WTA Members Meet With FCC Staff To Discuss USF Reform

On December 9, WTA staff and representatives from two WTA member companies met with FCC Wireline Bureau staff and Commissioner staff to discuss the two company’s perspectives on both the proposed A-CAM and proposed bifurcated approach to reforming the existing … Continue reading “WTA Members Meet With FCC Staff To Discuss USF Reform”

WTA Meets with FCC’s Wireline Staff to Discuss USF Reforms for RoR Carriers

On December 1, representatives from WTA met with FCC Wireline Competition Bureau staff to discuss the tariff and pricing impacts of potential changes to high-cost support mechanisms for rural carriers. The topics discussed included the potential impact of the voluntary … Continue reading “WTA Meets with FCC’s Wireline Staff to Discuss USF Reforms for RoR Carriers”

WTA Files Comments on “Good Faith” in Retransmission Consent Negotiations

Yesterday, WTA filed comments urging reform to the Federal Communications Commission’s totality of the circumstances test and enforcement of the requirement that MVPDs and broadcasters negotiate retransmission consent agreements in good faith. The comments explain the challenges small rural cable … Continue reading “WTA Files Comments on “Good Faith” in Retransmission Consent Negotiations”

Rural Associations File Reply Comments on Section 214 Service Discontinuance Petitions

On November 24, NECA. WTA, NTCA and ERTA filed reply comments with the FCC in response to its FNPRM on the IP transition and Section 214 service discontinuation. The reply comments recommend the FCC “exercise caution in adopting new guidelines … Continue reading “Rural Associations File Reply Comments on Section 214 Service Discontinuance Petitions”

RLEC Associations Meet with Commissioner O’Rielly, FCC Staff

On November 13, representatives from WTA, NTCA, US Telecom and ITTA met with FCC Commissioner O’Rielly and staff from Commissioner offices and the Wireline Bureau to discuss reforms to the USF High Cost Fund.… Continue reading “RLEC Associations Meet with Commissioner O’Rielly, FCC Staff”

WTA Discusses USF Reforms with FCC Staff

On November 5, WTA staff and representatives from telco leadership had a conversation with staff from the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau. Topics of discussion included “the structure of bifurcated support mechanisms for ‘old’ and ‘new’ investment and operating expenses; transition … Continue reading “WTA Discusses USF Reforms with FCC Staff”

WTA Meets With FCC Staff to Discuss ACAM, Rate-of-Return Reforms

This past week, representatives from WTA’s Board of Directors met with advisors from the offices of FCC Chairman Wheeler and the other four commissioners. They discussed some of the criteria by which they will have to judge both the USF … Continue reading “WTA Meets With FCC Staff to Discuss ACAM, Rate-of-Return Reforms”