A draft rulemaking notice on proposed improvements to the emergency alert system will seek comment on improving security for alerting systems, creating a standardized, uniform format for state EAS plans, and EAS test codes, said an FCC official.
Safeguarding National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration geostationary operational environmental satellite rebroadcast (GRB) stations from interference would require "relatively small protection zones," LightSquared said in an FCC filing in docket 12-340. LightSquared has been pushing the FCC for reallocation and auction of a slice of NOAA spectrum and for conditions on its spectrum license that would let LightSquared share it for its terrestrial broadband network (see 1512310016). Wednesday's filing updated 2014 LightSquared submissions about NOAA's use of the 1675-1680 MHz band and the compatibility of commercial operations there, which showed the two could coexist by relocating some NOAA radiosondes and establishing defined protection and coordination zones, LightSquared said. But it said that study covered only NOAA's sensor data link in 1673.4-1678.6 MHz and not its GRB link at 1680.6-1692.6. LightSquared also again urged the FCC to issue a public notice on its NOAA spectrum idea (see 1601140037). NOAA didn't comment. In a separate ex parte filing in the docket Wednesday, the company recapped a meeting between CEO Doug Smith and board member Reed Hundt and FCC, NOAA, NTIA and Office of Management and Budget representatives about NOAA sharing 1675-1680 MHz. Some state and local governments and private entities use NOAA signals in or near the spectrum band, LightSquared said, saying it submitted a report to the FCC identifying alternative delivery mechanisms for those non-NOAA entities. LightSquared said the general consensus at the meeting was that the issue needing addressing "is not a matter of technology [but] a matter responsibility, logistics and funding -- issues that could be addressed by the Commission ... through service rules, license conditions and the auction process." An FCC notice-and-comment process would have to identify all use cases, if not necessarily all users, of the band, LightSquared said. In that report, also filed Wednesday, LightSquared said its investigation into non-NOAA users "was limited in scope because the universe of users was unknown." Some of those users include the Data Collection System/Data Collection Platform Report service where NOAA collects weather and environmental data from thousands of sensors around the U.S.; Emergency Managers Weather Information Network, which is used by state and local governments and public safety agencies to receive weather-related NOAA warnings; and geostationary operational environmental satellite variable/GRB, used by some private forecasting services and university research institutions for their forecasting models. Commercial operations wouldn't impinge on DCS/DCPR ability to upload data to NOAA, LightSquared said.
APCO urged the FCC to take prompt action to sunset a requirement that retired handsets, known as non-service-initialized (NSI) devices, still be able to connect to 911. APCO cited a November filing by CTIA in which the wireless association said no one has a count on how many 2G phones are still in circulation and are being used by some as a way of calling 911 in an emergency. CTIA estimated as many as 136 million 2G handsets are still in circulation, but will no longer be able to contact 2G at some point as carriers shut down their 2G networks. That dynamic is important, APCO said. “Reduced NSI access to 9-1-1 resulting from technology retirements will only worsen as carriers shut down 2G, and then 3G networks,” the filing said. “To address this situation, it should be the wireless industry, not [911 call centers], that leads efforts to educate affected consumers. The carriers should be responsible for managing expectations related to their networks, and their responsibility includes educating all affected parties, not just their remaining subscribers.” APCO officials said they met with Public Safety Bureau staff to discuss the problem. National Emergency Number Association officials reported on a separate meeting with bureau staffers on the issue. “NENA’s representatives stressed the extreme importance of solving the NSI problem on a short timeframe,” NENA said. “We explained that the cost burden to Public Safety Answering Points from the added equipment, telecommunications services, and personnel required to handle the flood of NSI calls -- most of which do not relate to actual emergencies -- has become unsustainable.” The filings were posted in docket 08-51. CTIA did not comment.
Despite a continuing lack of consensus on a new safe harbor agreement, talks between the EU and U.S. are moving quickly, stakeholders said in interviews last week. Those involved are optimistic because there's momentum, said Linklaters (Brussels) privacy and data protection lawyer Tanguy Van Overstraeten. The EU Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (WP) said Oct. 16 if there's no new arrangement with the U.S. by the end of January, and depending on assessment of other data transfer tools, national data protection authorities (DPAs) would take all necessary and appropriate actions, including enforcement, to ensure personal data sent to the U.S. are protected (see 1510160030).
APCO expressed general support for NTIA’s proposal on how it will review and approve fees imposed by FirstNet for use of the public safety broadband network. NTIA sought comment in December (see 1512140040) and posted comments Friday. AT&T, which has emerged as a likely partner with FirstNet to build the network, also weighed in, highlighting the challenges ahead. Verizon, considered the other most likely contender, hadn't weighed in by our deadline.
Despite a continuing lack of consensus on a new safe harbor agreement, talks between the EU and U.S. are moving quickly, stakeholders said in interviews last week. Those involved are optimistic because there's momentum, said Linklaters (Brussels) privacy and data protection lawyer Tanguy Van Overstraeten. The EU Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (WP) said Oct. 16 if there's no new arrangement with the U.S. by the end of January, and depending on assessment of other data transfer tools, national data protection authorities (DPAs) would take all necessary and appropriate actions, including enforcement, to ensure personal data sent to the U.S. are protected (see 1510160030).
Keller & Heckman promotes Wesley Wright to partner, practicing telecom law ... Patent and Trademark Office hires Molly Kocialski, ex-Oracle America, as director-Rocky Mountain Regional Office ... Sprint hires Glen Flowers, ex-GWF Consulting, as president-Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana Region, and he previously worked at the carrier, and Conrad Hunter, ex-Tranlin, as president-New England Region, and promotes Karen Paletta to president-New York City, New Jersey, Central Pennsylvania and Delaware Region, and she remains regional vice president-consumer sales, Northeast, until new regional structure rolls out in 2017 ... GoPro Entertainment Senior Vice President Zander Lurie resigns to become CEO at SurveyMonkey, but is appointed to GoPro board.
The Obama administration wants to provide more money to help clear the way for self-driving vehicles, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx Thursday in Detroit. The status quo is unacceptable, agreed Information Technology Industry Council President Dean Garfield. He and CTA President Gary Shapiro lauded the discussion about paving the way for the technologies. Connected vehicles have generated growing debate in recent years due to the spectrum required for intelligent transportation, and what some say are the hacking and privacy vulnerabilities inherent in the changing technologies.
The Obama administration wants to provide more money to help clear the way for self-driving vehicles, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx Thursday in Detroit. The status quo is unacceptable, agreed Information Technology Industry Council President Dean Garfield. He and CTA President Gary Shapiro lauded the discussion about paving the way for the technologies. Connected vehicles have generated growing debate in recent years due to the spectrum required for intelligent transportation, and what some say are the hacking and privacy vulnerabilities inherent in the changing technologies.
The Obama administration wants to provide more money to help clear the way for self-driving vehicles, said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx Thursday in Detroit. The status quo is unacceptable, agreed Information Technology Industry Council President Dean Garfield. He and CTA President Gary Shapiro lauded the discussion about paving the way for the technologies. Connected vehicles have generated growing debate in recent years due to the spectrum required for intelligent transportation, and what some say are the hacking and privacy vulnerabilities inherent in the changing technologies.