VOL. 14, NO. 9
February 26, 2018
UPCOMING EVENTS

October 29-31
ARIA Resort & Casino
Las Vegas
MEMBER NEWS
 
RFP DEADLINES
FCC DEADLINES

FCC Net Neutrality Repeal Published in Federal Register 
On February 22, the FCC published its repeal of net neutrality in the Federal Register.

In response, INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering, a former Republican Member of Congress who led the effort to pass the first net neutrality provisions in Congress, said, "Ignoring the backlash from consumers and businesses across the country, the FCC is putting the future in the hands of a few giant ISP gatekeepers, whose only argument seems to be, 'trust us, we're the cable company.'"

"Now is the time for the 80 percent of Americans - Republicans and Democrats - who support strong net neutrality principles to rise up and demand their Members of Congress act with all deliberate speed to stop the FCC and save the streaming revolution," he added. "In the Senate, it only takes one vote to preserve bipartisan principles that protect internet freedom and
promote small business growth. We will continue to fight in the courts and Congress to find a true bipartisan consensus. America's open internet policies must foster competition and remain the envy of the world."
Join INCOMPAS and Earn Credits for The 2018 INCOMPAS Show
Are you looking for a way to get your products and services noticed by the top communications carriers and providers in the industry? Do you want dedicated networking and meeting time with key targets in a single location, saving you time and travel budget? If so, consider the new INCOMPAS Marketplace Membership.

As a Marketplace Member, you benefit from a flat dues structure, which includes a $2,500 credit to be used for exhibiting, sponsoring or securing a meeting room at The 2018 INCOMPAS Show, taking place October 29-31 in Las Vegas. INCOMPAS members also receive significant discounts on registration, exhibit space and meeting rooms, and priority consideration for speaking opportunities.

But the benefits of a Marketplace Membership extend well beyond the show. All year long, you can enhance your company's visibility through INCOMPAS-supported marketing and public relations efforts, webinars and inclusion in the Members Only portal.

For more information on becoming an INCOMPAS Marketplace Member, email Gail Norris or call 240-477-4554.

INCOMPAS Urges FCC to Ensure Competition in Lifeline Program
On February 21, INCOMPAS filed comments urging the FCC to reject proposals that strip competitive choice from the Lifeline program and to continue to support the ability of non-facilities-based providers to offer broadband services that its recipients use to seek jobs or finish their homework.

INCOMPAS pointed out that smaller, competitive providers currently serve more than 73 percent of the program's subscribers. Ending competition in the program threatens to strand millions of customers without adequate choice and service for this essential
program. INCOMPAS also argued that by making the program only available to incumbent operators, the FCC will be turning away from pro-competition, bipartisan principles set forth in the Telecommunications Act, giving a monopoly-like advantage to a program started during Ronald Reagan's presidency. The FCC should be taking measures to further increase competition in the Lifeline program, rather than seeking to roll back the number of eligible providers

"Ronald Reagan, the man who ended the Bell telephone monopoly and kick-started the age of competition also oversaw the creation of the Lifeline program. Lifeline helps Americans climbing the first rung of the ladder find a job and connect to vital services. The FCC's effort to remove competitive choice from the Lifeline program runs counter to his vision and punishes smaller companies who are helping job-seekers access broadband," said INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering. "Broadband is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. You simply cannot find or keep a job today without mobile access to email, text and Internet service. Smaller, competitive companies have moved the Lifeline program into the future, currently serving 73 percent of all subscribers. But just as competition is helping the program enter a new, more efficient and advanced era, there the FCC goes again with a plan to favor monopoly providers. We think it's wrong. Ronald Reagan designed the Lifeline program to help the little guy. Small companies deserve the chance to continue moving Lifeline into a better broadband future."
FCC Updates, Modernizes National Broadband Map
The FCC has updated and modernized its National Broadband Map so the map can once again be a key source of broadband deployment information for consumers, policymakers, researchers and others. The new, cloud-based map will support more frequent data updates and display improvements at a far lower cost than the original mapping platform, which had not been updated in years.

The map is available at broadbandmap.fcc.gov. While data on mobile service is not yet available on the new map, it is available on separate maps here
Kari's Law is Signed by President
On February 16, President Trump signed Kari's Law, which amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require multi-line telephone systems to have a default configuration that permits users to directly initiate a call to 911 without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix or post-fix, and for other purposes. The FCC will be responsible for implementing this law.
INCOMPAS Files Replies in
Illegal Robocall Proceeding
In reply comments in the FCC's proceeding on combatting illegal robcalls, INCOMPAS noted that "[w]hile there appears to be an inclination in the record to allow the Commission's new call blocking rules to go into effect and evaluate, at a later date, whether new regulatory measures are necessary, the Commission must guard against the possibility that consumers and their originating providers will be left without a method to unblock erroneously blocked calls."