Groups Representing Deaf Seek Changes to Wireless Resiliency Framework
Groups representing the hearing impaired urged FCC changes in industry’s wireless resiliency cooperative framework to ensure they get emergency warnings they can easily access. Some industry groups said the agency shouldn't impose new mandates and should rely on a voluntary approach, which they said is working. Two groups representing smaller carriers highlighted roaming concerns. The Public Safety Bureau sought feedback on how well the framework, first agreed to by the largest carriers in 2016, is working now (see 1904010047). Comments were posted Tuesday in docket 11-60.
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The deaf are too often left out of alerting, said several consumer groups. They "face significant problems receiving complete and timely communications warning of emergencies and providing important public safety service updates,” they said: “The community faces challenges such as wireless network outages that inhibit the efficacy of wireless emergency text alerts and the inability for some consumers in the deaf and hard of hearing community to afford both cellular services and broadband.” Such people often “must rely on multiple sources to piece together complete information about the status of a disaster, sheltering and evacuation instructions, service outages,” they said. It was signed by Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Hearing Loss Association of America, the National Association of the Deaf and others
NTCA and the Rural Wireless Association urged the FCC mandate that carriers, large and small, negotiate bilateral roaming agreements “containing bilateral roaming terms and conditions that apply in the event of an emergency.” Require testing and that any roaming restrictions “imposed after bi-lateral testing is complete be capable of being lifted within a two-hour window in order to gain access to the serving carrier’s network,” they asked.
Others saw no need for change. Because of the framework and targeted network investments by carriers, “consumers largely were able to rely on wireless services to seek help and aid their recovery despite severe and varying conditions presented by recent storms,” CTIA said. “Millions of consumers used wireless service to call and text loved ones, connect with emergency personnel, receive important safety alerts, and seek and offer support with their community through social media.” A voluntary approach works best, the group said. By encouraging development of the framework and “emphasizing its flexible and evolving nature, the Commission has helped to develop critical tools to advance continuity of service and expedite service restoration,” CTIA said.
The framework “provides helpful guidance and has been effective at accelerating restoration activities over the last three years,” ATIS commented. “Wireless providers already apply the lessons learned from those events to their own disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, and to their relationships with other service providers, local governments and other stakeholders like electric utilities.” ATIS said no changes are needed now.
Verizon said carriers participating in the framework should meet to discuss how well it worked during the 2017-18 hurricane and wildfire seasons. "When an individual disaster reveals previously unseen vulnerabilities in a provider’s network or gaps in its practices, it should refine its practices to mitigate the likelihood the same problem will reoccur,” the carrier said: “The same approach should apply to the Framework to ensure that it remains a living, relevant document.”