• On May 30, 2012, the California Senate voted 30-6 in support of a bill, SB 1161, that would prohibit the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) from asserting jurisdiction over VoIP providers unless otherwise expressly permitted by statute. The bill expressly states, however, that the CPUC retains jurisdiction over intercarrier compensation disputes related to the exchange of VoIP traffic, and further provides the CPUC with continued authority to assess state Universal Service Fund contribution requirements on VoIP providers. The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. A copy of SB 1161 can be found here.
  • Also on May 30, Verizon Maryland, Inc. filed complaints with the Maryland Public Service Commission (MPSC) against Broadwing Communications LLC, Global Crossing Local Services, Inc., Level 3 Communications LLC, and TelCove Operations LLC regarding the carriers’ intrastate access tariff revisions. Verizon asserts that the carriers’ switched access rates for intrastate VoIP-PSTN traffic do not comply with the recent Orders on Reconsideration that followed the FCC Intercarrier Compensation/Universal Service Reform Order (FCC 11-161). Verizon alleges in its complaints that the carriers’ intrastate originating VoIP-PSTN rate revisions have an effective date of July 1, 2012, and are therefore “premature because the FCC’s new rule on originating VoIP traffic will not become effective by July 1,” but rather by July 13, 2012, because the Second Order on Reconsideration was published in the Federal Register on May 29, 2012. Verizon requested an order from the MPSC to “direct these carriers to revise their tariff provisions that attempt to apply intrastate rates to originating VoIP traffic prior to the effective date of the FCC’s new rules.” Docket Nos. 138971, 139021, 139024, 139025.