INCOMPAS News -- February 12, 2024

Vol. 20, No. 7

February 12, 2024

Get the Latest on FCC Mapping, Broadband Data Collection and the BEAD Challenge Process at 2024 INCOMPAS Policy Summit

On Tuesday, March 5, The 2024 INCOMPAS Policy Summit will feature speakers from the FCC, NTIA and industry in a panel examining what’s happening at the federal level and across states related to broadband mapping, the location fabric and the impact each will have on ongoing challenge process for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other broadband infrastructure programs.

Get updates on the FCC’s National Broadband Map, data collection efforts and what providers should expect looking ahead to 2024, from speakers including:

And there's more...

In addition to this panel, The 2024 Policy Summit will feature an exciting agenda with keynotes from the FCC, Capitol Hill and the Treasury Department, as well as dives into hot topics, such as:

How Networks are Incorporating AI to Optimize Innovation Across All Industries
Bridging the Digital Divide Using All of the Tools in Our Telecom Toolkit
The Fight Against Illegal Robocalls and Robotexts: An Update From the Front Lines
Reforming USF: How to Create a More Efficient and Stable Fund
Are You Broadband Ready? How to Use the Ready City Checklists
Holding the Line: Navigating Changes to Federal Pole Attachment Rules
Building the Networks of Tomorrow – Where’s the Workforce?

Registration is now open. Sign up today to get your seat at the table for this informative and interactive event.

February 21 Webinar to Cover Number Reputation Optimization

Join INCOMPAS and member company Caller ID Reputation on Wednesday, February 21 at 2 p.m. ET for a comprehensive webinar that will break down the importance of optimizing your business phone channel strategy. By doing this, you can ensure success on the phone channel while addressing the major changes within the telecom space. Businesses using the phone to contact leads and customers must adapt to the changes to stay compliant, and this webinar will explain how to do so from setup to execution.

During Number Reputation Optimization; Marketing Successfully on the Phone Channel in 2024, Gerry Christensen, head of Partnerships and Regulatory Compliance for Caller ID Reputation, will cover:

Changes in the channel's landscape after the FCC's recent ruling
How registration helps against number spoofing and brand impersonation
What phone number monitoring looks like
How optimized organizations approach number management
How to handle the inevitable: flagged numbers, fraud and remediation

Even if you're unable to attend the live event, please register so you can receive the link to watch the webinar on-demand at a later date.

FCC Makes it Illegal to Use AI-Generated Voices in Robocalls Illegal

The FCC announced the unanimous adoption of a Declaratory Ruling that recognizes calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The ruling, which takes effect immediately, makes voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers illegal. This would give State Attorneys General across the country new tools to go after bad actors behind these nefarious robocalls.

The ruling is part of the proceeding that the FCC launched in November 2023 with a Notice of Inquiry to determine the implications of the use of AI-enabled technologies in the fight against illegal robocalls.

Order Announcing ACP Wind-Down Guidance Published

The order announcing requirements and guidance for the wind-down of the Affordable Connectivity Program was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2024.

The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau issued wind-down procedures, important dates and the impacts on consumers and providers due to a lack of Congressional funding. These procedures include the process for notifying enrolled ACP households about the impact of program termination on their broadband service and bills and the freezing of new enrollments.

The bureau also offers guidance on outreach requirements, timing of claims submissions and participation during a possible partially funded month. The order was effective on January 11, 2024, and the requirements of Section 54.1804(b) (provider obligation to offer ACP) were waived beginning February 8, 2024, and will remain in effect for the duration of the enrollment freeze.

FCC Adopts Process for Selecting Local Number Portability Admin

The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau issued an order adopting the process for selecting the entity that will serve as the Local Number Portability Administrator at the conclusion of the contract with the present LNPA, iconectiv. The bureau also approved the contract extension under which iconectiv will remain the LNPA during the selection process.

Biden Administration Announces First-Ever AI Safety Consortium

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), which will unite AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations in support of the development and deployment of safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). The consortium will be housed under the U.S. AI Safety Institute (USAISI) and will contribute to priority actions outlined in President Biden’s landmark Executive Order, including developing guidelines for red-teaming, capability evaluations, risk management, safety and security, and watermarking synthetic content.

The consortium includes more than 200 member companies and organizations that are on the frontlines of creating and using the most advanced AI systems and hardware, the nation’s largest companies and most innovative startups, civil society and academic teams that are building the foundational understanding of how AI can and will transform our society, and representatives of professions with deep engagement in AI’s use today. The consortium represents the largest collection of test and evaluation teams established to date and will focus on establishing the foundations for a new measurement science in AI safety. The consortium also includes state and local governments, as well as non-profits, and will work with organizations from like-minded nations that have a key role to play in developing interoperable and effective tools for safety around the world.

The full list of consortium participants includes INCOMPAS members Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft.

INCOMPAS | www.incompas.org