Telecommunications Archive

Telecommunications Policy Briefs, Reports & Press Releases

Fact Sheet: Keeping Americans Connected During and After a Natural Disaster, September 11, 2018
Fact Sheet: Keeping Puerto Ricans Connected After a Natural Disaster, September 11, 2018
Press release: Advocates, Tribal Groups Seek to Delay Drastic Changes to Program Providing Affordable Voice and Broadband Access in Indian Country, July 3, 2018
Press Statement of National Consumer Law Center attorney Olivia Wein Regarding Commissioner Clyburn Stepping Down from the FCC, April 17, 2018
Issue Brief: How the Lifeline Program Can Help Vulnerable Consumers Connect to Voice and Internet Service after a Natural Disaster, March 2018
Press Release: Advocacy Groups Urge FCC to Step Back From Radical Proposals that Will Jeopardize Affordable Voice and Internet for Millions of Low-Income Veterans, Families with Children, and Older Adults, Feb. 21, 2018
Press release: FCC Proposed Changes Would Undermine Lifeline, a Key Program that Helps to Close the Digital Divide, Nov. 14, 2017
Press statement: Racial Justice, Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Groups Urge FCC Not to Harm Lifeline Program, May 19, 2017
Press Release: Rep. Austin Scott’s (R-GA) Bills Undercut Lifeline, Limiting Economic and Education Opportunities for Low-Income Families, June 21, 2016
Press Release: FCC votes to modernize Lifeline program, Mar. 31, 2016
Press Release: FCC’s Lifeline Proposal Would Bring Affordable Broadband Internet to Low-Income Households, Mar. 8, 2016
Press Release: NCLC Advocates Support Broadband Adoption Act of 2015, June 1, 2015
Press Release: Statement Regarding FCC Proposals to Modernize Lifeline: Low-Income Phone Program Would Include Broadband Internet, May 28, 2015
Press Release: FCC Announces Proposed Ruling Protecting Consumers from Unwanted Robocalls and Texts to Cell Phones, May 28, 2015
Press Release: 60,000 consumers tell the FCC: No robocalls to my cellphone, Feb. 19, 2015
Press statement re: FCC Set to Open Floodgates for Robocalls to Cell Phones, Jan. 26, 2015
Press statement re: rural rate floor, April 25, 2014
Press Statement re: the Broadband Adoption Act of 2013, April 23, 2013
Issue Brief on MA H.4216 Bill that Would Strip Existing Consumer Protections from Telephone Landline Customers and Prohibit State from Implementing Future Protections for Wireless Consumers, July 6, 2012
Issue Brief on the New Hampshire SB 48 Bill that Would Strip Existing Consumer Protections from Telephone Landline Customers and Prohibit State from Implementing Future Protections for VoIP Consumers, May 11, 2012
Statement re: FCC’s Lifeline Reform: Must Ensure Access to Full Benefits for All Eligible Low-Income Consumers, January 9, 2012

