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.
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.
Memberships & Associations
American Bar AssociationFederal Communications Bar Association, Co-Chair Wireline Committee
