Kansas Broadband & Telecom News - October 2024
Consolidated Communications Of Missouri Files Revisions To Its KCC General Exchange Tariff No. 1
October 17, 2024 – Consolidated Communications of Missouri has filed revisions to its KCC General Exchange Tariff No. 1 with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Consolidated is making the following changes to its tariff: (1) Add Section 16 for Obsolete Services; (2) Delete Home Phone Standard Residential Bundled Service Package as the company no longer has customers on this bundle; (3) Move the following previously grandfathered bundles to Obsolete Services: Voice Advantage Bundles; and (4) Grandfather the Voice Advantage II Basic and 600 Bundles. The company has requested an effective date of November 16, 2024 for the tariff revisions. Included in the filing is a copy of the bill messaging that will be used to notify customers of the changes to Voice Advantage II Basic and 600. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-FCMT-196-TAR.
Windstream Norlight, LLC Requests Cancellation Of Certification Of Convenience And Authority To Transact The Business Of An Interexchange Service Provider And Operator Service Provider In Kansas
October 16, 2024 – Windstream Norlight, LLC has filed a request with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to cancel its Certification of Convenience and Authority to transact the business of an interexchange service provider and operator service provider in Kansas (previously granted in Docket No. 99-CYTC-543-COC). Windstream Norlight has requested the cancellation because it “no longer has any customers in Kansas and has no intention of acquiring any new customers.” The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-CNYC-193-CCS.
Windstream Norlight, LLCRequests Cancellation Of Certification Of Convenience And Authority To Provide Switched Local Exchange And Exchange Access Service In Kansas
October 16, 2024 – Windstream Norlight, LLC has filed a request with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) to cancel its Certification of Convenience and Authority to provide switched local exchange and exchange access service in the state of Kansas (previously granted in Docket No. 04-CNYC-583-COC ). Windstream Norlight also has requested the withdrawal of its Competitive Switched Access Tariff No. 2 currently on file with the KCC. Windstream Norlight has requested the cancellation because it “no longer has any customers in Kansas and has no intention of acquiring any new customers.” The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-CNYC-192-CCS.
KCC Business Meeting Consent Agenda – Telecommunications Items – October 17th
October 16, 2024 – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is expected to approve the following telecommunications items, included on a consent agenda, during the KCC’s business meeting on Thursday October 17, 2024 at 10:00 am:
Suspension Order: May 30, 2025 – KCC Docket No. 25-SFLT-180-TAR – to Consolidated Communication of Kansas Company Filing Tariff Revisions to Grandfather Voice Advantage II Basic and 600 Bundles.
Order Assessing Costs – KCC Docket No. 25-CNHT-185-KSF – to Application and Request of Cunningham Telephone Co., Inc. for an Increase in its Cost-Based Kansas Universal Service Fund Support.
Suspension Order: June 9, 2025 – KCC Docket No. 25-CNHT-185-KSF – to Application and Request of Cunningham Telephone Co., Inc. for an Increase in its Cost-Based Kansas Universal Service Fund Support.
Order Designating Presiding Officer; Protective and Discovery Order – KCC Docket No. 25-CNHT-185-KSF – to Application and Request of Cunningham Telephone Co., Inc. for an Increase in its Cost-Based Kansas Universal Service Fund Support.
All items consent agenda (proposed orders dealing with routine, procedural, administrative, or uncontested matters) on the are considered to be routine by the KCC, and will be considered together as a single item. However, any KCC Commissioner may request that a proposed order be removed from consideration at a meeting. KCC business meetings are accessible via the KCC YouTube channel link on the KCC website at http://kcc.ks.gov/.
AT&T Kansas Files Tariff Revision With KCC
October 14, 2024 – Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, LLC d/b/a AT&T Kansas has filed revisions to its Kansas Access Service Tariff. Specifically, AT&T Kansas has requested that the Kansas Corporation Commission approve its filing which revises a page of the company’s Access Service Tariff to reflect that the relevant page and section concurs with the Telephone Company’s FCC Tariff #1, Section 6.8. The filing requests an effective date of October 15, 2024. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-SWBT-186-TAR.
