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| Phone: (202) 342-8612 |
Fax: (202) 342-8451 |
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Steve Augustino is a partner in the firm's Washington, DC office. He focuses his practice on telecommunications and video gaming matters.
Mr. Augustino represents all types of telecommunications service providers, including competitive local carriers, VoIP providers and prepaid calling card providers. His work for these clients includes negotiating interconnection agreements, representing carriers in interconnection arbitration proceedings and advising on rulemaking proceedings. Mr. Augustino has experience defending clients in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforcement actions, including Universal Service Fund (USF) compliance investigations and Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) reporting audits. He has negotiated a dozen settlements with the FCC over customer proprietary network information (CPNI), payphone compensation, fax marketing, slamming, "fat finger dialing" and other carrier marketing practices. Mr. Augustino has led numerous national coalitions in pursuing public policy decisions favorable to competitive providers' business plans.
With over 15 years of experience representing innovative content and service providers, Mr. Augustino added a gaming concentration to his practice in 2006, specifically geared towards addressing mobile and broadband access issues affecting video game developers and publishers. His experience in the gaming industry helps online and mobile gaming companies meet the business and legal challenges brought on by the intersection of gaming and communications policy in the United States. |
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Representative Experience:
Led a coalition of carriers pursuing high-capacity and broadband network elements during the FCC's Triennial Review of unbundled network element obligations. The coalition was successful in obtaining rules that preserve access to these elements where competitive alternatives are not present.
Filed one of the few competitive carrier forbearance requests seeking, among other things, removal of restrictions on access to combinations of unbundled network elements.
Led an industry trade association in enforcing a statutory prohibition on Bell Telephone Company ownership of alarm monitoring companies. These efforts resulted in the FCC declaring over $1 billion in acquisitions to be unlawful. |
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Memberships and Associations:
American Bar Association
Federal Communications Bar Association |
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Publications:
"Communications" Chapter, Developments in Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice 2005-2006, American Bar Association Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice, 2007, co-author.
"Regulating VoIP," Game Developer, May 2007. |
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Client Advisories:
"Annual CPNI Certification and Statement Filings Due March 1, 2008/FCC Enforcement Bureau Releases Certification Template," February 01, 2008.
"FCC Accepts AT&T Voluntary Conditions, Approves Merger of AT&T Inc. and BellSouth Corporation," January 25, 2007.
"Commission Grants Substantial Forbearance From UNE Obligations in Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area," January 25, 2007.
"Advanced Wireless Services Spectrum Auction Presents Opportunities for Wireless Providers," January 24, 2007.
"Anti-Pretexting Legislation Takes Effect - VoIP Call Records Included," January 19, 2007.
"Novel Class Actions Seek Application of California Eavesdropping Law to Ordinary Course of Business Telephone Monitoring and Recording," November 10, 2006.
"New State Privacy Laws: Regulating the Use of Social Security Numbers and Requiring Wireless Security Warnings," October 10, 2006.
"FCC Competition Update," August 29, 2006.
"VoIP Providers File USF Forms for the First Time," August 04, 2006.
"FCC Opens Proceeding to Implement Katrina Panel Recommendations," July 10, 2006.
"FCC Modifies Universal Service Fund Contribution Obligations for Interconnected VoIP Providers and Wireless Providers," June 27, 2006.
"D.C. Circuit Affirms Triennial Review Remand Order," June 19, 2006.
"Lessons from the NSA Warrantless Wiretapping Controversy," May 31, 2006.
"Verizon's Petition for Forbearance Deemed Granted," March 21, 2006.
"FCC Opens Rulemaking to Strengthen Privacy Protections," February 21, 2006.
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Speaking Engagements:
Implementing InterCall: USF Implications for the Conference Call Industry, Kelley Drye Webinar, July 2008.
Virtual Worlds: Real Disputes Around the Globe, 2008 ION Game Conference, May 2008.
Pre-Due Diligence: Preparing Your Company for Mergers & Acquisitions, Kelley Drye Seminar, February 2008.
Best Practices for Multi-National Casual Game Sites, Casual Connect Europe, February 2008.
Federal Enforcement Issues - Shared Jurisdiction of the FCC and the FTC, COMPTEL’s Regulatory Workshop, October 2007.
From Austin to Washington: Politics and Video Games, Austin Games Developers Conference, September 2007.
Politics and Video Games, Casual Game Association’s Casual Connect 2007, July 2007.
Net Neutrality, IPTV, Wireless Broadband and More: A Gamer’s Guide to Broadband Issues, Online Game Developers Conference, May 2007.
USF Reform and Enforcement, Kelley Drye’s Regulatory and Legislative Update, April 2007. |
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Bar Admissions:
District of Columbia, 1993
Maryland, 1991
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Courts:
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals – District of Columbia
U.S. District Court – District of Columbia
U.S. District Court – Maryland |
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| Education:
Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., magna cum laude, 1991
University of Virginia, B.A., with highest distinction, 1988
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Office Location:
Washington Harbour, Suite 400
3050 K Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007-5108
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