Western Telecommunications Alliance

A more detailed list, including maps, of proposed funded service areas under ARRA is available online for public viewing.  According to the webpage, “this page enables users to view and/or respond to published Public Notice Filings (PNFs) for BIP and BTOP Infrastructure applications. Providing a response is strictly voluntary. Existing service providers are not required to provide a response to any Public Notice Filing, but must do so in order for their existing services to be considered when determining the eligibility of the proposed funded service areas identified in the associated BIP or BTOP Infrastructure application.”

Incumbants wishing to file a response must log-in and use the mapping tool to provide a map of their existing service territory.  A Mapping Tool Users Guide can be found here.  Instructions on filing a response begin on page 18.

The list of Public Notice Filings can be found here.

WTA and other associations filed reply comments in support of a Nebraska Public Service Commission and Kansas Corporation Commission petition for declaratory ruling that the Commission’s 2004 Vonage Preemption Order did not prohibit states from imposing state-level USF assessments on providers of “nomadic” interconnected VoIP service.  The comments can be found here.

USAC has asked WTA to publicize that effective October 1, 2009, USAC will begin collecting all High Cost & Low Income forms at its Washington, D.C. mailing address.

ETCs must send High Cost Forms 507, 508, 509, 525, Local Switching Support forms, Interstate Access Support line count filings, CMT revenue filings, Low Income FCC Form 497, and any other information previously sent to USAC in New Jersey to the address below:

USAC
Customer Operations
2000 L Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036

Additional information can be found by going to the USAC website.

WTA, along with NECA, OPASTCO, and ERTA, filed comments in support of USTelecom’s petition to waive the equal access switching requirement for small and mid-size ILECs.  A copy of the comments can be found here.

Summaries of the applications can be viewed here. 

WTA and other associations filed comments in support of a Nebraska Public Service Commission and Kansas Corporation Commission petition for declaratory ruling that the Commission’s 2004 Vonage Preemption Order did not prohibit states from imposing state-level USF assessments on providers of “nomadic” interconnected VoIP service.  The comments can be found here.

WTA submitted the following comments on September 4th, in response to the FCC’s Notice of Inquiry Concering the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, and Possible Steps to Accelerate Such Deployment Pursuant to Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (GN Docket No. 09-137).  WTA’s comments can be found here.