Cunningham Telephone Company Inc. Requests $1,050,573 Increase To Its Annual KUSF Support
October 11, 2024 – Cunningham Telephone Company Inc. has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting an increase to its annual amount of Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF) support. Cunningham operates under rate of return regulation for both the federal and state jurisdictions, and is the carrier of last resort for telecommunications customers within its service area in Kansas. In its application, Cunningham requests a $1,050,573 increase to its annual KUSF draw to address an intrastate revenue deficiency in that amount. For KUSF year 28 (June 2024 - Feb 2025), Cunningham’s pro-rated annual support amount is $718,902. Cunningham has requested that the test year for its application be the year ending December 31, 2023. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-CNHT-185-KSF.
KCC Opens General Investigation On RLEC Intrastate Switched Access Rates, Revenue, And KUSF Support Adjustments
October 10, 2024 – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has opened a general investigation proceeding to address rural local exchange carriers’ (RLECs) intrastate switched access rates, revenue, and Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF) support adjustments. +Pursuant to K.S.A. 66-2005(c), each RLEC is required to adjust its intrastate switched access rates on March 1 of each odd-numbered year to match its interstate switched access rates. Under K.S.A. 66-2005(c)(l), any reduction of an RLEC’s cost recovery due to reduction of its intrastate access revenue, except such revenue recovered from another support mechanism, shall be recovered from the KUSF. As explained in the KCC telecom staff’s Report and Recommendation, adjustment to an RLEC’s intrastate access revenue and annual KUSF support will be based on the difference between its interstate and intrastate access rates as of July 1, 2024, and the access minutes of use (MOU) for the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2024. To enable the calculation, RLECs must submit the data identified in Attachment 1 to the Report and Recommendation and their interstate tariffs no later than November 18, 2024. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-GIMT-164-GIT.
Haviland Telephone Makes Tariff Revisions Related To Cessation Telephone Directories
October 8, 2024 – Haviland Telephone Co., Inc. has filed tariff revisions with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Haviland’s five proposed tariff revisions are related to the company’s cessation of printed and distributed telephone directories. Haviland states that the tariff revisions will not cause a change in any regulated revenue. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-HVDT-181-TAR.
Consolidated Communication of Kansas Company Files Tariff Revisions – Eliminating & Grandfathering Certain Services
October 2, 2024 – Consolidated Communication of Kansas Company has filed tariff revisions with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Consolidated is making the following changes to its general exchange tariff: (1) adding a new section 7 for obsolete services; (2) moving the following three previously grandfathered bundles to obsolete services – voice advantage bundles, home phone bundles, and small business bundles; and (3) grandfathering its voice advantage II basic and 600 bundles. Consolidated’s filing also includes a copy of the bill message that will be used to notify customers of the changes to voice advantage II basic and 600 bundles, which will be delivered as part of the October 1, 2024, billing cycle. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-SFLT-180-TAR.
KCC Issues Order To Show Cause Against CoreTel Kansas, Inc.
October 1, 2024 – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has issued an Order To Show Cause against CoreTel Kansas, Inc. for failing to comply with KCC orders and Kansas law. Specifically, the Order To Show Cause explains that CoreTel is delinquent with its submission of the 2023 Annual Interrogatory Report to the KCC; has failed to comply with Vantage Point Solutions, the Kansas Universal Service Fund Administrator; and has failed to update its contact information. Consequently, CoreTel has 30 days to show why it should not be subject to sanctions, penalties, and fines, and to show why its CLEC and IXC Certificates of Convenience and Authority should not be canceled, suspended, or revoked. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 25-CTKT-079-SHO.
Kansas BEAD Application Window Opens October 21st, Closes December 5th
October 1, 2024 – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) have announced that the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program application portal will begin accepting submissions on October 21, 2024, and will close on December 5, 2024. Under the BEAD program, Kansas is expected to award $451.7 million for projects that deploy high-speed internet to unserved locations (no internet access or access under 25/3 Mbps) and to underserved locations (access at speeds under 100/20 Mbps). KOBD has announced there are 403 project areas containing 52,343 BEAD-eligible locations. BEAD applications will be scored on their cost-effectiveness, consumer affordability, fair labor practices, technology, speed to deployment, and community engagement.
