Despite Ligado assurances its terrestrial low-power service plans, with proper protection zones, won't cause interference to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration downlinks sharing the same spectrum, NOAA said interference problems it has from Ligado operations (see 1608120033) demonstrate otherwise. "Nothing Ligado has done or shown ... has changed our view," said NOAA Chief Information Officer Zach Goldstein told us. On whether sharing is possible at all in the 1675-1680 MHz band, he said, “We don't know. We don't have a technical solution as we stand here today -- that doesn't mean we can't develop one.”
The FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council approved reports aimed at improving emergency communications in the U.S. Wednesday's meeting was the current CSRIC’s sixth. The FCC is to take up changes to rules for wireless emergency alerts (WEA) at the Sept. 29 commissioner meeting (see 1609080083). None of the reports approved Wednesday was immediately available.
The stage is set for the Sept. 28 nationwide test of the emergency alert system to go smoothly, said broadcasters, the FCC, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials and EAS test industry officials in interviews this week. Designed to address the shortcomings revealed by the 2011 test (see 1607180062), the 2016 version is expected to be successful, broadcast industry officials and the government agencies that oversee EAS told us. Checking those expectations is why such tests are conducted, said Maine Association of Broadcasters CEO Suzanne Goucher, who chairs the Joint NAB-National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations EAS Committee.
The FCC will consider this month whether to set new rules limiting most-favored-nation (MFN) and alternative distribution method (ADM) provisions in program carriage agreements. The tentative agenda released Thursday for its Sept. 29 meeting includes consideration of an NPRM on independent and diverse programming. In a blog post Thursday, Chairman Tom Wheeler said the MFN and ADM prohibitions are meant to promote "the availability of diverse and independent programming from which to choose."
Much work remains as industry deals with a possible earthquake early warning system (EEWS), the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions said in a letter responding to questions from the FCC Public Safety Bureau. For example, the bureau asked if earthquake warnings could be given special priority. “ATIS believes any discussion on prioritization in the EEWS is premature until the architecture is defined,” the letter said. “The industry continues to work with stakeholders, including state agencies, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic institutions, to identify and define the architecture that can satisfy EEWS-specific requirements.” The wireless industry in general argued when the FCC sought comment (see 1605100054) that wireless emergency alerts aren’t suitable for earthquake warnings. The ATIS letter was posted in docket 16-32.
The new version of the FCC emergency alert system handbook requires much work from broadcasters and contains few instructions, said Fletcher Heald broadcast attorney Harry Cole in a blog post. Though the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council said the old version contained inaccurate instructions, the new one “seems to avoid those problems by opting not to provide instructions in the first place,” Cole said. The handbook is filled with blank spaces and is “more of a do-it-yourself effort than an FCC-provided regulatory roadmap.” Cole said. Calling the book a “tabula rasa,” he also said it isn't set up for onscreen completion and could require a typewriter to complete. Broadcasters have until Sept. 28 (see 1608190037) to have the handbook “located at normal duty positions or EAS equipment locations when an operator is required to be on duty and be immediately available to staff responsible for administering EAS tests,” Cole noted. Tabula rasa is a Latin term meaning "blank slate."
A nationwide emergency alert system test is set for Sept. 28 (see 1607180062), at 2:20 p.m. EDT, the FCC Public Safety Bureau reminded EAS participants in a public notice Friday. Participants must register with the EAS Test Reporting System by Aug. 26, and file EAS Test Reporting System Form Two by Sept. 28, and Form Three by Nov. 14. “The nationwide test will assess the reliability and effectiveness of the EAS, with a particular emphasis on testing the [Federal Emergency Management Agency]’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS),” the PN said. “One of the main purposes of the test is to measure delays and latencies in the delivery of alerts through [IPAWS].” The bureau also released a new revised EAS operating handbook, the PN said. “A copy of the Handbook must be located at normal duty positions or EAS equipment locations when an operator is required to be on duty and be immediately available to staff responsible for administering EAS tests,” the PN said. “The Handbook will supersede all other EAS Handbooks, and must be in place in time for the 2016 nationwide EAS test.”
ORLANDO -- As public safety gets further along in building wireless LTE networks, an emerging challenge is swaying users to come aboard, said FirstNet early builder network officials on a panel at the APCO 2016 conference. But early tests showed the benefits of a dedicated public safety network, they said. Later, FCC Public Safety Bureau Chief David Simpson said a recent police shooting of an African-American man in Minnesota showed the need for public safety communications technology to catch up with commercial systems.
New FCC emergency alert system codes for storm surges and high winds will take effect Sept. 12, said a notice in the Federal Register. Though use of the codes isn't mandatory, broadcasters replacing their EAS equipment will have to install devices that can use the new codes by the following Sept. 12, and EAS equipment manufacturers will have to include the codes in new equipment by March 12, said a blog post on the website of law firm Fletcher Heald.
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council said the FCC should err on the side of safety in the fight over sharing the 5.9 GHz band between Wi-Fi and proponents of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) systems designed to curb vehicular accidents (see 1607080037). In reply comments, NPSTC supported the auto industry. It's an umbrella group that represents 16 public safety organizations. Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) operations already are allocated 580 MHz of spectrum at 5 GHz outside the DSRC band, NPSTC said. “In contrast, the 5.850-5.925 GHz band under consideration for sharing is the only spectrum allocated for DSRC operations.” There are use cases where public safety could make use of the band, the filing said. Public safety agencies could transmit a warning message to motorists to detour around a major accident, NPSTC said. “A public safety vehicle such as a fire truck, ambulance or police car travelling on an interstate or major highway to an incident could warn motorists in its path that it is approaching.” Or an emergency vehicle could use the band to alert other first-responder vehicles, such as an alert sent between two fire trucks approaching the same intersection from different directions. “DSRC technology has tremendous potential to enhance safety for the motoring public, including that of firefighters, law enforcement officials and emergency medical personnel heading to an incident to help save a life,” NPSTC said. “This potential can be realized only if the DSRC spectrum is not subjected to interference by unlicensed operations.” Replies were due Friday in docket 13-49.