The FCC is revising its efforts to tackle rural call completion issues with a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Second Notice). Shortly after the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau released a Report recommending the elimination of the FCC’s recording, retention, and reporting rules for “covered providers” (including LECs, interexchange carriers, CMRS providers, and VoIP providers), the FCC is proposing to take a different approach to rural call completion problems whereby covered providers would themselves be held responsible for monitoring rural call completion performance and taking action to address poor performance. The FCC also is seeking comment on eliminating its recording, retention, and reporting rules. Deadlines to file comments on the issues raised in the Second Notice will be announced upon its publication in the Federal Register, which has not yet occurred.
