summary
Introduced
01/11/2017
01/11/2017
In Committee
01/24/2017
01/24/2017
Crossed Over
08/04/2017
08/04/2017
Passed
02/14/2018
02/14/2018
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
02/26/2018
02/26/2018
Introduced Session
115th Congress
Bill Summary
Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require intermediate providers that offer the capability to transmit voice communications and signaling information from one destination to another, and that charge a rate to any other entity (including an affiliated entity) for such a transmission, to: (1) register with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and (2) comply with service quality standards to be established by the FCC. An "intermediate provider" is an entity that: (1) enters a business arrangement with a long-distance voice service provider that makes the initial call path choice for more than 100,000 domestic retail subscriber lines, or with another intermediate provider, to carry, route, or transmit voice traffic from a call placed from or to an end user connection using a North American Numbering Plan resource; and (2) does not itself (directly or in conjunction with an affiliate) serve as such a long-distance initial call path choice provider in the context of originating or terminating a given call. The bill prohibits such long-distance providers (including local exchange carriers, interexchange carriers, commercial mobile radio services, interconnected voice over Internet Protocol [VoIP] services, and certain non-interconnected VoIP services) from using an intermediate provider to transmit voice communications and signals unless the intermediate provider is so registered. The FCC must: (1) ensure the integrity of the transmission of voice communications to all customers in the United States, (2) prevent unjust or unreasonable discrimination among areas of the United States in the delivery of such voice communications, and (3) make a registry of intermediate providers publicly available on the FCC website. The bill shall not be construed to preempt or expand the authority of a state agency or public utility commission to collect data, or enforce state law and regulations, regarding the completion of intrastate voice communications. Certain long-distance providers that make initial call path choices are exempt from service quality standards that the FCC is required to establish under this bill if they certify under a safe harbor provision in existing FCC rules that they monitor the performance of, or do not use, intermediate providers.
AI Summary
This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require intermediate providers (entities that transmit voice communications between long-distance providers and end users) to register with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and comply with service quality standards established by the FCC. The bill aims to ensure the integrity and prevent discrimination in the delivery of voice communications to all customers in the United States. It requires long-distance providers to use only registered intermediate providers and gives the FCC authority to maintain a public registry of intermediate providers. The bill also preserves the authority of state agencies to collect data and enforce state laws regarding the completion of intrastate voice communications, and provides an exception to the service quality standards requirement for certain long-distance providers that certify they monitor or do not use intermediate providers.
Committee Categories
Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (9)
Amy Klobuchar (D)*,
Joni Ernst (R),
Al Franken (D),
Chuck Grassley (R),
Angus King (I),
Claire McCaskill (D),
Mike Rounds (R),
Jon Tester (D),
John Thune (R),
Last Action
Became Public Law No: 115-129. (TXT | PDF) (on 02/26/2018)
Official Document
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