An Arizona Corporation Commissioner is confused by Lumen’s name change from CenturyLink, per a Tuesday letter to CEO Jeff Storey in docket T-01051B-19-0001. “Why are your employees wearing Lumen uniforms in Arizona when services to residential and small business customers are still being offered under the CenturyLink brand?” asked the ACC's Sandra Kennedy: If employees drive vehicles labeled Lumen, “why do they not say CenturyLink?” Kennedy asked for a response by Thursday. Lumen declined to comment.
The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by Jan. 7, replies by Jan. 18, in docket 03-123 on Ariel GP Holdco and Sorenson Communications' application for conditional certification to provide video relay services supported by the Telecom Relay Service Fund, said a public notice listed in Monday’s Daily Digest. Ariel and Sorenson’s CaptionCall also seek conditional certification to provide IP captioned telephone service. Applications for full certification “will be filed after Ariel’s proposed acquisition of Sorenson and CaptionCall is consummated,” the PN said.
Convo Communications got recertification to provide video relay service through Dec. 20, 2026, said an FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau public notice Monday in docket 03-123 (see 2110150064).
The FCC Wireline Bureau made changes to its eligible services list for FY 2022, said an order listed in Monday’s Daily Digest. It clarified that E-rate funding applicants may request equipment and software together or separately under the “eligible broadband internal connections” section. It provided guidance on equipment and services covered by the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. The bureau declined to address requests that cybersecurity services and Wi-Fi services for school buses be added to the list.
The FCC Wireline Bureau approved Cable One's takeover of Hargray and Delta Communications, with a grant made effective last week, said a docket 21-431 public notice Monday.
The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Jan. 18, replies by Feb. 2, on Apollo's proposed $7.5 billion buy of Lumen’s ILEC assets in 20 states, said a public notice Thursday in docket 21-350 (see 2112140072).
The FCC made several changes to its final NPRM establishing a central online portal for E-rate's competitive bidding process, according to our analysis of the draft (see 2112140062). Commissioners approved the item during the agency's December meeting, held on Tuesday. Among the changes are questions on whether a bidding portal would "help to promote fair and open competitive bidding and reduce fraud." The item also seeks comment on "how great the risk is that applicants or service providers may alter or ignore qualified bids to affect the bidding process." The NPRM asks whether the bidding portal should be treated as a "repository for bids that would permit applicants to upload bids received after the fact, but would not require service providers to submit bids through the portal." It also seeks comment on how the portal would interact with state and local procurement rules or procedures. There's a question about moving the portal's launch date to 2024 instead of the initially proposed 2025, a change sought by Commissioner Brendan Carr.
The North American Numbering Council meets virtually Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. EST, said an FCC public notice Wednesday. NANC will vote on the call authentication trust anchor working group's recommendations on caller ID authentication best practices. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel also appointed additional members to the group, including Teliax Director-Business Operations Stacey Carmel. For a list of others, who were named to subgroups, see the "Communications Personals" section in this issue of the publication.
The FCC Wireline Bureau authorized support for an additional 2,008 winning Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I auction bids, said a public notice in Wednesday's Daily Digest (see 2111120059). Conexon, Consolidated Communications and Cox were among winners.
The FCC Wireline Bureau granted three transfer of control requests, said public notices in Wednesday's Daily Digest. It granted Liberty Mobile USVI's proposed buy of Broadband VI (see 2110220042), and ITC Broadband Operating's proposed buy of Atlantic Engineering Group's Aspire Networks. Authorization of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I support was a condition to closing the deal, ITC and AEG said. The bureau also granted Telapex's proposed buy of Troy Cable. Troy Cable will continue to own Union Springs Telephone.