Telecommunications Comments and Testimony

Low-income consumer comments to the FCC re: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Lifeline and Bridging the Digital Divide, Feb. 21, 2018
Re: Comment on Request for Reconsideration Concerning Lifeline Broadband Providers, Mar. 16, 2017
Joint Consumer Reply Comments to the FCC re: IP transition and 911 Back-Up Power Continuity, Jan. 11, 2016
Joint Comments to the FCC Regarding the Shift from Copper Lines, Oct. 28, 2015
Low-Income Consumer Group Joint Comments to the FCC on the Lifeline Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Aug. 31, 2015
Comments to the FCC in response to the Commission’s request for comments on the Petition for a Declaratory Ruling and/or Clarification brought by Citizens Bank, March 16, 2015
Group comments to the FTC regarding critical consumer protections needed as phone companies move from copper to advanced communications networks (internet protocol or IP Transition), Feb. 5, 2015
NCLC and NACA comments to the FCC re: ACA International’s Reply Comments re: for Consumer Bankers Association petition re: exemption to the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act, Jan. 12, 2015
Group comments to the FCC re: opposing the American Bankers Association exemption to the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act to allow robocalls to cell phones, Dec. 19, 2014
Group comments to the FCC re: preserving the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) protections for cell phones, Nov. 17, 2014.
Comments to the Federal Communications Commission re: Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, Sept. 26, 2014
Group petition to the FCC to deny Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, Aug. 25, 2014
Comments to the FCC opposing change to the Telephone Communications Protection Act to allow marketing robo-calls to cell phones, Aug. 8, 2014
Group Comments to the Federal Communications Commission re: Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet Framework for Broadband Internet Service, July 18, 2014
Group comments to the FCC opposing a 46% increase in the rural basic voice service rate, April 15, 2014
Comments to the FCC re: AT&T Petition to Launch a Proceeding Concerning the TDM-to-IP Transition, Mar. 31, 2014
Comments in response to the FCC’s request for comments on the Petition for Expedited Declaratory Ruling and/or Expedited Rulemaking filed by the Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE), December 18, 2013
Group comments to the FCC re: Lifeline and Link-Up Reform and Modernization in support to accommodate domestic violence survivors, Dec. 5, 2013
Group comments to the FCC re: the proposed modernization of the E-rate for high-capacity broadband for underserved communities, Sept. 16, 2013
Group comments to the FTC re: Mobile Cramming Charges, June 7, 2013
Answer to the FCC in support to deny Nexus’ Application for Review to treat Form 555 Reports as confidential, June 6, 2013
Comments to the Massachusetts Dept.of Telecommunications and Cable re: D.T.C. 13-4 Lifeline Investigation (Lifeline Reform Order), April 29, 2013
Group comments to the Federal Communications Commission re: issues related to the Lifeline program, April 2, 2012.
NCLC and Group Comments and Reply Comments to the FCC Opposing Verizon/SpectrumCo/Cox Deal Petition to Consolidate. Feb. 21, 2012 (Comments) and Mar. 26, 2012 (Reply Comments).
Testimony before the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable opposing Verizon’s request to be excused from providing subpar service to landline phone service customers. Mar. 2, 2012
Comments and reply comments to the FCC re: cramming from Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, Center for Media Justice, National Consumer Law Center on behalf of its low-income clients, and Public Knowledge. Oct. 24, 2011 (Comments) and Dec. 5, 2011 (Reply Comments)
Testimony Opposing HR 3035, the Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates and National Consumer Law Center Nov. 4, 2011
Comments and Reply Comments to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable on the Need to Expand Telecommunications Billing and Termination Protections to Wireless and Other Voice Service Customers. August 22, 2011 (Comments), September 16, 2011 (Reply Comments)
Response to the FCC on further inquiry into four issues in universal service Lifeline reform and modernization Group Comments Letter of Support to add WIC participants to Lifeline August 26, 2011
NCLC and Consumer Groups’ comments on the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, April 21, 2011, Reply Comments, May 10, 2011 and a second set of Reply Comments on May 25, 2011
NCLC and Consumer Groups’ comments to the Federal-State Joint Board on Lifeline, July 15, 2010
NCLC/GBLS comments to the FCC on Lifeline re TracFone’s request for clarification of the “one-per-household” rule as applied to group housing, November 20, 2009
Initial Comments on the Federal-State Joint Board Recommended Decision (Comprehensive Reform Of The USF High Cost Program) by the National Consumer Law Center, on Behalf Of Texas Legal Services Center And Edgemont Neighborhood Coalition, Represented by Advocates For Basic Legal Equality, April 2008
NCLC and TLSC Comments to the FCC on Lifeline to Refresh the Record, August 2007
Reply Comments of the National Consumer Law Center regarding the billing and termination practices of telecommunications carriers, July 10, 2006
Initial Comments of the National Consumer Law Center regarding the billing and termination practices of telecommunications carriers, June 8, 2006
Comments of NCLC and AARP on the California Public Utility Commission Staff Report on Public Policy Programs, April, 2006
Comments: of NCLC on Proposal of Verizon to Impose a Late Charge on Residential Customers, DTE 06-26, March 29, 2006
Comments: regarding FCC Consumer Protections in the Broadband Era, January 17, 2006

