ClearCaptions told the FCC it launched an emergency alert system for its VoIP-enabled home phones. Released Nov. 29, the feature is "used by nearly a third of all ClearCaptions customers" and can receive Federal Emergency Management Agency weather-related emergency alerts, the IP captioned telephone service provider said in a letter posted Thursday in docket 03-123. "The importance of ensuring the safety of at-risk communities cannot be overstated," ClearCaptions said, adding that the change didn't affect its compliance with applicable minimum standards.
The Senate approved the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act (S-1416) Monday night by unanimous consent, updating the National Weather Radio apparatus. S-1416 and House companion HR-1482 would require NOAA to upgrade infrastructure to improve reliable transmission of emergency alerts and reduce the system’s use of copper wire transmissions. In addition, the bills would require NOAA to increase NWR’s coverage to include 98%-99% of the U.S. population, including more rural areas. The House Science Committee advanced HR-1482 in March. “Gaps in weather radio coverage keep communities in the dark about incoming weather hazards,” which is “why I’m proud” the Senate passed S-1416, said Senate Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “The threat from weather events is only increasing, especially with El Nino bringing atmospheric rivers and winter storms this season, and access to reliable, real-time alerts are more important than ever to keep their families safe and homes secure,” said Cantwell. Senate Commerce ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said S-1416 would “ensure Texans and all Americans have a fully functioning, reliable early warning system that communicates critical information during disasters.”
Wireless technology companies, satellite operators and a host of broadcast industry entities pitching ATSC 3.0-based methods responded to the FCC Public Safety Bureau’s call for partners to test ways to deliver wireless emergency alerts without using cell towers, according to comments filed in docket 22-160 by Monday’s deadline. “In some cases, mobile networks can be disrupted by the very emergency to which a WEA pertains,” said NAB. “A successful partnership with the Bureau could further bolster the case for ATSC 3.0 abroad” and encourage manufacturers to include 3.0 chips in their phones, said Sinclair’s ATSC 3.0 subsidiary One Media. Qualcomm, Skylo Technologies, PBS, 5G broadcast company XGen and others suggested their own solutions.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau granted Paramount Global’s request for a 30-day extension, until Jan. 10, of the agency’s requirement that emergency alert system participants update their equipment to be able to prioritize alerts delivered by common alerting protocol by Dec. 12, said an order in Friday’s Daily Digest. Paramount requested the extension for 29 stations that had been affected by vendor delays (see 2312120039). “Based on the circumstances described herein, we conclude there is good cause to provide” the extension, said the order.
FCC rules went into effect Friday for commercial mobile service providers that elected to participate in the wireless emergency alert message system in the 13 most commonly spoken languages in the U.S. as well as English and American Sign Language (see 2310190056), said a notice in Friday’s Federal Register.
The FCC Public Safety Bureau granted GCI Cable’s request for a temporary waiver of the requirement -- enacted in September 2022 -- that emergency alert system participants update their equipment to be able to prioritize alerts delivered by common alerting protocol by Tuesday, said an order in that day’s Daily Digest. Alerts delivered via the internet-based CAP can provide richer text information and are more accessible than those delivered via the legacy EAS system. GCI said it discovered that several of its EAS encoders are unable to process the required software update and that supply chain issues have delayed delivery of new encoders. “We conclude there is good cause to provide an extension of time until March 11, 2024, to accommodate the anticipated hardware delivery and installation estimated by GCI,” the bureau order said. Paramount Global requested a similar 30-day extension of the deadline for three of its 29 stations for similar reasons, a petition for temporary waiver posted Tuesday in docket 15-94 said. “The Paramount Global Licensees are fully committed to the expeditious installation and operation of their new EAS equipment well within the 30-day period requested.”
