A storm of protest greeted a European Commission (EC) move to regulate online audiovisual (AV) services. The plan would apply the 1989 TV without Frontiers (TVWF) directive to Internet TV programming and “non-linear"(on- demand) services. But in comments submitted in advance of a major AV conference to occur later this month, telcos, ISPs and media groups panned the idea, saying it’s overkill and would hamper efforts to boost Europe’s economy.
Wireless carriers reported significantly better coverage over the weekend in areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. Wireless carriers began restoring service to ruined areas but New Orleans had very limited cell coverage. Many carriers said they're helping public safety officials by providing phones and priority network access in the affected areas.
NATOA said FCC rules must continue to enshrine local interests, as the commission seeks comment on whether to change 1993-1995 regulations. In a joint filing with the Mt. Hood (Ore.) Cable Regulatory Commission, NATOA said emergency alert systems and public access channels must be protected “in any revision of the Commission’s carriage rules.” The FCC, in its rules, shouldn’t change regulations on cable home wiring, a consortium of real estate groups said in a filing with the Commission. Retaining the rules won’t hurt small businesses, said the Building Owners & Managers Assn., the International Council of Shopping Centers, the National Assn. of Realtors and other organizations.
The FCC said comments opposing 3 petitions for reconsideration or clarification of the Commission’s VoIP E-911 requirements must be filed by Sept. 15. The reconsideration petitions were filed by CompTel, T-Mobile and jointly by the National Emergency Number Assn. and the VON Coalition. Replies are due Sept. 26.
Security analysts worry about possible online scams that exploit sympathy for those caught in Hurricane Katrina. Bogus e-mails that purport to have news on the aftermath already are circulating, experts said Thurs. Fraudulent messages seeking money also are cropping up. Similar hoaxes followed 2004’s Asian tsunami and 9/11 terror attacks in N.Y. and D.C.
The FCC’s E-911 order was an important step in regulating E-911 services for VoIP providers, but legislation is needed to ensure public access to emergency services, witnesses said Thurs. in prepared statements at a Senate Commerce Committee field hearing in Great Falls, Mont. “It is important that we move quickly,” said Sen. Burns (R-Mont.). “This is a problem which we need to fix very soon.” Burns, who presided over the hearing, is sponsor of a bipartisan bill (S-1063) introduced in May (CD May 19 p1) that would mandate E-911 access for VoIP providers. The bill, which would provide liability relief for emergency call-takers, would require a national plan for implementing next generation E-911 systems.
Satellite firms Thurs. weighed in on how they're aiding a Gulf region bereft of terrestrial communication options -- most remain submerged -- in what’s likely to be a historic disaster response mobilization. The New Orleans flood, which peaked Wed., could take 30 days to recede, complicating the task of repairing ground-based infrastructure, responders said. Meantime, satellite firms told us, they're providing services from above: telephony to broadband, and imaging to radio to link emergency responders to one other and Katrina survivors with the outside world.
A coming National Science Foundation (NSF) initiative will explore “new network architectures at scale” -- work that could produce an entirely new Internet architecture “with built-in security measures and support for ubiquitous sensors and wireless communications devices” -- the agency said in Aug. The Global Environment for Networking Investigations (GENI) program will support research, design and development of new networking and distributed systems capabilities by: (1) Going beyond existing paradigms of datagram, packet and circuit switching; designing new naming, addressing and overall identity architectures and new paradigms of network management. (2) Building security into the architecture; designing for high availability; balancing privacy and accountability; designing for regional difference and local values. (3) Devising new architectures incorporating emerging technologies (e.g., new wireless and optical technologies) and new computing paradigms enabled by pervasive devices. (4) Using information objects, location-based services and identity frameworks. (5) Rendering large-scale distributed applications secure, robust and manageable; developing principles and patterns for distributed applications. (6) Developing new network architecture theories; investigating network complexity, scalability and economic incentives. NSF’s Computer & Information Science & Engineering Directorate will manage the initiative.
BellSouth said preliminary reports show some 1.75 million customers lost landline phone service to Hurricane Katrina. Of those, about 750,000 are in New Orleans and other coastal cities in La. and Miss. The rest are inland in those states, Ala. and Fla. A spokesman said BellSouth had roughly 220 switches and 1,800 remote network terminals in La. and Miss. using backup power, with the main immediate job being to keep generators fueled and batteries charged. Meanwhile, BellSouth said, it has restored service to some 378,000 lines in central Fla., struck late last week by Katrina en route to the Gulf Coast. Some 28,000 lines in Broward and Miami-Dade remained out of service.
A Senate Commerce Committee field hearing on E-911 and VoIP issues is set for today (Thurs.) in Great Falls, Mont. Witnesses include National Emergency Number Assn. Pres. David Jones, Vonage CEO Jeffrey Citron, Assn. of Public-Safety Communications Officials’ Wanda McCarley, 911 Institute Exec. Dir. Greg Rohde, Intrado Chmn. George Heinrichs, CenturyTel Gen. Mgr. Jeremy Ferkin, Mont. Dept. of Administration Dir. Janet Kelly, Blackfoot Telecom Gen. Counsel Bill Squires and Mont. PSC Chmn. Greg Jergeson.