FCC Seeks Comment on New Proposed Caller Identity Verification Requirements, Tightened Stir/Shaken Rules, and Restrictions on Legitimate Spoofing
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission) has released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and related Public Notice (FNRPM and PN) proposing new caller identity information requirements, foreign-origin call indicators, and removal of outdated robocall/TCPA rules. The comment dates have not been set and are pending until the item is published in the Federal Register. […]
CRTC Suspends Semi-Annual STIR/SHAKEN Status Reports, But STIR/SHAKEN Implementation Remains Mandatory in Canada
Prefer to listen while you’re on the go? We’ve created an audio version of this Client Advisory that you can play anytime, anywhere. Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (“CRTC” or “Commission”) Staff has suspended the requirement to file semi-annual STIR/SHAKEN implementation status reports pending a review of the reporting process. As a result […]
FCC Proposes Major Overhaul of Interconnection Rules: Proceeding Could Force a Reexamination of VoIP’s Regulatory Status
Earlier this month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WC Docket Nos. 25-304, 25-208, and 17-97, titled “Advancing IP Interconnection.” This proceeding could mark the most consequential step in the evolution of voice service regulation since the Telecommunications Act of 1996—potentially accelerating the nation’s transition to all-IP networks […]
FCC Takes Aim at Local Permitting Barriers to Broadband Deployment
Persistent Local Obstacles—and the Aftermath of a Recent Illinois Court Victory—Underscore the Need for Federal Action Background: FCC Opens Two Proceedings to Address Right-of-Way Delays and Fees The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has initiated a pair of proceedings that could reshape how state and local governments regulate access to public rights-of-way (“ROW”) for broadband and […]
Data Security Program Rule Covering Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data Now Fully Effective
The remaining requirements of the Data Security Program (DSP) Rule became effective today, October 6, 2025. The DSP Rule prohibits or restricts access to U.S. sensitive personal data (and other covered data). The Rule may apply to any company that collects, stores or processes specified volumes of sensitive personal data of U.S. residents. Under newly […]
California Privacy Protection Agency Imposes a $1.35 Million Fine on Tractor Supply Company for CCPA Violations
Prefer to listen while you’re on the go? We’ve created an audio version of this Client Advisory that you can play anytime, anywhere. On September 26, 2025, the California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) issued a decision requiring Tractor Supply Company, the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer with more than 2,500 stores in 49 […]
SOMOS Petitions FCC to Modernize Numbering and Routing Systems for the IP Era
On September 26, 2025, Somos, Inc. filed a Petition for Rulemaking urging the FCC to overhaul its numbering administration and routing rules to reflect the realities of today’s IP-based communications environment (for a copy of the Petition, please contact Jonathan S. Marashlian at jsm@commlawgroup.com). Background Telephone numbers remain the essential identifiers for U.S. communications traffic, yet […]
FCC Consent Decree with Vonage Highlights Heightened Scrutiny of Regulatory Compliance Obligations
On September 25, 2025, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau released an Order and Consent Decree resolving a multi-year investigation into Vonage Holdings Corp. (Vonage) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Vonage Business Inc. The investigation examined alleged failures to: Maintain current registration information in the FCC’s CORES database; File timely and accurate annual and quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheets (Forms 499-A […]
Post-Jarkesy, the FCC’s Enforcement Authority Is in Flux — What Businesses Need to Know
Regulatory enforcement only works if everyone understands the rules of the road. Over the past year, that road has become uneven. The Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in SEC v. Jarkesy reshaped when agencies may impose civil penalties through their own in-house processes, and subsequent appellate rulings have taken divergent paths on what Jarkesy means for […]
FTC’s Historic $2.5 Billion Settlement with Amazon Over Deceptive Prime Subscription Practices
The Federal Trade Commission secured a landmark $2.5 billion settlement with Amazon.com, Inc., along with two senior executives, resolving allegations of deceptive Prime subscription enrollment and cancellation practices. This represents the third-largest monetary judgment in FTC history and includes a $1 billion civil penalty, which stands as the largest ever imposed for an FTC rule […]
The CommLaw Group Secures Illinois Court Win: Municipal Fiber Optic Building Permit Application Fees Are Prohibited Under State Law
An Illinois circuit court held that a municipal permit application fee for a building permit to deploy fiber optic infrastructure violates Section 30(a) of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Act, invalidated the ordinances establishing the fee, and enjoined the municipality from enforcing or collecting it. This result, brought by The CommLaw Group, reinforces that municipalities […]
FCC Reminds Interconnected VoIP Providers of Local Number Portability and Section 214 Discontinuance Obligations
On September 22, 2025, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau issued a Public Notice reminding interconnected VoIP providers of two key regulatory obligations intended to protect consumers: Local Number Portability (LNP): Providers must facilitate number porting without unreasonable delay or procedural barriers. Section 214 Discontinuance Requirements: Providers must obtain FCC authorization before discontinuing, reducing, or impairing […]
New Rule Requiring VSPs to Utilize DNOs when Blocking Calls Effective December 15, 2025
The FCC’s new rule, as delineated in our Client Advisory of February 7, 2025, requiring all voice service providers (“VSPs”) to block suspicious calls based on a reasonable do-not-originate (“DNO”) list was recently published in the Federal Register. As stated therein, the rule will be effective as of December 15, 2025. The new rule, 47 […]
FTC and State AGs Sue Live Nation/Ticketmaster for Deceptive Pricing and Ticket Broker Coordination
Prefer to listen while you’re on the go? We’ve created an audio version of this Client Advisory that you can play anytime, anywhere. On September 17, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by seven (7) state Attorneys General (AGs), filed a lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiary Ticketmaster LLC […]
FCC Seeks Comment on Tin Can’s Petition—A “narrow” request with potentially broad consequences for I-VoIP and state PUC regimes
The Wireline Competition Bureau has issued a Public Notice seeking comment on a Petition for Declaratory Ruling filed by Far Homes, Inc. d/b/a Tin Can. Tin Can asks the Commission to declare that its restricted, whitelisted PSTN access service is not “interconnected VoIP” for purposes of the VoIP-related provisions of Title II; in the alternative, Tin Can requests a targeted […]
FCC Sets New Record with USF Contribution Factor Soaring to 38.1% for Q4 2025
The FCC Managing Director issued a Public Notice on September 15, 2025, announcing the proposed Universal Service Fund (“USF”) contribution factor for the fourth quarter of 2025 will be 38.1%, a 2.1% increase from last quarter’s 36%. This announcement signifies a noteworthy escalation, setting a new record high at 38.1%, surpassing the previous peak of 36.3% recorded […]