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Vol. 19, No. 26

June 26, 2023

WELCOME

NEW MEMBER


Brightspeed Business

UPCOMING EVENTS

June 29, 2 p.m. ET

Morgan Lewis Webinar

Broadband Labels and ACP Data Reporting: Start Preparing Now


June 29, 2 p.m. ET

Connectbase Webinar

Automating Network Connectivity Sourcing and Buying


July 12

INCOMPAS Webinar Series: De-Risking International Sections 214 Authorizations Webinar featuring Morgan Lewis


October 8-10

The 2023 INCOMPAS Show

Tampa, Fla.


For information about exhibiting, sponsoring or securing meeting space, please email Sky Wang.

MEMBER NEWS


C Spire Wins Gold, Silver, and Bronze Telly Awards


Intrado Gives Emergency Personnel the Power of Integrated Real-Time Video


Sinch Takes Customer Messaging to the Next Level with AI-powered Smart Conversations for Conversation API

COMMENT

DEADLINES


June 29

Reply Comments Due on Regulatory Fees NPRM


July 5

Reply Comments Due on Strengthening Caller ID Authentication Framework


July 10, 2023

Comments Due on Proposed Changes to Form 499

INCOMPAS CEO Pickering Attends White House BEAD Ceremony 

Today, INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering (pictured at right with Michael B. Galvin, Granite Telecommunications' Chief Administrative Officer and INCOMPAS Board Chair) released the following statement after attending the White House ceremony announcing the allocations for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program: 


“We are at a momentous time in our nation's history where the goal of connecting every single American to the internet is well within reach. The BEAD program is a critical part in achieving this and will give our members the opportunity to participate in a competitive process to build out their networks and offer affordable, reliable and robust services across the country. In addition to the BEAD money, the Middle Mile program is vital to building out networks where we need them most. We are proud of our member companies Zayo, Bluebird Networks, C-Spire, and Ideatek for receiving Middle Mile grants.  


“These resources would not have been possible without the leadership of so many including Congressman Clyburn, Senator Bennett, Senator King and Senator Portman and Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson and the entire NTIA staff for creating, shaping and guiding this historic day. I am immensely proud that INCOMPAS was the first broadband industry association to endorse Internet for All and the Bridge Act, which laid the foundation for the transformational funding announced today. The historic investment we have seen in the past two years has shown that we are ready to meet the moment and end the digital divide. It was an honor to be a part of today's ceremony at the White House. We look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of our members and work with this Administration and Congress to connect all Americans and provide Internet for all.”

FCC Commissioner Carr Confirms

Support of Rep. Balderson's Amendment to Stop Railroad Robbery

During last week's House hearing on Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission, Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) asked FCC Commissioner Carr about his amendment to address the railroad issue so many INCOMPAS members are facing. Commissioner Carr expressed firm support of Rep. Balderson's solution and said it is vital in order to give the FCC the authority to remove this barrier to deployment.

July 12 Webinar: De-Risking International Sect. 214 Authorizations

With a background of an evolving geopolitical landscape, the FCC has a heightened focus on how to leverage oversight of international section 214 authorizations to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, trade, law enforcement and other concerns.


Join Morgan Lewis Partner Ulises R. Pin and Associate Patricia Cave for a discussion on the new landscape of FCC and Team Telecom regulatory oversight faced by the telecommunications industry and infrastructure investors, including new foreign ownership reports and the potential for license renewals, reduced ownership reporting thresholds and other disclosure requirements. 


During the webinar, De-Risking International Section 214 Authorizations, they will provide an overview of: 

  • The FCC’s international section 214 ownership data collection and how to ensure your company complies. 
  • New key areas of interest for the FCC and proposed requirements in those areas that will impact all international carriers. 
  • Opportunities to engage with the FCC to minimize new regulatory burdens resulting from its actions regarding national security matters. 
REGISTER

Meet the Right People...At the Right Place - The INCOMPAS Show

Want to meet the right people to propel your business? If so, The 2023 INCOMPAS Show is the place to be.


Join us October 8-10 at the Tampa Marriott Water Street, where you can expand your network and strengthen existing business relationships with the people who matter most.


