Verrill’s Telecommunications Law Group has an active, successful practice representing national providers of telecommunications services. Our clients include wireless and landline telecommunication providers, high-tech companies, internet service providers, radio communications providers, trade associations, and wholesale consumers of telecommunications services.
The group routinely assists clients on regulatory matters before the Federal Communications Commission, state public utility commissions, and other federal and state agencies on a wide range of issues, including the following:
- Pole attachments
- Universal service
- Privacy
- Net neutrality
- Numbering
- Lifeline
- Antitrust
- Consumer protection
- Telehealth
- Facility siting for towers or wires
- Corporate finance and other business transactions
- Labor and employment issues
- Real estate and easement procurement
- Mergers and acquisitions
- State and local procurement
In addition, through our affiliate, Maine Street Solutions, the group also offers its clients sophisticated government relations and public affairs assistance in the northeast region on federal and state legislative matters.
Our recent projects include:
- Appeals of Tax Assessments before State Administrative Agencies: Successfully defended a leading national prepaid telecommunications company in administrative appeals of state tax assessments, avoiding potential multimillion-dollar tax liability.
- Rural Dark Fiber: Represented a Maine-based consortium in the seeking and receipt of $25 million in BTOP grants to build 1,100 miles of high-capacity middle-mile dark fiber for unserved and underserved areas of Maine. Assisted the enterprise further with securing state authority to locate federally supported dark fiber on utility poles and in the public right of way.
- PUC Representation: Represented a wireless telecommunications trade association in state public utility commission proceedings throughout New England on a range of issues, including pole attachment dockets, rate/fee inquiries, and rulemakings.
- Lifeline: Provide legal and strategic advice to Lifeline service providers before state PUCs and the FCC.
- Tower Siting: Provided real estate, environmental, and permitting services in the siting of more than 200 towers over the past decade.
- Mergers and Acquisitions: Provided regulatory and corporate assistance to a local exchange carrier in an acquisition by a large regional carrier.
- Collective Representation: Coordinated a coalition of national mobile telecommunications providers in a state rulemaking related to emergency service and outage reporting.
- Telecommunications Relay Service: Represented a national telecommunications company in connection with the provision of telecommunications relay service.
- Telecommunications Tax Policy: Provided government affairs assistance to numerous telecommunications providers on issues related to mobile sourcing, tax reform, E-911 fees, and USF fees.
- Statewide Radio Network Procurement and Implementation: Provided government relations assistance to a radio communications carrier regarding issues related to state procurement, including assistance with regard to a bid appeal before an agency panel and the Superior Court.
- Cell Phone Labeling: Over many years, assisted a consortium of wireless communications companies with regard to proposed state legislation requiring the labeling of cell phones related to RF emissions.
- Telecommunications Regulatory Policy: Represented clients before federal and state legislatures concerning telecommunications-related issues, including with regard to privacy, net neutrality, pole attachment, and provider of last resort matters.
- Small Cell Facility Siting: Assisted a national wireless company in the permitting and siting of small wireless facilities, including entry into master licensing agreements with local municipalities and utility pole owners. Further assist in drafting state legislation and model ordinances for siting small wireless facilities in the public right-of-way.
- National Call Center: Provided regulatory assistance to a national call center in a state regulatory proceeding related to quality of service and billing issues.
- Eligible Telecommunications Carrier: Assisted a national telecommunications provider in a proceeding before a state utilities commission to relinquish its ETC status.
Verrill’s Energy Group has recently researched, edited, and published the 2nd edition of its treatise, Maine Regulation of Public Utilities. It is the only comprehensive treatise on the subject.
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