US HB2566 | 2015-2016 | 114th Congress

Status

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Engrossed on November 15 2016 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2016-11-16 - Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 668.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Summary

Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2016 (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.

Tracking Information

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Title

Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2016

Sponsors


History

DateChamberAction
2016-11-16SenateRead twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 668.
2016-11-15SenateReceived in the Senate.
2016-11-14HouseMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2016-11-14HouseOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6127-6128)
2016-11-14HouseDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2566.
2016-11-14HouseConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6127-6129)
2016-11-14HouseMr. Burgess moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2016-11-14HousePlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 629.
2016-11-14HouseReported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 114-805.
2016-09-21HouseOrdered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
2016-09-21HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2016-09-20HouseCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2016-09-13HouseForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
2016-09-13HouseSubcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2016-09-12HouseSubcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
2015-05-22HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
2015-05-21HouseReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
2015-05-21HouseIntroduced in House

Same As/Similar To

SB827 (Same As) 2016-11-28 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 687.

Subjects


US Congress State Sources


Bill Comments

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