FCC Adopts New Requirements to Prevent Gaming of its Access Stimulation Rules

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to deter arbitrage of the access charge system that is designed to compensate carriers for use of their networks by other carriers. The rules are aimed at ending harmful arbitrage practices that raise costs for long-distance carriers and their customers. The rules apply to access-stimulation traffic that terminates through Internet Protocol Enabled Service (IPES) Providers, and would establish a bright-line methodology for determining the relevant traffic ratios for both local exchange carriers (LECs) and IPES Providers, thereby avoiding any confusion about whether a LEC or IPES Provider should be considered to be engaged in Access Stimulation.