each red flag in every circums=
tance in which it may occur, including verifying identity, authenticating tr=
ansactions, monitoring customers' activities and verifying the validity of a=
ddress changes. For more information, visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/busines=
s/alerts/alt050.shtm [Washington Report, October 30, 2008].

NTCA filed comments April 20 requesting that the FCC grant Hargray Telephone=
Co.'s petition that seeks a waiver of the Universal Service Fund high-cost=
filing deadline. The association requested that the commission allow the co=
mpany to file projected data for 2007 and 2008 and, ultimately, receive the=
local switching support for which it is entitled for the 2007 and 2008 cale=
ndar years. For the full text of NTCA's comments, visit www.ntca.org.

The FCC and the Consumers Union have announced plans to distribute a consume=
r guide to help television viewers prepare for the DTV transition. The commi=
ssion also has upgraded its DTV transition Web site, www.dtv.gov, in prepara=
tion for the educational push. The DTV transition is scheduled to be complet=
e by June 12.

President Barack Obama on April 18 named Aneesh Chopra as the administration=
's chief technology officer. According to the White House announcement, Chop=
ra will "promote technological innovation to help the country meet its goals=
-from job creation and reducing health care costs to keeping our nation secu=
re." Prior to being named to his new position, Chopra served as the secretar=
y of technology for the state of Virginia.

President Barack Obama on April 21 formally nominated FCC Commissioner Jonat=
han S. Adelstein as the next administrator of the U.S. Department of Agricul=
ture's Rural Utilities Service [Washington Report, March 26, 2009]. The Sena=
te Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee has not yet scheduled a con=
firmation hearing on the nomination.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Rel=
ated Agencies scheduled an April 23 hearing on funding and oversight of the=
U.S. Department of Commerce. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is scheduled to=
testify.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee postponed a planne=
d April 22 hearing on FCC reform [Washington Report, April 16, 2009]. At pre=
ss time, the hearing had not been rescheduled.




Washington Report is published weekly by the
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
(NTCA), 703-351-2000; Web site: www.ntca.org
e-mail: communications@ntca.org
Subscriptions: $85, NTCA members; $250, nonmembers.
Editors: Tennille Shields and Christian Hamaker
Graphic Design: Shari Auckerman
=A92009 National Telecommunications Cooperative Association
4121 Wilson Boulevard, Tenth Floor
Arlington, VA 22203



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