TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LAW
ROTHFELDER STERN, LLC
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW PRACTICE
Our attorneys have more than 65 years of combined experience providing legal services to a diverse client base in the telecommunications, cable and broadband industries. Our telecommunications law work has involved regulatory, transactional, judicial and legislative matters. We often appear on behalf of clients before the state public utility commissions the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other bodies, as more fully described on our Utility Practice Page. We also represent clients in court and in appeals to state and federal courts.
​
Rothfelder Stern telecommunication attorneys have been representing clients since the 1984 AT&T divestiture and through the deregulation of the telecommunications network, including the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Telecommunications law matters have involved network unbundling, interconnection and access rates, competition within and among platforms (POTS, wireless, satellite, etc.), cable franchising and renewal, internet and broadband development, consumer protection, universal service funding and allocation, and service quality including emergency calling. Rothfelder Stern's clients include incumbent and competitive local incumbent exchange carriers, wireless service providers, cable system franchisees and municipal franchisors, and competitive services providers (VoIP, operator services).
The following selected experience demonstrates the breadth of matters for which clients have engaged us.
LOCAL EXCHANGE SERVICES
Our telecommunications attorneys have represented incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) in several states involving numerous issues including the authority to operate; ILEC rate cases, unbundled network elements (UNEs) and interconnection; pole attachments; N11 dialing (e.g. 211, 311 etc.); authority for financing; authority for (and opposition to) mergers and acquisitions; slamming cases (i.e., allegations of unauthorized changes in customer service); and use of ILEC property for video. We have assisted in the negotiation and execution of carrier-to-carrier transactions including interconnection and IRU agreements. Our work has included rights-of-way and other land use matters for telecommunications facilities application of state sales tax to voice over internet protocol (VOIP); state and federal universal service funding, assessment and related issues the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and FCC. We have handled Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designations. We have represented clients in multiple states and before the FCC. We pursued and obtained federal trademarks on behalf of an ILEC and its affiliates.
WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
We have represented wireless carriers in a wide variety of matters in multiple states involving compensation for service; interconnection with landline carriers; easements, rights-of-way and related real property matters; pole attachments; implementation of N11 dialing; area code relief, number portability and other access to numbering resource matters; homeland security issues; state assessments and taxes; privacy issues; operational authority; ETC designation for Lifeline and Linkup programs; and consumer terms and conditions of service.
We served as a registered lobbyist in several Northeast states advocating for legislative reforms and initiatives in support of the wireless industry.
CABLE TELEVISION SERVICES
We have assisted municipalities in negotiating and approving initial and renewed cable system franchises, including programming issues, buildouts and franchise fees. We have represented ILEC affiliates in obtaining municipal cable franchises and in exiting the cable business; and assisted cable providers on must carry issues (rights of broadcast stations to be on their networks).
INTERNET AND BROADBAND SERVICES
We have advised a variety of providers regarding issues and concerns in the provision of internet and broadband services. We have assisted internet service providers, network service and applications providers in negotiating commercial transactions with vendors and end users and in employment and non-competition agreements.
Please contact us so we can bring our experience to your issue, case, concern, problem, or opportunity.
