The FCC asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hold Consumers' Research's challenge of the Q1 2024 USF contribution factor in abeyance until a separate challenge the group filed is decided (see 2401030069), said the commission's motion Friday (docket 24-60006). Consumers' Research previously challenged the Q1 2022 contribution factor, which the court heard en banc in September (see 2309190072). "Because these cases involve the same parties and the same legal issues, it would best serve the interest of judicial economy and efficiency for the court to hold this case in abeyance until it issues a ruling" in the earlier case, the FCC said.

Intrado urged the FCC to move forward on a proposal accelerating a move to next-generation 911. The agency teed this up in a June NPRM (see 2306080043). In early December, company representatives spoke with an aide to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, according to a filing posted Friday in docket 22-271. “The most important elements for accelerating NG911 deployment are … the FCC adopting a nationwide NG911 framework that accommodates current and already-planned deployments and creates the conditions to accelerate others” and “increased and faster direct wireless/VoIP OSP connectivity via basic Session Internet Protocol (SIP) to Emergency Services IP Networks (ESInets), which would support the delivery of 911 traffic in [IP] and reduce or eliminate the need for provider protocol translation workarounds,” Intrado said. The company urged that any supplemental coverage from space providers or applicants be required to explain in their applications how their SCS deployments will support 911 call or text routing to the appropriate public safety answering point with sufficient location information.

The Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector is reviewing RGTN USA's direct number access authorization request, said a DOJ letter to the FCC posted Wednesday in docket 23-335. An interconnected VoIP provider, RGTN requested numbers in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas (see 2309210055). The agency will notify the FCC when its initial request for information is complete and the 120-day initial review can begin, the letter said.

Consumers' Research filed a new challenge of the FCC's Q1 2024 USF contribution factor in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday. It's the third time the group challenged a contribution factor with this court (see 2310030069). The contribution methodology and ultimate quarterly factor "exceed the FCC's statutory authority" and violate the nondelegation doctrine, the group said in its petition for review (docket 24-60006).

ClearCaptions told the FCC it launched an emergency alert system for its VoIP-enabled home phones. Released Nov. 29, the feature is "used by nearly a third of all ClearCaptions customers" and can receive Federal Emergency Management Agency weather-related emergency alerts, the IP captioned telephone service provider said in a letter posted Thursday in docket 03-123. "The importance of ensuring the safety of at-risk communities cannot be overstated," ClearCaptions said, adding that the change didn't affect its compliance with applicable minimum standards.

Carriers, webscalers and carrier-neutral network operators worldwide are expected to see $4.38 trillion in revenue in 2024, ResearchAndMarkets.com said Thursday. The 2022 revenue total was $4.11 trillion, it said. Capital expenditure will reach $552 billion in 2024, down from $563 billion in 2022, and employees will total 8.71 million, a drop from 8.88 million in 2022, it said. “Telecom is essentially a zero-growth industry,” the report said: “Specific countries and companies do grow from time to time, in part from market share shifts, the different timing of growth cycles, or M&A. But global telco revenues have hovered in a narrow range ($1.7-$1.9 trillion) since 2011, and this will likely remain true through 2028.” Telco revenue reached $1.78 trillion in 2022. It “will fall a bit in 2023, then will grow an average annual rate of 1.4% to reach $1.93 [trillion] by 2028,” the firm predicted.

Consolidated Communications on Wednesday urged shareholders to support the proposed $3.1 billion acquisition of the company by Searchlight Capital Partners and British Columbia Investment Management (see 2310160065). Shareholders will vote Jan. 31 at a special meeting. “You have an essential decision to make regarding the value of your investment,” a Consolidated letter said: “In order to realize the benefits of this value-maximizing transaction, the majority of our independent shareholders must support the deal. … Every vote counts and is critical to the future of the Company. Not voting is the same as voting against the transaction.”

The FCC Wireline Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics Tuesday updated the 2024 reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed broadband services for eligible telecom carriers subject to broadband public interest obligations. “The Bureau and Office determined there was an error in calculation of the broadband rates,” said a Tuesday notice in docket 10-90. “We have posted revised broadband rates and explanatory notes,” the FCC said: “The reasonable comparability benchmark for voice services and the required minimum usage allowance for fixed broadband remain the same as announced previously.” Based on survey results, the 2024 urban average monthly rate is $34.27, said a Dec. 15 notice: “The reasonable comparability benchmark for voice services, two standard deviations above the urban average, is $55.13.”

CTIA and USTelecom said the record supports retaining iconectiv as the FCC's local number portability administrator (LNPA), in response to an October notice. “Now that the record has closed, the Associations urge the Commission to move forward expeditiously to extend the existing contract with the current LNPA and adopt the LNPA selection procedures proposed in the Public Notice,” the groups said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 23-337: “While the Associations, like other parties, would prefer that completion of the LNPA selection and transition process be accomplished more quickly than the last selection and transition processes, that experience shows that these processes are multi-year undertakings that often take longer than anticipated.”

The FCC Thursday granted GigSky a six-month extension of a mandate to rip and replace Huawei and ZTE equipment from its network under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. The deadline was extended from Friday to June 22 under the Wireline Bureau order. “GigSky states that as a small business it did not anticipate the full financial demands of the extensive project and that it needs additional time to complete the project efficiently and effectively and without compromising its financial stability or the integrity of the network changes,” the bureau said.