The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved new rules intended to facilitate the more rapid deployment of high-speed cable networks.
Detailed in a Final Report and Order issued in late March, the new rules will:
- Eliminate filing requirements related to network change disclosure requirements;
- Overhaul and streamline rules applicable to technology transition discontinuance applications;
- Grant blanket authority for carriers to grandfather legacy voice services, lower-speed data telecommunications services, and interconnected VoIP service provisioned over copper wire.
In a press release issued by the Commission, the newly adopted rules “will get communities off of old and slow copper wire lines and onto new, high-speed networks,” and “free up tens of billions of dollars annually for the rollout of upgraded, high-speed line networks to more Americans.”
The final version of the Report and Order on “Network and Service Modernization” detailing the proposed rule changes is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-19A1.pdf.
The FCC’s press release regarding the new rules is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420132A1.pdf.