TELECOMMUNICATIONS ISSUES AND EMERGING TRENDS

Protecting our telecommunications clients includes regulatory review and litigation before public utility commissions state and federal courts, contract assessment, negotiation and consultation on business development and transactions. We have successfully defended competitors rights, whether economic, engineering or legal, regarding interconnection and operation of telecommunications and broadband networks and the establishment and enhancement of local competitive markets.

ISSUES

• Negotiation and arbitration of interconnection agreements.

• State certification and annual reporting of telecommunications and broadband service.

• Disputes with incumbent carriers and customers.

• Federal, state and local franchise fee obligations.

• Mergers and acquisitions.

• Rights-of-Way, Underground facilities and IRU Agreements.

• Land use, facility placement and utility real estate projects.

• Rulemaking and Administrative proceedings.

• Tariff Application and Registration issues.

• Broadband and telecommunications networks.

EMERGING TRENDS

• Broadband and IP deployment

• Rural High Cost / Connect America Fund (“CAF”) / Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (“RDOF”).

• State Rural Broadband Grants and Programs.

• Lifeline and Universal Service Initiatives.

• State Registration and Reporting.

• Wireless Services and Mobile payments.

• Eligible Telecommunications Carrier certification and compliance.

• VLAN, Cloud Computing and Ethernet connectivity.

• Service unbundling and commercial agreements.