110 HR 7000 IH: Universal Roaming Act of 2008 U.S. House of Representatives 2008-09-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7000 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 23, 2008 Mr. Waxman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require any eligible telecommunications carrier receiving universal service support for the provision of services for rural, insular, and high cost areas to offer automatic roaming services to any technically compatible carrier upon request.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Universal Roaming Act of 2008.

2.

Roaming requirements for recipients of high cost universal service support

Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (m)

Automatic roaming requirement

(1)

In general

Any eligible telecommunications carrier under subsection (e) that receives, on or after the end of the 180-day period that begins on the date of enactment of the Universal Roaming Act of 2008, Federal universal service support, as described in paragraph (2), and any affiliate of such eligible telecommunications carrier, shall be required to offer automatic roaming services without territorial limitation or restriction on just and reasonable terms, consistent with sections 201 and 202, to a carrier— (A)that requests such services on behalf of its subscribers; and (B)that provides technically compatible equipment to its subscribers. (2)

Supported services

The requirement in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall only apply to an eligible telecommunications carrier and such carrier’s affiliate if either such carrier or such affiliate receives support for the provision of services for rural, insular, and high cost areas supported under subsection (c)(1), as modified pursuant to subsection (c)(2). (3)

Opt-out procedure

(A)

Notification

An eligible telecommunications carrier required to offer automatic roaming under paragraph (1) may notify the Commission that the carrier shall cease to seek and obtain universal service support with regard to the provision of services for rural, insular, and high cost areas. (B)

Obligations and support cease

Such carrier shall not be subject to the requirements of paragraph (1) and shall cease to receive universal service support with regard to the provision of services for rural, insular, and high cost areas at the end of the 90-day period that begins on the date that the Commission receives the notification under subparagraph (A), provided that such carrier and all of the affiliates of such carrier cease to receive such universal service support. (4)

Dispute resolution

The Commission shall adjudicate any dispute about terms or technical compatibility pursuant to existing Commission procedures implementing section 208. (5)

No rate regulation

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as prescribing particular rates for the provision of automatic roaming services. (6)

Definition of automatic roaming

The term automatic roaming shall have the meaning given such term in the Commission’s regulations. .