NCTA, Others Seek More Time for Business Data Services Comment

Cable and telecommunication Internet service providers have joined to ask the Federal Communications Commission for more time to respond to the commission's proposal to remake the regulatory framework for business data (formerly "special access") services. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association, USTelecom, and ITTA – The Voice of Mid-Size Communications Companies joined in the motion to extend the July 26 reply comment deadline by three weeks.

They said that "brief" extension of time was warranted given a variety of factors including 1) the "voluminous" initial comments, the fact that it is a "complicated and extremely consequential" rulemaking; 2) that the FCC is high on a Verizon/INCOMPAS compromise proposal that could include their members; 3) the FCC's release, on the same day the initial comments were due, the peer reviews of the report on the business data services market that the FCC used in coming up with its proposed remake. NCTA et al. said the report was "fundamental to the Commission’s proposed regulations, and a thorough review of these peer reviews and staff response is essential." They also cite delays in getting access to 2013 data that is the basis for much of the FCC's analysis.