Telecommunications Letters

Group letter to the FCC in support of the Joint Petition for Stay on the Fourth Report and Order (Tribal Lifeline Order) Pending Judicial Review, July 3, 2018
Coalition letter to the Senate supporting the Lifeline program, Sept. 13, 2017
Group letter to the FCC supporting the 2016 Lifeline modernization order for the digital age, Feb. 23, 2017
Coalition Letter to FCC Commissioner Clyburn Supporting the Solutions 2020 Call to Action Plan, Jan. 11, 2017
Group letter to FCC in support of a motion to stay the 30-day non usage rule, Nov. 16, 2016
Group letter to FCC re Realizing the Promise of the Open Internet, Oct. 17, 2016
Letter from NCLC and 38 other advocacy organizations urging the FCC to oppose opt-in customer consent for broadband & other telecom. providers and to prohibit forced arbitration clauses in contracts, Sept. 7, 2016
H.R. 2666, No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act (Kinzinger) Advocates opposition letter, April 12, 2016
H.R. 4884 (Scott) Civil rights, union, and consumer groups’ letter opposing this bill that would cap the federal low-income Lifeline program, April 12, 2016
Group letter that the FCC expand the Lifeline eligibility criteria to include low-income veterans programs, March 2, 2016
Advocates’ letter to the FCC urging rulemaking on broadband privacy, Jan. 20, 2016 and fact sheet
Ex-parte group letter to the Federal Communications Commission supporting modernizing the Lifeline program to include broadband services, Nov. 12, 2015
Group letter to the MA Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy opposing H2867, Nov. 9, 2015
Group letter urging U.S. Senators to support the Help Americans Never Get Unwanted Phone calls (HANGUP) bill, Nov. 2, 2015
Group letter to the FCC re: PS Docket No. 14-17; GN Docket No. 13-5; RM-11358 urging movement on rulemaking to protect consumer access to phone and communication services during the technology transition, June 25, 2015
Ex parte letter to the FCC re ongoing issues related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, April 28, 2015
Ex parte letter to the FCC re ongoing attempts by industry to weaken the consumer protections of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Jan. 16, 2015
Group letter to the FCC re: opposing the American Bankers Association exemption to the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act to allow robocalls to cell phones, Jan. 13, 2015
Leadership Council coalition letter to the FCC re: need for additional steps to ensure better media ownership diversity, Aug. 11, 2014
Ex parte letter to the FCC summarizing a conversation with consumer and industry groups regarding the technology transition of the current phone system, May 15, 2014
Group letter to FCC letter regarding notice of Ex Parte presentation, May 12, 2014
Joint groups’ FCC ex parte letter regarding carriers force-migrating residential phone customers off of regulated service and onto wireless and fiber service, May 12, 2014.
Group letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in support of the Lifeline phone discount program, Sept. 12, 2013
Group letter to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce in support of the Lifeline phone discount program, Sept. 12, 2013.
Group letter to the FCC re: Critical Needs Studies for Diversification of Ownership in the Broadcasting Services, July 23, 2013
Group letter to Sen. McCaskill in support of the Lifeline low-income discount phone program, June 27, 2013
Letter to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology in support of the Lifeline low-income phone program, April 23, 2013. Related press release, April 25, 2013 and issue brief, April 25, 2013.
Group letter to the FCC urging action to protect consumers from cramming charges, April 18, 2012
Group letter to the FCC requesting clarification that Lifeline customers with duplicate enrollments remain eligible to maintain one Lifeline service, Mar. 9, 2012
NCLC and Consumer Groups Letter to the FCC urging rejection of proposed changes to the Universal Service Fund in industry’s ABC Plan, October 4, 2011
NCLC/ABLE letter to the Chairman of the FCC on classification of broadband service as a telecommunications service under Title II, May 4, 2010
Press Release and Advocates’ Letter to the FCC in support of The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates’ Recommendation for FCC to Reject Industry’s ABC Plan, September 15, 2011

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