FCC Lengthens Comments Cycle in NPRM on Phone Access Charge Deregulation

Comments will be due 45 days after Federal Register publication, replies 30 days later, on an FCC proposal to deregulate phone access charges and prohibit voice providers from itemizing them on customers' bills, said an NPRM adopted Tuesday (see 2003310039) and released Wednesday. The draft cycle was 30/15 (see 2003100065). Incompas sought four months total because of the pandemic (see 2003260043). The FCC made other changes. “We’re grateful the FCC asked about alternatives to mandatory detariffing of these surcharges (including permissive detariffing), and hopefully these additional questions will aid in the development of a more complete record,” emailed NTCA Senior Vice President-Industry Affairs & Business Development Mike Romano. The docket is 20-71.