Call completion problems are “unacceptable,” Christopher Killion, the FCC Enforcement Bureau’snassociate chief, told NARUC. He tried to convince state regulators at their Washington meeting that thenagency has been taking call completion problems seriously. State commissioners have long and loudlyndemanded FCC action on this issue (CD Jan 28 p13). He spoke Monday at a NARUC panel. “We arenconvinced beyond a doubt that rural call competition is a real problem and a significant problem,” he said,nsaying there was never a question of whether the agency would move toward enforcement. He described,nwithout detail, “what I would call large-scale investigations of carriers” and investigations of “more targetedncomplaints” in rural areas, where the agency has “actually resolved some complaints.” FCC protocolnprevented him from elaborating on the investigations but he did say the agency is pressing companies,ncontinuing investigations and that the data collected as a result of the FCC’s unposted notice of proposednrulemaking will “assist” that effort (CD Jan 25 p1). Killion agreed with commissioners that one of then“unique” challenges of call completion issues is that state commissioners often hear the complaints, notnthe FCC. “There’s no consistency, let’s put it that way,” he said of company records now. “They don’tneven agree on the meaning of certain terms.” The NPRM would help give the agency “standardized records”nto assess, he said. Wireline Bureau Chief Julie Veach said the notice is in front of the full commissionnnow, and the FCC could have an order as soon as this fall if it acts “expeditiously.” “We want to donthis right,” Veach said. The data collection procedures will need to hold up to challenges and should benthe "least burdensome as possible for the providers,” she said.
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