Eighty state regulatory commissioners, representing 34 states, sent letter to FCC Wed. asking agency not to restrict their ability to retain unbundled network element platform (UNE-P) as entry strategy in their states. Letter, announced by NARUC Pres. David Svanda at conference sponsored by Phoenix Center, also urged FCC not to preempt state commissions’ ability to add UNEs in their states beyond those that might be on national list. Letter comes as FCC weighs changes in its UNE rules and state regulators have become increasingly concerned that they might not have flexibility to make changes in whatever FCC does.

FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force released recommendations Fri., including legislative “blueprint” for working with Congress. Legislative proposals cover receiver standards, possible users fees and potential authorization for 2-sided auctions. Proposals include reassessing Orbit Act to consider permitting, but not requiring, FCC to use competitive bidding to resolve mutually exclusive applications for spectrum for international satellite services.

White House Cybersecurity czar Richard Clarke called Thurs. for “national discussion” on whether U.S. should embrace Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) as next-generation Internet protocol, move that would follow path already chosen by Japan and Europe. U.S. govt. doesn’t have position on IPv6, but Clarke ticked off several cybersecurity and economic factors that he said would support move to that protocol.

Advocates for minority and low-income groups are researching ways to challenge alleged electronic redlining by cable and telecom operators when they roll out new advanced services such as high-speed Internet in low-income and minority neighborhoods, sources said. Minority Media & Telecom Council (MMTC) will take up issue at March board meeting and will decide whether to mount FCC or court challenge, Exec. Dir. David Honig told us. Civil Rights Forum on Communications Policy (CRFCP) said it was actively seeking ways to raise $25,000-$35,000 to conduct study of electronic redlining in Boston, D.C., N.Y.

House will continue debate today (Thurs.) on compromise bill (HR-5710) to create Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS), including combined Directorate for Information Analysis & Infrastructure Protection (IA-IP). DHS would include undersecy. responsible for comprehensive national plan for protecting key national resources such as information technology and telecom systems, “including satellites, electronic financial and property record storage and transmission systems, emergency preparedness communications systems.”

CHICAGO -- FCC Comr. Martin told state consumer advocates they needed to become more active at federal level if they wanted consumers’ interests to be considered in national telecom policy debates. He spoke at annual meeting of National Assn. of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), held in conjunction with NARUC annual convention here.

AT&T Wireless told FCC recent report on Enhanced 911 by former Office of Engineering & Technology Chief Dale Hatfield underscored inadequate attention paid to “wireline technical issues.” Last month, Hatfield released results of inquiry on wireless E911, pointing to “seriously antiquated” wireline infrastructure for emergency calls. Comment period on report closed Fri. AT&T Wireless said report showed wireline technical issues still needing work included timing of upgrades and how ILECs planned to recover E911 costs. Company said FCC should “take steps to ensure that the responsibilities of standards-setting bodies are clarified and that there is better specification of E911 implementation standards.” Carrier said there was no industry consensus on delivery of “location reliability” information, meaning “there is little understanding of how to interpret this information and the degree to which PSAPs should rely on it.” That means individual public safety entities are deciding independently whether such confidence factors should be delivered to public safety answering points (PSAPs). AT&T Wireless said any steps FCC took as result of report should recognize investment carriers had made in responding to E911 Phase 2 requests from PSAPs. Rural Cellular Corp. (RCC) said it was encountering rural carrier difficulties outlined in report in meeting existing accuracy standards in E911 rules. Carrier said its rural base stations weren’t densely spaced and typically were linear in their layout. While that provided good coverage to small population centers, it didn’t accommodate triangulation techniques needed to pinpoint physical location of E911 caller, RCC said. “Not only is triangulation more difficult to accomplish with fewer cells, but the percentage-based accuracy requirements are very difficult for a rural carrier to meet,” it said. Nextel described progress it had made in several markets in rolling out Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) capability in its iDEN market. Nextel said it was experiencing “extensive end-to-end connectivity problems” related to: (1) Trunking between LEC’s regional automatic location identification (ALI) database and PSAP. (2) Configuration of LEC’s selective routers and ALI databases. (3) Interface between Intrado’s wireless national ALI database and LEC’s infrastructure. Like other carriers, Nextel stressed need for flexibility in E911 rules. It agreed with point in Hatfield report that carriers with low customer turnover rates could be penalized under rules because they could be forced to absorb costs to replace obsolete handsets if enough customers didn’t naturally leave their system. Sprint said it agreed with Hatfield conclusion that FCC should stay focused on implementation of Phase 2 services and resist pressure to place new obligations on carriers. Hatfield report said creation of National 911 Program Office in proposed Dept. of Homeland Security would be helpful, but might come too late if ultimately implemented. “As a practical matter, Phase 2 service may be largely deployed by the time a new federal agency could take action,” Sprint said. It still may be helpful to smaller, underfunded jurisdictions that would request Phase 2 service at later date, carrier said.

SBC Chmn. Edward Whitacre expressed optimism Tues. that regulatory debates on unbundled network element platform (UNE-P) and broadband policies would have “positive” outcome. “The outlook is improved,” he said at UBS Warburg Annual Global Telecom Conference in N.Y.C., citing recent comments by FCC Chmn. Powell. “And it’s improved on both fronts.”

FCC Network Technology Div. Chief Jeffery Goldthorp has been named to Committee for National Security & Emergency Preparedness Communications, advisory panel of President’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Board. He will lead technical staff that will advise Committee on effects of emerging network technologies on public policy. He succeeds FCC Enforcement Bureau Senior Adviser Arlan van Doorn as Commission’s representative on board. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Deputy Chief Information Officer Joseph Szwarckop also was named to panel, succeeding FEMA Chief Information Officer Ron Miller.

Media Security & Reliability Council (MSRC) established by FCC after 9/11 to ensure nation would be able to get news and information in crisis said Wed. it had established working groups to examine various aspects of its mission and expected to issue final recommendations in either fall or winter 2003. Several members of MSRC, including McHenry Tichenor of Hispanic Bcstg. and Ann Arnold of Texas Assn. of Bcstrs. expressed impatience with pace of movement, specifically in dealing with issues facing nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS).