CTIA representatives stressed the importance of liability protections at the national level for carriers and others as next-generation 911 is deployed. The comments came in a meeting with FCC Public Safety Bureau officials including Chief David Turetsky. “During the conversation, CTIA noted that comments from numerous parties in this proceeding reflect widespread support for clear, comprehensive, standardized, nationwide limitation of liability protection for all entities participating in any aspects of emergency services access, including NG9-1-1 services,” said an ex parte filing (http://xrl.us/boe8fm). The FCC should urge Congress to legislate in the area, CTIA said.
Comments are due Feb. 25 on a NECA proposal to modify average schedule formulas for interstate settlements, a public notice said (http://xrl.us/boez8x). NECA proposes to revise the formulas for average disbursements in connection with interstate access services for July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. Replies in WC docket 12-369 will be due March 7.
The request for proposal for local number portability (LNP) database platforms and services in the U.S., and associated documents, have been released, the FCC Wireline Bureau said in a public notice Tuesday (http://xrl.us/boez8r). Vender selection and system development are scheduled to be completed before expiration of the current LNP administrator contract in June 2015, the notice said.
Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) TV Pickup stations in the 7 GHz and 13 GHz bands must register their stationary receive sites with the FCC’s Universal Licensing System by April 1, said a public notice released Tuesday giving some guidance on the process (http://xrl.us/boezzh). Between now and the deadline, the FCC is waiving the $150 application fee typically associated with such filings, the notice said.
A resolution attacking the FCC’s rulemaking procedures (CD Jan 25 p5) generated considerable debate among members of the NARUC telecom committee Tuesday. “I am not out to hobble the FCC,” said resolution sponsor Commissioner Jim Cawley of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. Cawley spoke at length about what he deemed the FCC’s procedural failures, the literature surrounding it and his problems with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. Cawley wants to “curb the secrecy that’s prevalent there,” which he alleged to be “to the benefit of the regulated entities,” he said. Commissioner Anne Boyle of the Nebraska Public Service Commission spoke of the “insulting” federal attitude toward the Federal-State Joint Boards on Separations and Universal Service. Commissioner Larry Landis of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission said the problem has been “getting worse” and said it’s about both the preemption of the states and the preemption of Congress. Commissioner Betsy Wergin of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission argued against what she deemed “judgmental” language that accused all FCC commissioners -- including “our former colleague” FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn -- of having predetermined positions. “These words were extremely carefully chosen -- and with considerable restraint,” Cawley said, saying he eliminated certain provisions to attempt to make the resolution “as least controversial as possible.” Wergin was the only vote opposed as the resolution passed to full consideration of the NARUC board. The NARUC board, with far less debate, also unanimously passed a proposed resolution urging coordination among different parties in instances of natural disasters (CD Feb 5 p7).
Alaska’s lack of roads and limited power grid, and its extensive reliance on satellite service, make application of national cost models to Alaska’s telecom service providers “inappropriate,” Alaskan representatives told FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai Monday, an ex parte filing said (http://xrl.us/boeyx5). The representatives included Gov. Sean Parnell’s D.C.-based staff, and the Alaska Telephone Association. The groups also told Pai that “regulatory uncertainty is hampering Alaska’s carriers’ ability to invest and borrow the funds needed to move towards universal broadband,” the filing said. Access to the Internet, although expensive in remote parts of Alaska, “provides much greater value than it may in other parts of the country,” the filing said.
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., said he plans to hold a Feb. 13 hearing on satellite video, during a speech Tuesday at the NARUC conference in Washington. Walden later told us that the subcommittee will “probably have a couple of hearings” on the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA) before it expires at the end of 2014. Walden would not say who the subcommittee had invited to testify at the Feb. 13 hearing.
Beasley Broadcast Group said it agreed to share some over-the-air and digital revenue with Nashville’s Big Machine Label Group, in a new licensing deal. Beasley said it will share a percentage of its on-air revenue with Big Machine, whose artists include Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts. In return “Big Machine has agreed to an innovative approach to allow digital simulcasts of the over-the-air signals … to scale affordably to support the growth of Beasley’s digital platforms,” Beasley said.
Field hearings the FCC is holding on Superstorm Sandy, which started Tuesday (see related report in this issue), should help as efforts get under way to launch FirstNet, a national wireless network for first responders, said Telecommunications Industry Association President Grant Seiffert in a news release. “The FCC’s hearings are a valuable opportunity for all parties in the public safety communications community to understand the challenges that networks experience when disasters strike,” he said. “Given the FCC’s significant public safety communication expertise, these hearings should only enhance the Commission’s role as a resource to FirstNet."
Panasonic is the latest manufacturer to become a licensee of Immersion’s touch feedback technology in Japan, Immersion said Tuesday. The recently released docomo Next series Eluga X P-02E smartphone from Panasonic features Immersion’s TouchSense 3000 embedded control software and integrator software, and is the first device to market as a result of a licensing deal signed by the companies, Immersion said. By incorporating the integrator software into the phone’s design, Panasonic is “providing a consistent high quality tactile experience and the ability for users to customize the feel of their device to meet their unique preferences,” said Dennis Sheehan, Immersion senior vice president-sales and marketing, in a news release (http://xrl.us/boezsa). The phone is only available in Japan via NTT DoCoMo, Immersion said.