Wireline Bureau Clarifies TDM Discontinuance Obligations

Any carrier wanting to end its legacy time division multiplexed voice service to a community or part of a community when it's the last retail provider of that service is subject to FCC technology transition discontinuance rules, including the requirements to receive streamlined treatment of its discontinuance application, said a Wireline Bureau declaratory ruling Tuesday. It said since the FCC updated its TDM discontinuance rules in 2018 (see 1806070021), some CLECs have mistakenly believed that the technology transition discontinuance rules don't apply when trying to end TDM voice services.