Discussion on Comprehensive Reform of the Jurisdictional Separations Process

Discussion on Comprehensive Reform of the Jurisdictional Separations Process

Federal Communications Commission
September 24, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db0917/DA-10-1764A1.doc

The Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations (the Joint Board) will meet and hold a roundtable discussion in the Commission Meeting Room regarding comprehensive reform of the jurisdictional separations process and interim reform pending comprehensive reform.

In the 2001 Separations Freeze Order, the Commission imposed an interim freeze on jurisdictional separations category relationships and cost allocation factors in Part 36 of the Commission's rules for a five-year period beginning July 1, 2001, or until the Commission completed comprehensive separations reform, whichever came first. The Commission extended the freeze several times, and the freeze is currently scheduled to expire on June 30, 2011. In the 2009 Separations Freeze Extension Order, the Commission also referred to the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations specific issues regarding comprehensive and interim reform of the separations process.

The format of the roundtable will be a facilitated discussion led by the Joint Board. During the roundtable, the Joint Board will solicit input from participants on issues relating to both interim and comprehensive reform, such as:

• The nature of interim and comprehensive reform, and to whom any new rules would apply.
• The relationship between separations reform and reform of universal service, intercarrier compensation, and special access.
• The effect of changes in the separations process on the deployment and adoption of broadband internet access service.
• Modification of fixed allocators.
• Annual updating of direct assignment
• Permitting states to set their own rules regarding the separations process.