The FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau wants comments by Dec. 1, replies by Dec. 16, in docket 12-129 on a Further NPRM shielding public safety answering points from illegal robocalls, says Monday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the FNPRM in September (see 2110010065).

Reconsider phasing down Lifeline voice-only support, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society asked the FCC in a letter posted Friday in docket 11-42. Benton backed the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates' petition for reconsideration of the scheduled Dec. 1 phase down. Don't "risk the potential disconnection of thousands of Lifeline households during the pandemic" (see 2108030072), Benton said.

Issue a waiver pausing "the increase in mobile Lifeline capacity" scheduled for Dec. 1, GCI asked the FCC in a letter posted Thursday in docket 11-42. GCI said Lifeline providers and consumer advocates oppose the annual increase requirement and formula. Issue a waiver earlier than in previous years because "the late release of the waivers creates challenges for implementation and compliance," the Alaska telco asked.

Adopt a "six-to-eight-year timeframe" for video relay services rates, asked Convo, Sorenson and ZP Better Together in a letter posted Thursday in FCC docket 03-123. "A longer rate period such as this would enable the kind of long-term planning that lenders and investors expect businesses to undertake and provide stability for VRS providers," the VRS providers said. Rates should be adjusted for inflation annually and costs of numbering, E-911, R&D, and outreach should be eligible, they said. GlobalVRS agreed that making outreach an eligible cost is "entirely reasonable" if "specific parameters" are established, saying that otherwise, a shorter rate cycle would provide more "flexibility to account for changing cost structures."

Costs of removing and replacing covered customer premises equipment produced by Huawei or ZTE are eligible for reimbursement through the FCC supply chain reimbursement program, said a Wireline Bureau order Thursday granting Cincinnati Bell's request for clarification in docket 18-89. Some also refer to this gear process as rip-and-replace.

Comcast asked the FCC Wireline Bureau to clarify that locations receiving services through its library pilot program can "continue to receive complimentary services" after the waiver expires June 30, said a letter posted Wednesday in docket 02-6. The bureau granted Comcast's waiver of certain E-rate gift rules earlier this month (see 2110080047).

Meetings and roundtables between North American Numbering Council members and the FCC are exempt from ex parte rules, said a public notice in Tuesday's Daily Digest. This is so the group can "develop and shape its advice and recommendations to the commission more efficiently and effectively." The exemption applies only to presentations from NANC members on behalf of the group, not on an individual member's own or organization's behalf.

Illinois Commerce Commission staff should file direct testimony Dec. 14 on Apollo’s buy of Lumen’s ILEC assets, said ICC Administrative Law Judge Marchant Johnson at a virtual prehearing conference Tuesday. A status hearing will be Dec. 21 at 10:30 a.m. CST, she said. It’s one of several state reviews getting underway (see 2110150030 and 2110120015).

The FCC Wireline Bureau wants comments by Nov. 26, replies by Dec. 27, in docket 17-59 on a Further NPRM that would require gateway providers to implement Stir/Shaken caller ID authentication and perform robocall mitigation, says Tuesday's Federal Register. Commissioners approved the item during the agency's September meeting despite some industry concerns (see 2109240060).

The FTC and Frontier Communications will go to trial July 5 on the agency's claim the telco misrepresented its speeds to DSL customers, wrote U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge Gary Klausner in an order posted Monday in case 2:21-cv-04155 (see 2110040066).