The FCC Public Safety Bureau reminded broadcasters and other emergency alert systems participants Wednesday that alerts must be accessible. The bureau also reminded carriers of accessibility requirements for wireless emergency alerts.
The FCC’s alert reporting system (ARS) is open for the filing of state emergency alert system (EAS) plans, says Thursday’s Federal Register. Electronic submission of state EAS plans using the ARS will be required by July 1, 2022, the FR said.
Updated wireless emergency alert/emergency alert service rules approved 4-0 by FCC commissioners Thursday (see 2106170063) explain more fully than the draft order why the commission declined to take up a New York City Emergency Management request, per our comparison of the draft with the approved order. NYCEM asked the FCC to require government entities that originate WEAs to file mandatory false alert reports as part of a pact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The commission said now that while the update sets up a voluntary system for reporting false alerts, doing so seems consistent with requirements in last year's National Defense Authorization Act, so the agency declined to take up NYCEM's request.
CTA raised concerns as FCC commissioners approved 4-0 Thursday an NPRM and notice of inquiry that would further clamp down on gear from companies deemed to pose a security risk in U.S. networks. Commissioners said several questions were added since a draft of the item circulated, as expected (see 2106090063).
The top four network broadcast affiliate groups said streaming services should be required to disseminate emergency alert system messages, while a wide range of opponents from NPR to NCTA contend that’s not necessary or practical, in replies filed by Monday’s deadline in docket 15-94. Streaming services “are not ill-equipped to distribute EAS information, and no wholesale reconfiguration of Internet-based programming distribution technology would be needed,” said affiliate groups for Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC. “Requiring streaming services to create this infrastructure and solve these technical challenges would be infeasible in many cases, and costly and unduly burdensome in others, especially when EAS alerts already are delivered widely through traditional broadcast and wireless means,” said NPR. Requiring this would be “technically impracticable” and “produce little, if any, benefit,” said MPA, the Digital Media Association, Digital Content Next and Internet Association. Streaming is too vague a term, said the Information Technology Industry Council. “The difficulty of defining an unbounded term such as 'streaming' makes any effort to bring streaming services into the EAS untenable.” Comtech sided with affiliate groups, saying it's “absolutely imperative” to enable such alerts and conceding it would involve “significant technical challenges.” Instead of new alerting requirements, the FCC should consider convening a multistakeholder working group to study “the alerting ecosystem as a whole” and how to best to reach consumers, said NCTA.
Emergency management agencies are backing FCC-proposed changes to emergency alerts. And we're told next week's vote on the draft order and Further NPRM (see 2105260076) should be noncontroversial.
Emergency alert system participants must renew their identifying information in the FCC’s emergency test reporting system by July 6 for the Aug. 11 nationwide EAS test, said a Public Safety Bureau public notice Friday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency last month announced the test date and an Aug. 25 backup date (see 2105040068). EAS participants must file “day of test” info by Aug.12, and post-test data by Sept. 27, the PN said. The simulation will include a test of the wireless emergency alert system.
Drafts released Thursday revealed details of what acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wants FCC colleagues to vote on at the members' June 17 meeting. On letting companies market RF devices pending FCC authorization, a draft would allow a greater number of the products than initially suggested. CTA sought limited marketing and sales of wireless devices to consumers before they're authorized.
The FCC will launch a proceeding aimed at increasing telecom security by making changes to its equipment authorization rules and competitive bidding procedures “to help keep insecure devices off the market,” acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Wednesday. Commissioners will also take up a proposal sought by CTA allowing the limited marketing and sales of wireless devices to consumers before equipment authorization. All the items are to be voted at the June 17 commissioners' meeting.
States may file state emergency alert system plans to the FCC alert reporting system, said a Public Safety Bureau public notice Tuesday. The ARS combines the existing EAS test reporting system with a new system for filing state EAS plans. States must file the plans within one year of this PN's Federal Register publication.