House legislation introduced before Thanksgiving includes sections on emergency communications and FirstNet, a newly released text shows. The Department of Homeland Security’s undersecretary-national protection and programs directorate must submit to Capitol Hill “information on the Department of Homeland Security’s responsibilities related to the development” of FirstNet, said the text of HR-6381, introduced by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, R-Texas. It has no co-sponsors and is referred to several committees, including McCaul’s. “The Secretary of Homeland Security may not change the location or reporting structure of the Office of Emergency Communications of [DHS] unless the Secretary receives prior authorization from the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate permitting such change,” the bill said. The large text includes one subtitle on communications, also addressing responsibilities of the Office of Emergency Communications director, that office’s annual reporting duties and tweaking language on statewide interoperability coordinators.
A large majority of Americans remain unable to text 911 for help in emergency situations, but some local authorities continue to question calls to support SMS at public safety answering points (PSAPs), 911 officials said in interviews. The National Emergency Number Association is frustrated the rollout isn’t going faster, said NENA Director-Government Affairs Trey Forgety. “If everyone made a decision that text-to-911 had to be implemented before the end of the year 2017, it could be done easily.” Localities are sympathetic to the need for text-to-911 but worry there's not a sufficient business model to move forward, said Fire Chief Don Crowson of Arlington, Texas. “We’re not resistant. We’re concerned.”
A large majority of Americans remain unable to text 911 for help in emergency situations, but some local authorities continue to question calls to support SMS at public safety answering points (PSAPs), 911 officials said in interviews. The National Emergency Number Association is frustrated the rollout isn’t going faster, said NENA Director-Government Affairs Trey Forgety. “If everyone made a decision that text-to-911 had to be implemented before the end of the year 2017, it could be done easily.” Localities are sympathetic to the need for text-to-911 but worry there's not a sufficient business model to move forward, said Fire Chief Don Crowson of Arlington, Texas. “We’re not resistant. We’re concerned.”
A CenturyLink telecom service discontinuance request is drawing concerns about the dangers, availability, cost and service quality of wireless alternatives to wireline service. The FCC Wireline Bureau recently solicited input on CenturyLink's application to discontinue "QCC Frame Relay Service and QCC Asynchronous Transfer Mode [ATM] Service" nationally starting as early as Dec. 16, with existing customers to have some temporary rights to grandfathered service (see 1611160025). Comments due at the FCC Wednesday started to come in last week and continued to be posted Monday in docket 16-383. "We absolutely protest the defunding or destruction of our landlines," said Felicia Trujillo, who said she represented 97 healthcare professionals in Santa Fe, New Mexico, concerned about the health dangers of cellphones and cell towers. Cellphones are tied to elevated cancer rates in young people -- “the cellphone generation” -- and wireless service is less reliable in emergencies, she said. Kevin Mottus, who said he belonged to the California Brain Tumor Association, was the most prolific opponent of the CenturyLink application, attaching numerous reports about wireless radio-frequency emission risks to a letter (see here, for example). CenturyLink didn't comment. Mottus also submitted his filings in four other dockets on discontinuance requests of rural telcos (16-380, 16-381, 16-382 and 16-384).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's voluntary policy to help guide the development of self-driving vehicles is a "significant step forward" that will make "innovative uses of information," but carmakers should "ensure consumer privacy protections are built in from the start," wrote Jessica Rich, director of the FTC Consumer Protection Bureau, in comments filed to NHTSA. The FTC's are among more than 1,000 views submitted by Tuesday's deadline for comments on NHTSA's autonomous car guidelines released in September (see 1609200039 and 1609160038).
The FCC plans to consider real-time text and emergency alert system items and possibly others at its Dec. 15 commissioners' meeting, said the tentative agenda released Tuesday. Both the RTT and EAS items consist of a combined draft order and Further NPRM. The items circulated Tuesday, a commission official told us. The tentative agenda is due 21 days before a meeting, but was released early because of Thanksgiving on Thursday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's voluntary policy to help guide the development of self-driving vehicles is a "significant step forward" that will make "innovative uses of information," but carmakers should "ensure consumer privacy protections are built in from the start," wrote Jessica Rich, director of the FTC Consumer Protection Bureau, in comments filed to NHTSA. The FTC's are among more than 1,000 views submitted by Tuesday's deadline for comments on NHTSA's autonomous car guidelines released in September (see 1609200039 and 1609160038).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's voluntary policy to help guide the development of self-driving vehicles is a "significant step forward" that will make "innovative uses of information," but carmakers should "ensure consumer privacy protections are built in from the start," wrote Jessica Rich, director of the FTC Consumer Protection Bureau, in comments filed to NHTSA. The FTC's are among more than 1,000 views submitted by Tuesday's deadline for comments on NHTSA's autonomous car guidelines released in September (see 1609200039 and 1609160038).
The FCC plans to consider real-time text and emergency alert system items and possibly others at its Dec. 15 commissioners' meeting, said the tentative agenda released Tuesday. Both the RTT and EAS items consist of a combined draft order and Further NPRM. The items circulated Tuesday, a commission official told us. The tentative agenda is due 21 days before a meeting, but was released early because of Thanksgiving on Thursday.
California hasn’t decided whether to opt out of FirstNet but wants to keep its options open on how to build a radio access network (RAN) for the national public safety network, a California Office of Emergency Services (OES) spokesman said Monday. OES sought alternative plans by Jan. 2 in a request for information last week posted to the state’s procurement website (Event ID 3563). “An opt-in or opt-out decision has not been made at this point,” the OES spokesman said. “We want to obtain as much information as possible of available options for building out California’s Radio Access Network.” California joined several other states seeking alternative FirstNet RAN plans (see 1611100049). By federal statute, governors will have 90 days to accept or opt out after FirstNet delivers plans to states, then 180 days to submit an alternative plan for FCC approval.