Extending truth-in-billing (TIB) rules to cover interconnected VoIP and requiring voice providers separate government-mandated charges from other charges on bills is needless and potentially confusing to consumers, telecom interests said in docket 98-170 comments posted through Thursday. Not everyone agreed. Replies on the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs public notice are due March 13. USTelecom argued against a "'one size fits all' requirement on how voice service providers display ... line-item fees" since the market is ensuring providers bill "in a transparent and customer-friendly way." It said TIB rules being extended to iVoIP would be justified only if there were evidence of consumer concerns with bills. Verizon said rules let providers provide clear and useful information even in different ways. Incompas said the market hasn't changed over the past 16 years to now warrant such iVoIP TIB rules, as did Voice on the Net Coalition (see here). Cable interests argued for a broader approach. NCTA said few providers offer only voice, and the agency should focus on setting up "high-level principles for all voice services" that line up with the principles applicable to other services it oversees. If the agency does voice-specific iVoIP billing rules, applying existing rules would be "a poor fit," it said. It suggested changes, such as only requiring identification of line-item fees to make clear what the total price of a package of services is, instead of requiring a specific form of separation of fees. First doing a comprehensive review of the voice services market would help ensure any steps result in fewer consumer complaints while avoiding imposition of new costs on providers, America’s Communications Association said. It said members generally don't bill separately for local and long-distance service iVoIP, so breaking out such charges on customer bills as wireline common carriers do would serve no purpose. Backing the line-item billing suggested rule, NTCA said it would allow consumers to equally compare different providers. It backed TIB rules applied to iVoIP providers as "a natural extension of [FCC] rules." Kansas Corporation Commission said the TIB expansion would ensure all consumers have the same basic bill information. It said wireless and iVoIP service features are similar so it's reasonable to apply TIB rules to both.

Opponents of an FCC proposal to forbear from imposing unbundling obligations on ILECs said it would harm competition and limit consumer choice. CLECs use ILECs' dark fiber and other unbundled network elements (UNEs) to gain customers before funding fiber deployments, stakeholders commented, posting through Thursday in docket 19-308 (see 1911220052). ILECs backed the NPRM, saying there's enough competition to justify forbearance. California regulators had concerns, as did telcos in areas rebuilding from disasters.

The amount satellite operators would receive to exit the C band on an expedited basis appears to be in flux headed into FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s big unveil Thursday of his proposal. Some at the FCC earlier appeared to take a hard line, suggesting a $5 billion incentive payment for all operators (see 2001290049). Pai may be willing to offer a higher amount but less than $10 billion.

Attorney General William Barr moves Office of Information Policy acting Director Bobby Talebian to permanent post, replacing Melanie Ann Pustay, retired ... Facebook hires Dan Ball, ex-office of Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., as public policy director ... Phone2Action adds Faisal Siddiqui, ex-Virtru, as chief technology officer; Marina Devalia, ex-Higher Logic, as vice president-marketing; Matt Melnick, ex-Vocus, as senior vice president-sales; and Shelli Holland, from Frontpoint, is vice president-human resources.

Two FCC commissioners expressed doubts Thursday about a $12.9 million fine proposed against Scott Rhodes for apparently making thousands of spoofed, racist robocalls. A notice of apparent liability was approved 4-1 at the commissioners' meeting. Comments answering an FCC request for proposals to stop robocalls posted through Thursday in docket 17-59. Some comments were posted earlier (see 2001290024).

The FCC is expected to make changes to a draft Rural Digital Opportunity Fund order, responding to industry concerns that USF recipients could have trouble meeting financial requirements under the version that circulated earlier this month, agency officials told us Wednesday. They and stakeholders expect changes to address industry concerns about RDOF letter of credit (LOC) requirements (see 2001230005). Changes to allow New York state providers to bid in the program's phase one auctions (see 2001280039) aren't expected.

Competitive telcos support T-Mobile buying Sprint, with Dish Network entering as a fourth national carrier, Incompas said in a Friday amicus brief (in Pacer) at U.S. District Court in Washington. “This creative settlement not only remedies the effects of what would otherwise be an increase in market concentration, but affirmatively improves the competitive conditions in that market to boot,” it told the court conducting the Tunney Act review. Dish will likely “provide wholesale capacity to carriers and enterprises at low prices reflecting its low marginal costs,” Incompas said.

Competitive telcos support T-Mobile buying Sprint, with Dish Network entering as a fourth national carrier, Incompas said in a Friday amicus brief (in Pacer) at U.S. District Court in Washington. “This creative settlement not only remedies the effects of what would otherwise be an increase in market concentration, but affirmatively improves the competitive conditions in that market to boot,” it told the court conducting the Tunney Act review. Dish will likely “provide wholesale capacity to carriers and enterprises at low prices reflecting its low marginal costs,” Incompas said.

Dish Network plans to release a request for proposals for telecom transport to facilitate fiber connectivity to cell towers and data centers for its planned 5G network, the company said Thursday. "We see an opportunity to learn from nontraditional partners," said Executive Vice President-Wireless Operations Jeff McSchooler, "like utilities and municipalities that may be deploying fiber in their communities. We are exploring varying transport infrastructures to support our aggressive buildout." Vendors can email 5GtransportRFP@dish.com by Jan. 30 to request the RFP. Dish says it's committed to making its stand-alone 5G network available to 70 percent of the U.S. population by June 2023. The fate of T-Mobile's buying Sprint, approved by FCC and DOJ but held up by states' litigation, is expected to determine whether and when Dish's 5G network moves forward (see 2001150077). Company officials made a pitch to fiber providers at the fall Incompas Show (see 1911050016).

Dish Network plans to release a request for proposals for telecom transport to facilitate fiber connectivity to cell towers and data centers for its planned 5G network, the company said Thursday. "We see an opportunity to learn from nontraditional partners," said Executive Vice President-Wireless Operations Jeff McSchooler, "like utilities and municipalities that may be deploying fiber in their communities. We are exploring varying transport infrastructures to support our aggressive buildout." Vendors can email 5GtransportRFP@dish.com by Jan. 30 to request the RFP. Dish says it's committed to making its stand-alone 5G network available to 70 percent of the U.S. population by June 2023. The fate of T-Mobile's buying Sprint, approved by FCC and DOJ but held up by states' litigation, is expected to determine whether and when Dish's 5G network moves forward (see 2001150077). Company officials made a pitch to fiber providers at the fall Incompas Show (see 1911050016).