U.S. communications networks are holding up under increased demand during a pandemic, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said Thursday, after a conference call with industry groups and companies. He said providers report network usage up 20-35% for fixed networks and 10-20% for cellular networks in recent weeks, with increased demand in suburban, exurban and residential areas and during daytime. He said no providers expressed concern about their networks' capacity. Pai said the resilience is "in part to networks being designed to handle ever-higher peak traffic loads and in part to a market-based regulatory framework that has promoted infrastructure investment and deployment." He said the agency will "continue to closely monitor the situation." The FCC said the call was with ACA Connects, the Cloud Communications Alliance, Competitive Carriers Association, CTIA, Incompas, NCTA, NTCA, Rural Wireless Association, Satellite Industry Association, Wireless ISP Association, Western Telecommunications Alliance, Altice, AT&T, CenturyLink, Charter, Cincinnati Bell, Consolidated Communications, Comcast, Cox, Dish Network, Frontier, Hughes, Mediacom, Northwest Fiber, Sprint, T-Mobile, TDS, TracFone, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, ViaSat and Windstream. President Donald Trump spoke similarly this week with major ISPs (see 2003310070).

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.

The FCC defended a previous rule saying forbearance from requirements to unbundle and make available to competitors at avoided cost resale analog copper loops, as requested in a USTelecom petition in docket 18-141, "served the public interest," said a respondents' brief. The brief was posted by the FCC Thursday on Incompas et al. v. FCC (case No. 19-1164) before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The California Public Utilities Commission filed a separate petition against the forbearance order, and the court consolidated the cases.

The FCC defended a previous rule saying forbearance from requirements to unbundle and make available to competitors at avoided cost resale analog copper loops, as requested in a USTelecom petition in docket 18-141, "served the public interest," said a respondents' brief. The brief was posted by the FCC Thursday on Incompas et al. v. FCC (case No. 19-1164) before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The California Public Utilities Commission filed a separate petition against the forbearance order, and the court consolidated the cases.

Backers of extra filing time to comment on public safety aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC net neutrality decision applauded the agency's 21-day extension announcement Wednesday (see 2003250031). Some left the door open to seeking more time. About a dozen groups had sought a month longer, citing COVID-19.

Backers of extra filing time to comment on public safety aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC net neutrality decision applauded the agency's 21-day extension announcement Wednesday (see 2003250031). Some left the door open to seeking more time. About a dozen groups had sought a month longer, citing COVID-19.

The FCC should clarify carriers can "sign and sue" when localities show imbalance of power in right-of-way franchise and permitting, CenturyLink said in comments posted through Tuesday in docket 20-46 as the Wireline Bureau reviews a petition from Bluebird Network and Uniti Leasing in a dispute with three Missouri cities (see 2003190056). Cameron, Maryville and St. Joseph said Bluebird sold assets and facilities on public land to a third party not lawfully authorized to do business in Missouri when the transaction was initiated. The petition "represents the proverbial tip of the iceberg" of ROW disputes, Incompas said: "For every dispute that makes it to the FCC," members "routinely encounter other delays and demands from municipalities that never see the light of day." Replies are due April 7.

FCC staff delayed deadlines on the agency "seeking to refresh the record" on net neutrality and Lifeline, it announced Wednesday afternoon. "With this 21-day extension, comments are due" April 20, replies May 20. A Feb. 19 public notice sought feedback on aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC ruling.

FCC staff delayed deadlines on the agency "seeking to refresh the record" on net neutrality and Lifeline, it announced Wednesday afternoon. "With this 21-day extension, comments are due" April 20, replies May 20. A Feb. 19 public notice sought feedback on aspects of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s Mozilla v. FCC ruling.

ILECs failed to prove ending their avoided cost resale of unbundled networks would "speed the deployment of advanced networks," Incompas replied, in filings posted through Monday in docket 19-308. The CLEC group wants the FCC to refrain from forbearance (see 2002060006). USTelecom wants the FCC to implement its proposal to eliminate "outdated and unnecessary unbundling regulations" that had required incumbent LECs to open their networks to competitors, it said. The record "strongly supports eliminating UNE DS1 and DS3 loops in all price cap areas," AT&T said. The forbearance proposal would hurt CLECs' ability to compete, said the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates. "Eliminating CLEC access to the DS1 and DS3 loops would impair the ability of CLECs to serve all customers in an area, and cause customers to lose important competitive options." Since comments were filed Feb. 5, "the coronavirus has elevated considerations of public safety to an even greater importance," the Michigan Internet and Telecommunications Alliance said. "Commission use of data that is widely recognized as flawed for determining access to DS0 loops would not constitute sound policy decision-making," CLEC Sonic Telecom said. The FCC "cannot simply transplant findings and analysis from the Business Data Services ('BDS') proceeding to this one," said Uniti Fiber.