A single national system for 911 data could promote upgrades to next-generation 911, said public safety and emergency-number officials. Comments were due Wednesday on a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration request for information (docket NHTSA-2016-0069) about setting up a nationally uniform data system for 911 public safety answering point (PSAP) call data and local and state 911 system operations data (see 1607070008). Commenters said possible barriers to a national system are convincing software vendors to share data and locating enough funding.
The EU and U.S. adopted similar net neutrality frameworks, but "the devil will be in the details" of how they resolve disputes that emerge, said Sidley Austin attorney Jonathan Nuechterlein Thursday on an FCBA panel. Andrea Glorioso, a digital economy counselor for the EU Delegation in Washington, outlined European processes and an advisory body's recent "common sense" net neutrality guidance to national regulatory authorities (NRAs), including on ISP "zero-rating" data practices, some of which would be more problematic than others. Dan O'Connor, vice president-public policy, said the Computer and Communications Association supports the "sensible" net neutrality guidance the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) issued Aug. 30 (see 1608300002).
The EU and U.S. adopted similar net neutrality frameworks, but "the devil will be in the details" of how they resolve disputes that emerge, said Sidley Austin attorney Jonathan Nuechterlein Thursday on an FCBA panel. Andrea Glorioso, a digital economy counselor for the EU Delegation in Washington, outlined European processes and an advisory body's recent "common sense" net neutrality guidance to national regulatory authorities (NRAs), including on ISP "zero-rating" data practices, some of which would be more problematic than others. Dan O'Connor, vice president-public policy, said the Computer and Communications Association supports the "sensible" net neutrality guidance the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) issued Aug. 30 (see 1608300002).
The second-ever nationwide test of the emergency alert system Wednesday (see 1609270058) went smoothly, according to early results, as expected (see 1609130060). That indicates the system of relying on a combination of Common Alerting Protocol and daisy-chained stations to disseminate the alert is reliable, EAS officials, broadcasters and equipment makers told us Wednesday. Some stations took longer than others to broadcast the alert and some didn't do so at all, but those errors were infrequent and scattered, and didn't occur to an unexpected degree, said Ed Czarnecki, senior director-strategy and government affairs at EAS gear maker Monroe Electronics. The first nationwide EAS test in 2011 had several issues.
The FCC must be aware of limitations faced by 911 call centers if it imposes a requirement that industry move from text telephone (TTY) to real-time text (RTT) technology, APCO said. The National Emergency Number Association backed a phased transition when the FCC took comments over the summer (see 1607270022). APCO said in a filing in docket 16-145 that its representatives and representatives of the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators met with FCC officials to discuss concerns. “RTT has the potential to enable faster, more robust text communications with 9-1-1 than TTY or SMS, but its support for implementation of RTT is contingent upon compatibility with TTY and existing IP-based solutions, to the extent Public Safety Answering Points have adopted them,” APCO said. “APCO also re-emphasized the need to ensure interoperability to avoid the challenge of integrating different solutions and interfaces.”
The FCC must be aware of limitations faced by 911 call centers if it imposes a requirement that industry move from text telephone (TTY) to real-time text (RTT) technology, APCO said. The National Emergency Number Association backed a phased transition when the FCC took comments over the summer (see 1607270022). APCO said in a filing in docket 16-145 that its representatives and representatives of the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators met with FCC officials to discuss concerns. “RTT has the potential to enable faster, more robust text communications with 9-1-1 than TTY or SMS, but its support for implementation of RTT is contingent upon compatibility with TTY and existing IP-based solutions, to the extent Public Safety Answering Points have adopted them,” APCO said. “APCO also re-emphasized the need to ensure interoperability to avoid the challenge of integrating different solutions and interfaces.”
A jettisoned proposal to include language in the short-term continuing resolution to fund the government after FY 2016 expires Friday that would delay the imminent Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition appears unlikely to re-emerge in negotiations. The proposed language would extend a rider in the Department of Commerce's FY 2016 budget that bars NTIA from using its funds during the fiscal year to execute the handover (see 1609130050). Senate Republicans' perceived unwillingness to revisit the transition funding ban rider likely removes the major obstacle to the transition, though House legislators are continuing to explore a legal challenge, industry lobbyists told us.
A jettisoned proposal to include language in the short-term continuing resolution to fund the government after FY 2016 expires Friday that would delay the imminent Internet Assigned Numbers Authority transition appears unlikely to re-emerge in negotiations. The proposed language would extend a rider in the Department of Commerce's FY 2016 budget that bars NTIA from using its funds during the fiscal year to execute the handover (see 1609130050). Senate Republicans' perceived unwillingness to revisit the transition funding ban rider likely removes the major obstacle to the transition, though House legislators are continuing to explore a legal challenge, industry lobbyists told us.
Wireless emergency alerts must allow photos and other media, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told the FCC. “In light of the need to respond in real time to terror threats, we can’t afford to have an emergency wireless response system that is stuck in the 90’s,” Schumer said in a statement Sunday. “In the era of Instagram, Facebook and SnapChat our Wireless Emergency Alert System needs to get as smart as our phones and be updated so it can deliver photos and other media that has information that can save lives. … To maximize safety, the FCC should quickly update our emergency alert system by increasing the number of maximum characters permitted and allowing for pictures to be attached.” He sent FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler a letter Monday backing the agency’s efforts in this regard. “It is clear the WEA system provides immeasurable support to emergency management and law enforcement agencies across the nation,” Schumer, a member of Democratic leadership expected to take over as Democratic Senate leader next Congress, told Wheeler. “Significant improvements must be made in order to allow agencies, such as the [N.Y. Police Department], to fully capitalize on the system. Accordingly, I applaud your efforts to improve the system and I ask you to expedite enhancements, such as extending the character limit to the maximum, allowing the use of multimedia images, and improving locational accuracy, so that citizens can be as informed as possible during times of risk.” Commissioners vote on a wireless emergency alerts item at their Thursday meeting, which many cities and officials have commented on, given WEA was used to alert New York area residents to authorities' ultimately successful search earlier this month for a bomber (see 1609230022).
Wireless emergency alerts must allow photos and other media, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told the FCC. “In light of the need to respond in real time to terror threats, we can’t afford to have an emergency wireless response system that is stuck in the 90’s,” Schumer said in a statement Sunday. “In the era of Instagram, Facebook and SnapChat our Wireless Emergency Alert System needs to get as smart as our phones and be updated so it can deliver photos and other media that has information that can save lives. … To maximize safety, the FCC should quickly update our emergency alert system by increasing the number of maximum characters permitted and allowing for pictures to be attached.” He sent FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler a letter Monday backing the agency’s efforts in this regard. “It is clear the WEA system provides immeasurable support to emergency management and law enforcement agencies across the nation,” Schumer, a member of Democratic leadership expected to take over as Democratic Senate leader next Congress, told Wheeler. “Significant improvements must be made in order to allow agencies, such as the [N.Y. Police Department], to fully capitalize on the system. Accordingly, I applaud your efforts to improve the system and I ask you to expedite enhancements, such as extending the character limit to the maximum, allowing the use of multimedia images, and improving locational accuracy, so that citizens can be as informed as possible during times of risk.” Commissioners vote on a wireless emergency alerts item at their Thursday meeting, which many cities and officials have commented on, given WEA was used to alert New York area residents to authorities' ultimately successful search earlier this month for a bomber (see 1609230022).