2 2 WISPAMERICA 2022 I MARCH 14 - 17, 2022 www.bekabusinessmedia.com DAY 2 WISPA Joins Groups Cautioning FCC on Broadband Labels WISPA joined with the NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association to submit comments with the FCC cautioning it about the risk of overburdening providers. According to an article appearing in the March 14 WISPA SmartBrief, the organization urged the FCC not to complicate consumer labels that will be required at the point of sale for broadband services. The commission should strive for “simplicity” in the labels by “only including that information that will give consumers meaningful insight into the broadband plans they are considering without including hypertechnical information that is meaningless to consumers and would overburden providers.” Specific recommendations include: • Requiring a simple, consumer-friendly broadband label that includes information on speed and other key performance parameters, but excludes the requirement to disclose packet loss metrics or data related to bundled services and other governmental programs • Replacing the existing disclosure requirements with the simplified broadband label • Allowing small providers additional time to comply with the new rules adopted in this proceeding Broadband Labels According to the piece, the FCC had planned in 2016 to require broadband consumer labels similar in concept to the nutrition labels found on food items sold in the United States. Plans for the labels, sometimes referred to as “broadband nutrition labels,” were scrapped when Ajit Pai took over as FCC chairman in 2017 but were resurrected last year with the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). In comments filed separately in the new broadband label proceeding, ACA Connects and NCTA — The Internet & Television Association advised the FCC not to “reinvent the wheel” in establishing requirements for the labels. According to the associations, considerable stakeholder input went into the plans for the label that were made in 2016 and the commission shouldn’t tamper with those plans. ACA Connects offered several recommendations, some aimed at minimizing the implementation burden on providers, including: • Affirm that providers may disclose actual performance, i.e., actual speeds and latency, using methodologies that were approved in 2011 and were re-affirmed in 2016 • Adopt label requirements only for service plans available for purchase, and focus labels on standard monthly rates that are readily comparable across providers and offerings • Decline to require “direct notifications” that are duplicative of notices that providers already routinely provide to their existing subscribers • Follow the FCC’s guidelines for disclosure of labels “at the point of sale,” while also allowing direct submission of labels to the Commission • Omit disclosure of “packet loss” and “subscriber-triggered network management practices” from the broadband label • Affirm the display of broadband labels satisfies a provider’s transparency disclosure obligations. m Michael Sheward / CTO, Solutions4ebiz / Azotel N America Distributor SCHEDULE A DEMO / sales@azotel.com or call +1 877 666 3249 azotel.solutions4ebiz.com Azotel is more than a billing and operational support system. It's a powerful, flexible ISP automation tool that provides unparalleled efficiency and customer satisfaction. Developed by a WISP operator in 2002, Azotel has grown into a feature-rich, timetested system in use by WISPs & Fiber Broadband Operators around the world. Whether you have 100 or 100,000 subscribers, Azotel can save you money and bring ease to your operations. • Mobile-friendly interface for installers • Electronic signature capture • End User Portal provides 24/7 customer access and service updates • Automated billing with customizable billing plans • Single CRM screen for all customer data and interactions (with integrated help/ticket system) • Auto-disconnect for non-payment and auto-reconnect when payment received via End User Portal • Financial Dashboard and reporting on key performance indicators on one screen • Integrated with fiber management tools: Vetro and Render • Integrated with fiber vendors: DZS, Calix and more coming • Works with LTE and Fiber as well as all traditional Fixed Wireless Vendors (Cam, Ubnt, Telrad, Baicells, etc...) • Integrated with Bandwidth and Control tools: (Bequant, Preseem, Saisei) • Integrated Google Calendar scheduling internal and external installers • Map and coverage checking available and integration with TowerCoverage.com Booth 219
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