The FCC Tuesday approved a request by NAB and low-power FM entity REC for a 90-day extension (see 2311150068), until March 11, the deadline for a change to broadcaster emergency alerting operations. The extension applies only to companies working with Sage Alerting Systems, which caused problems cited in the waiver request, an order from the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau said. The deadline for other broadcasters remains Dec. 12. NAB and REC complained Sage won't be able to release a required firmware update “necessary to make the Commission’s promulgated changes until shortly before the December compliance deadline,” the bureau said: “We are persuaded that Sage’s delay in delivering the necessary update is beyond the control of EAS Participants and will impede its customers’ ability to meet” the deadline. “We deny, however, the Extension Request to the extent it requests a waiver on behalf of all EAS Participants,” the bureau said.
Guam Cellular and Paging will continue opting out of participating in the wireless emergency alert system, parent DoCoMo Pacific said Friday in a filing posted in docket 15-91. “DoCoMo reserves its right to change its election at a later date, in accordance with the Commission’s regulations,” the filing said. Vermont’s VTel Wireless also is opting out, although it “intends to participate in the provision of WEA in the near future," as is Texas provider Tampnet.
NAB and low-power FM entity REC Networks want the FCC to extend by 90 days, until March 11, the deadline for a change to broadcaster emergency alerting operations. “Simply put, it is already too late" for many emergency alert system participants to meet the current deadline, said NAB and REC in an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 15-94. Broadcasters currently have until Dec. 12 to update their EAS systems to comply with an FCC requirement from September 2022 that they prioritize alerts delivered by the Internet-based common alerting protocol over analog alerts delivered via the broadcast-based daisy-chain (see 2209290017). Alerts delivered via CAP have fuller text and multiple language options, making them more accessible. Sage Alerting, a major EAS equipment manufacturer, announced earlier this month that it won’t be prepared to push out the needed update until shortly before the deadline. “We have made the FCC aware that the update has taken us longer to produce than we had anticipated, and that there will be insufficient time for many of our users to install the update by the December 12, 2023 deadline,” said the Sage website. Smaller broadcasters use contract engineers to implement this sort of update, and the limited supply of such engineers, Sage’s delay, and the impending holidays will prevent many broadcasters from meeting the deadline, NAB and REC said. “Granting this extension request will not reduce EAS functionality because EAS Participants will continue to be able to process EAS messages as they do today, without any disruption or impairment,” according to the filing.
The FCC should immediately cease using nationwide wireless emergency alerts of the type tested Oct. 4 (see 2310040071), said Jimmy Patronis, Florida chief financial officer and state fire marshal in a letter to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Monday. Patronis posted the letter on X and also issued it as a news release. “What was the point of that? Was it really necessary?” Patronis wrote about the nationwide WEA test. “The federal government scared about 70% of Americans with that alert, and in my opinion, this was government overreach at its finest.” Patronis characterized the WEA alert as a “DM” (direct message, such as those used by social media apps) in the letter, and said the alert test made “Big Tech” and “Big Government” seem to be “indistinguishable.” “There is absolutely zero reason that the federal government needs to notify millions of Americans at the exact same moment,” wrote Patronis. “It’s unreasonable that people on the West Coast need to be alerted about something going on in the East Coast.” Nationwide alerts exist to provide warning of a massive emergency event that could affect large swaths of the country, such as a large-scale nuclear missile strike, alerting officials have told us. They have also said that tests of the warning system are necessary to ensure that it will work when it is needed, similar to the local alerting tests commonly performed by broadcast stations around the country. “State Emergency Management Directors are more than capable of protecting and alerting their own citizens during emergencies without the federal government needlessly getting in the way,” wrote Patronis. “I urge you as the Chairwoman of the FCC and a fellow taxpayer to immediately halt any further utilization of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System.” "Life-saving emergency alert systems are the law, as is the requirement" that the Federal Emergency Management Agency "conduct periodic nationwide tests and they are responsible for setting the date and time of these tests," emailed an FCC spokesperson. "The FCC strongly supports emergency alerting, which saves lives in communities across the country."