The National Association of State Utility...

The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates outlined the values it deems important in the IP transition, detailing them in an ex parte filing with the FCC as well as a white paper it commissioned. The IP transition is definitely underway, NASUCA said in Monday’s filing. “However, this transition does not eliminate the underlying public policy objectives that regulators have promoted -- affordable rates, high quality services, 911 access, or broadband deployment,” it said (http://bit.ly/1eAwJBs). “It is reasonable, indeed necessary, to anticipate an ongoing need for policy oversight of the IP transition, including the need for a reasoned determination of when regulation may be needed to correct market failures, and to enable rapid resolution of market conflicts, including between customers and carriers.” It listed seven areas of concern: affordability, competition, reliability and service quality, access to emergency services, carrier of last resort and universal service, and consumer education. States should have a role, NASUCA said. Trevor Roycroft, an associate professor at Ohio University’s School of Information and Telecommunication Systems, wrote the NASUCA-sponsored attached 24-page white paper (http://bit.ly/1ai6h0a), which purports to rebut the arguments Anna-Maria Kovacs has made on behalf of the Internet Innovation Alliance (CD Nov 19 p18).