AT&T and BellSouth Merger Approved

The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger of AT&T and BellSouth. The announcement came December 29, 2006, nine months after BellSouth first announced the merger.

The Commission concluded that significant public interest benefits are likely to result from this transaction. AT&T agreed to maintaining net neutrality for at least 30 months, sell DSL to customers without requiring them to purchase other AT&T services, and repatriation of 3,000 offshore jobs from BellSouth's operations.

According to an AT&T statement, the company will immediately begin implementing an integration process to converge the AT&T, BellSouth, and Cingular wireless and wireline Internet Protocol (IP) networks, combine product portfolios and integrate customer care capabilities. AT&T will also launch a new advertising campaign, changing the BellSouth brand name to AT&T. AT&T will re-brand Cingular through a co-branded transition, which is scheduled to start in 2007. YELLOWPAGES.COM will not undergo a name or web site address change.

---

Approved CALEA Deadlines Released

Last month the Office of Management and Budget approved the following stipulations of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) Second Report and Order and Memorandum Opinion and Order:

• The CALEA Second Report and Order, inter alia, requires every facilities-based broadband Internet access service and interconnected VoIP service provider to file a monitoring report describing the status of compliance with requirements imposed by section 103 of CALEA. Companies must comply by filling out FCC Form 445, "CALEA Monitoring Report for Broadband and VoIP Services" no later than February 12, 2007.

• The CALEA Second Report and Order requires every telecommunications carrier with a pending section 107(c)(1) petition currently on file to submit a  letter that attests its petition exclusively concerns equipment, facilities, or services installed or deployed prior to October 25, 1998. All attesting letters concerning pending section 107(c)(1) petitions currently on file with the FCC must be filed no later than February 12, 2007.

• CALEA section 109(b)(1) cost recovery petitions must be filed before May 14, 2007.

• Facilities-based broadband Internet access and interconnected VoIP service providers subject to CALEA must file their System Security and Integrity (SSI) plans with the FCC by March 12, 2007. Section 105 of CALEA requires all telecommunication carriers subject to CALEA to file system SSI plans with the FCC.

Specific requirements may be found at: http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2006/dd061214.html

---

 

FCC Extends VRS Waiver

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) providers are required to handle emergency calls by immediately and automatically transferring the calls to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The FCC has waived this requirement for providers of Video Relay Service (VRS), a form of TRS, due to the technological challenges related to determining the geographic location of TRS calls that originate via the Internet. The waiver of the emergency call-handling requirement for VRS providers has been extended and will expire on January 1, 2008, or upon the release of an order addressing the issue, whichever comes first.

The Commission also noted that similar issues exist with respect to VoIP service. Therefore, the FCC has mandated that VoIP providers obtain a registered location for each of their customers so the provider can direct an emergency VoIP call to the appropriate PSAP.

Visit http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2532A1.pdf for additional information.

---

CenturyTel to Acquire Madison River  

CenturyTel, Inc., recently announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Madison River Communications Corp. for $830 million. With the acquisition, CenturyTel will pick up an additional 176,000 access lines across Alabama, Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina and a high quality network that is 99% broadband-enabled that includes a 2,400 route mile fiber network. Once the acquisition is fully integrated, CenturyTel estimates it will achieve annual cost synergies of approximately $17 million.  The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2007.

---

 

Changes at RNK Telecom

RNK Communications, a global telecommunications and high-tech services and software provider, recently unveiled its new company logo, and announced that it has officially changed its name from RNK Telecom to RNK Communications. These organizational moves reflect the company's recent expansion, in addition to its evolution to become a full-service global communications provider as it approaches its ten-year anniversary in 2007.

With roots as a traditional telephone company, RNK boasts a diversified suite of products and services. RNK's business lines include those focused on carrier services, VoIP, prepaid calling products, and a variety of software solutions including SubjectTalk social networking tool.