Connect America Fund, WC Docket No. 10-90; High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket No. 05-337; AT&T Petition to Launch a Proceeding Concerning the TDM-to-IP Transition; Petition of NTCA for a Rulemaking to Promote and Sustain the Ongoing TDM-to-IP Evolution, GN Docket No. 12-353; Technology Transitions Policy Task Force, GN Docket No. 13-5
On Tuesday, February 11, 2014, Mike Romano, Senior Vice President-Policy, on behalf of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association (“NTCA”), met with Nicholas Degani, wireline legal advisor to Commissioner Ajit Pai. During the meeting, the need for refinement of universal service support in areas served by rate-of-return-regulated rural local exchange carriers (“RLECs”) to facilitate consumer choice and stimulate deployment and adoption of broadband was discussed. Also noted was how such support would comport with the framework adopted for Connect America Fund (“CAF”) support for price cap-regulated carriers by the Federal Communications Commission (the “Commission”), and the need too for universal service support that comports with the statutory requirements for sufficiency and takes into account the challenges of operating broadband-capable networks in diverse and discrete high-cost areas.
02.11.14 FCC ex parte - NTCA meeting with N. Degani re WC 10-90 et al