FCC Opens Comment Window on Sweeping Robocall Mitigation Database Overhaul
Comments are due October 9 on proposals that could expand filing obligations, require extensive new disclosures, and accelerate suspension or removal from the RMD The Federal Communications Commission has formally opened the comment period on a sweeping proposal to strengthen the Robocall Mitigation Database (“RMD”) and transform it into a more active provider-screening, compliance, and […]
FCC Asked to Clarify Regulatory Status of “Whitelist” VoIP Services; Waffle Seeks Equal Treatment
The Federal Communications Commission is again considering an important question involving Internet-based voice services that connect to the public switched telephone network (“PSTN”) but deliberately restrict calling to a limited universe of approved telephone numbers. On August 21, 2026, Tin Can Untechnologies, Inc. (“Tin Can”) supplemented its pending Petition for Declaratory Ruling and renewed its request that the […]
FCC Adds Foreign-Produced Advanced Robotic Devices to Covered List
The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) has added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, following a National Security Determination (“Determination”), concluding that such devices present an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security and to the safety and security of U.S. persons. The Covered List The Covered List identifies communications and other equipment […]
California Changes the Tax Equation for Cloud Communications: SaaS Becomes Taxable January 1, 2027
New California Law Creates an Additional Tax Layer for UCaaS, Cloud Communications and Other Telecom/SaaS Bundles California has fundamentally changed the tax treatment of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”)—and communications providers that bundle telecommunications with software should be paying especially close attention. Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Senate Bill 122 (“SB 122”), which significantly expands California’s sales and […]
FCC Grants Additional Conditional Approvals for Consumer Routers
VoIP and Other Communications Providers That Bundle Routers with Their Services Should Review Future Equipment Deployments The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) continues to implement its Consumer Router Security Program through Public Notices granting Conditional Approval for certain foreign-manufactured consumer-grade routers. In its latest Public Notice, the FCC granted additional Conditional Approvals covering specified manufacturers […]
CACC Files Reply Comments Urging FCC to Reject One-Size-Fits-All KYC Mandates
CTIA, T-Mobile, TextNow, Pinger, and other influential commenters reinforce CACC’s call for risk-based, privacy-preserving regulation focused on actual sources of illegal traffic The CommLaw Group filed Reply Comments on behalf of the Consumer Access & Choice Coalition in the Federal Communications Commission’s proceeding examining whether to impose expanded Know-Your-Customer requirements on originating voice service providers. CACC supports […]
Comments to the FCC’s “Know-Your-Upstream-Provider” Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking are Due August 10; Reply Comments are Due September 8
Today, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) published in the Federal Register its recently adopted Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“FNPRM”), which seeks to enhance the STIR/SHAKEN framework by imposing more specific “Know-Your-Upstream-Provider” (“KYUP”) obligations. The comments are due on August 10, and the reply comments are due on September 8, 2026. As discussed in our previous client advisory, the proposed rules would require […]
FCC Proposes Major Expansion and Tightening of Robocall Mitigation Database Requirements
Companies that previously may have viewed themselves as outside the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation rules — including “information service” providers, communications platforms, call centers, SaaS providers, AI platforms, and other businesses incorporating PSTN-accessible voice functionality through NANP telephone numbers supplied by providers such as Twilio, Bandwidth, Sinch, Telnyx, and others — may soon lose that safe […]
Life Time v. Verizon Could Force the FCC to Revisit a Long-Misunderstood USF Treatment for Dedicated Internet Access
A pending FCC formal complaint filed by Life Time, Inc. against Verizon Business Network Services LLC has put a familiar but often misunderstood Universal Service Fund issue back in the spotlight: whether a broadband provider may assess federal USF surcharges on the transmission facility used to deliver dedicated Internet access, or “DIA,” to enterprise and […]
CACC Urges FCC to Adopt Balanced, Risk-Based KYC Rules That Protect Consumers Without Undermining Privacy, Competition, or Access to Voice Services
The CommLaw Group has filed Comments with the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of the Consumer Access & Choice Coalition (“CACC”) in the FCC’s latest robocall proceeding addressing proposed “Know Your Customer” (“KYC”) requirements for originating voice service providers. The filing builds on CACC’s prior advocacy in the FCC’s robocall, caller authentication, and caller identification proceedings. CACC supports the […]
Colorado Prepares for Phase 1 NG911 Transition Request: Telecommunications Providers Should Begin Planning Now
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission’s 911 Program has issued advance notice of its intent to submit a Phase 1 Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) deployment request to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). While the request will be initiated by Colorado, its implications extend well beyond the state’s borders. Under the FCC’s NG911 transition framework, the resulting obligations may apply to […]
CPUC Reopens DVN Opt-Out Window and Adopts New Filing Requirements for iVoIP Providers
As delineated in our previous advisory, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a comprehensive overhaul of the regulatory framework applicable to interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (iVoIP) providers operating in the state, dividing providers into two new utility types: Digital Voice Nomadic (DVN) and Digital Voice Fixed (DVF). On June 17, 2026, the CPUC issued a decision revising and […]
Supreme Court’s FCC Ruling Reinforces a Familiar Reality for Communications Providers: The FCC’s Enforcement Machinery Remains Very Much Intact
The CommLaw Group is pleased to announce the publication of a new Law360 Expert Analysis article by Jonathan S. Marashlian, Managing Partner of The CommLaw Group, PLLC, titled “High Court’s FCC Ruling Adds To Comms Industry Paradox.” The article examines the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in FCC v. AT&T Inc., and places it in the […]
FCC Announces Proposed 38.8% USF Contribution Factor for Q3 2026
On June 12, 2026, the FCC’s Office of the Managing Director has announced the proposed Universal Service Fund (USF) contribution factor for the third quarter of 2026 will be 38.8%, a 1.8% increase from last quarter’s 37% in the Public Notice. Covered in our previous advisory for the Q1, any meaningful reforms to the USF system remain […]
FCC Proposes New Rules to Reduce State and Local Barriers to Wireline Deployments
The Federal Communications Commission has released a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled Build America: Eliminating Barriers to Wireline Deployments, WC Docket No. 25-253, that would establish new federal rules addressing state and local requirements affecting wireline telecommunications infrastructure deployment. The proposal is part of the FCC’s broader “Build America” agenda and is aimed at reducing delays, excessive […]
FCC Chairman Opens Review of E-Rate Program Focused on Student Screen Time, Online Safety, Program Integrity, and Administrative Reform
The Federal Communications Commission appears poised to launch a significant new review of the federal E-Rate program, the Universal Service Fund program that helps eligible schools, libraries, and consortia obtain discounted telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections services. On June 3, 2026, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that he had circulated a proposal to his fellow Commissioners […]