Wireline Bureau Approves Waivers in Siyeh/3 Rivers Deal

Citing the need to extend online connectivity in Montana's Blackfeet Reservation, the FCC Wireline Bureau signed off on a 3 Rivers Telephone Cooperative/Siyeh Communications petition for a waiver of FCC rules to apportion 3 Rivers' current Connect America Fund intercarrier compensation base period revenue between 3 Rivers and SiyCom. The order in Tuesday's Daily Digest also initialized SiyCom’s tariffed rates at 3 Rivers’ current rates and let SiyCom immediately join the National Exchange Carrier Association and NECA’s traffic-sensitive tariff. The waivers will let SlyCom go through with its 3 Rivers purchase without putting more burdens on the USF or raising rates, it said.