Senators pressed telecom regulators, officials and consumer advocates Thursday on possible IP transition dangers and the need for reliable networks that don’t leave vulnerable communities behind. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Communications Subcommittee Chairman Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., also requested a GAO study of the resilience and reliability of IP networks.
The Puerto Rico Radio Broadcasters Association, Utah Broadcasters Association and West Virginia Broadcasters Association support a proposal to establish a method for disseminating emergency alert system messages in non-English languages, they said. The associations were added to the joint comments filed by other state broadcasters associations in docket 04-296 (CD May 30 p10). With the addition of the three associations, all 50 state broadcasters associations are represented in the initial comments, the associations said (http://bit.ly/1nLCTFH).
State broadcast associations fully supported a proposal to establish a system for delivery of multilingual emergency alerts, while NAB, noncommercial broadcasters and pay-TV operators support it but cautioned against imposing unnecessary burdens on emergency alert system (EAS) participants. Comments in a public notice proceeding that stemmed from a 2005 petition from Minority Media and Telecommunications Council were due this week (CD April 28 p19). The proposal focuses on a “designated hitter” backup plan, which involves broadcasters helping to transmit EAS messages for non-English stations that are knocked off-air (CD March 13 p10).
The FCC Public Safety Bureau agreed to extend for 18 months a waiver to allow the broadcast of a simulated Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) attention signal in public service announcements developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The bureau acted at FEMA’s request. “We agree with FEMA that while the PSAs have been successful in educating the public about WEA, negative public reaction to the WEA Attention Signal has continued due to residual public confusion about how the WEA functions,” the bureau said (http://bit.ly/1kpxa71). “We also concur that, despite the WEA success stories, this public confusion could potentially lead some consumers to opt out of receiving most WEA messages -- a result that would undermine the goal of WEA to serve as a viable and effective means to alert the public of emergencies.” In 2008, the FCC issued a series of orders adopting requirements for a Commercial Mobile Alert System allowing carriers to transmit emergency alerts to their subscribers, if they choose to do so. The major wireless carriers all agreed to participate in the alerting program.
Odds of a nationwide emergency alert system test this year, the second-ever such exercise, likely depend on how effectively and quickly the FCC can address the aspects of the test location code, some EAS experts said in interviews. The Public Safety Bureau is preparing for a test to follow the first one in 2011 (CD May 2 p1). The FCC received comments about time discrepancies, the location code and other concerns, in response to a public notice that asked about equipment and operational issues from the test (CD Nov 12 p8). No parameters or date for another test has been set, an FCC official said.
The U.S. has “an opportunity to truly advance the ball” on next-generation 911 this year, said FCC Public Safety Bureau Deputy Chief David Furth at an APCO event Monday. NG-911 challenges remain, including getting public safety answering points (PSAPs) still relying on legacy TDM systems to update equipment, without jeopardizing their ability to continue doing their work under the present system, said Furth. He said he had just met with Rhode Island legislators and realized many PSAPs in the state are relying on 40-year-old equipment.
LOS ANGELES -- Aides to FCC Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mignon Clyburn said they themselves were encouraged by aspects of Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposed net neutrality NPRM (CD May 1 p3), they said on a panel at the Cable Show. Clyburn aide Adonis Hoffman, clarifying that he was speaking only for himself, said he is “encouraged” that Wheeler’s plan is designed to prevent a “haves and have nots scheme.” Though Pai aide Matthew Berry said those in his office believe net neutrality “is a solution in search of a problem,” he said Wheeler’s plan is more palatable than other net neutrality proposals. “We need to recognize there’s some progress being made here,” Berry said. “The ball is moving in our direction.”
The American TV Alliance pushed back against TVFreedom’s claims that public safety is a key part of why cable operators must carry broadcast stations, as has been lobbied for before Congress. TVFreedom, a coalition of broadcaster interests, had written a blog post for The Hill Tuesday (CD April 19 p19), and an ATVA spokesman, speaking for pay-TV industry interests, wrote one for the same outlet Wednesday. “Enough with the hyperbole,” the ATVA spokesman said (http://bit.ly/1kpHRnE). “Everyone supports public safety first and foremost. ... Cable and satellite TV providers are working with broadcasters to update the Emergency Alert System, which notifies the public of safety threats 24/7.” He attacked broadcasters on retransmission consent rules, which broadcasters have long defended. The fights have become wrapped up in the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization process.
The House Homeland Security Committee cleared the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) Modernization Act, HR-3283, Wednesday by unanimous voice vote. A version of the bill had cleared the Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications Subcommittee last month. The committee considered an amendment in the nature of a substitute, used as the base text going into the discussion (http://1.usa.gov/1o3TSS5).
Public radio stations in the Gulf region will begin testing newly installed equipment as part of a pilot project aimed at transmitting emergency alerts to the deaf and hard of hearing community. The pilot, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and NPR, was originally scheduled to begin in December (CD Oct 24 p5). The project was extended to the end of May due to the length of time needed to complete the manufacture of the radio data system (RDS) encoders, said Rich Rarey, NPR Labs manager-strategic technology applications. “It took longer than we'd anticipated to build these units from scratch.” Testing of the equipment is set to take place within the first three weeks of May, he said.