  • Start networking today with our exclusive ConnectIN group
  • Explore the Expo Hall
  • Meet with existing and potential clients and customers
  • Drop into the Deal Center
  • Network during nightly happy hours and receptions
  • Learn what buyers need at our Buyers Forum
  • Hear from keynotes about AI, broadband deployment, infrastructure funding and more

Early-Bird Savings and Group Discounts

Get a jump on your networking and save money, too. Register before August 15 and take advantage of discounts of up to $150 per person with our early-bird rates


Want to save even more?

Register as a group of five+ and save up to $200 off of each registration. Email registration@incompas.org for details.

REGISTER EARLY & SAVE

Order Expanding Caller ID Authentication and Robocall

Mitigation Obligations Goes into Effect August 21

The Report and Order adopting rules to close a gap in the STIR/SHAKEN Caller ID authentication regime, expand robocall mitigation requirements for all providers and adopt more robust enforcement tools was published in the Federal Register last week. The rules are effective August 21, 2023, except for Sections 64.6303(c) (amendatory instruction 9) and 64.6305(d), (e), (f) and (g) (amendatory instruction 12), which are delayed.

FCC and National Science Foundation to Host July 13 AI Workshop

The FCC and the National Science Foundation will co-host a July 13 workshop on “The Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Communications Networks and Consumers.”


The half-day workshop will bring together a diverse array of stakeholders – network operators and vendors; leading academics; federal agencies; and public-interest representatives – to discuss the promise and challenge of AI in the telecommunications and technology sectors. The workshop will cover a wide range of issues, including AI’s transformative potential to optimize network traffic; improve spectrum policy and facilitate sharing; and enhance resiliency through self-healing networks. The workshop will also explore how AI will affect the fight against illegal robocalls and robotexts; efforts to foster digital equity and combat discrimination; and initiatives to bring greater transparency and affordability to broadband access.


The event will begin at 9 am ET, is open to the public, and will be available via live feed from the FCC’s web page at www.fcc.gov/live.

FCC Hosts July 31 Workshop on Border Gateway Protocol Security

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) will host a public workshop on July 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) security, which is central to the Internet’s global routing system. The workshop will highlight the critical importance of addressing risks associated with BGP in light of the risk of consumer harm posed by unsecured Internet routing and explore effective security practices to mitigate these vulnerabilities. The workshop will feature the perspectives from a variety of stakeholders on the actions that have been taken to improve BGP security and a discussion about the potential for future actions for enhancing BGP security. For example, the workshop will examine the viability of emerging BGP security advancements to address path validation and other approaches to lessen the risks currently inherent in inter-domain routing.


Register here for the workshop.

FCC Chair Seeks to Enhance A-CAM, Reform to High-Cost Program

The FCC announced that Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated an order to create an enhanced A-CAM. The order would require participating carriers serve all locations in their service areas at 100/20 Mbps or greater in return for an extension and an incremental increase in support.


The enhanced program would complement existing federal, state and local funding programs, including the BEAD Program. The order would also provide an opportunity for legacy rate-of-return carriers to bring 100/20 Mbps broadband to their customers in return for a term of stable support.


The FCC also circulated a rulemaking and inquiry that would seek comment on further reforms to the legacy rate-of-return system and methods for modifying the high-cost program to support ongoing expenses for broadband networks.

Senators Reintroduce Bill to Expand Telehealth Access

Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) led a bipartisan group of 60 Senators in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors.


Sens. Wicker, Hyde-Smith, and Schatz are among the lead sponsors of the CONNECT for Health Act, which also includes Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Thune (R-SD) and Mark Warner (D-VA).


Three provisions from the CONNECT for Health Act were signed into law in 2020. As a result, there was a sharp rise in use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic as patients avoided traveling to hospitals and other health care settings and instead chose to receive care at home. Data shows that telehealth provides essential access to care with nearly a quarter of Americans accessing telehealth in the past month.


The updated version of the CONNECT for Health Act builds on that progress and includes new and revised provisions that will help more people access telehealth services. Specifically, the legislation would:

  • Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to include the home and other sites;
  • Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
  • Allow more eligible healthcare professionals to utilize telehealth services;
  • Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
  • Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
  • Require more published data to learn more about how telehealth is being used, impacts of quality of care, and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.

 

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), David Schweikert (R-AZ) and Bill Johnson (R-OH).

INCOMPAS | www.incompas.org
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