The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) has adopted an Order, which aims to facilitate the transition from legacy networks comprised of copper to more advanced alternatives. The Order grants blanket authority for carriers to grandfather interconnected VoIP services provisioned over copper lines. The Bureau has also waived the associated requirement to file an application with the FCC under its discontinuance rules. Additionally, the Bureau has waived, for a period of two years, the need for carriers applying for section 214(a) discontinuance authority to follow the testing methodology and parameters set forth in the 2016 Technology Transitions Order and its Technical Appendix.
