General Motors petitioned the FCC to OK the automaker's new request to yank its petition that sought a partial waiver on providing real-time texting functions (see 1812260053). The new ask came after speaking with a lawyer for disability group commenters that opposed the waiver. GM now called itself "deeply grateful to Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing" Inc. (TDI) and "corresponding groups" for "their thoughtful submission, which questioned the necessity of the Petition." The discussion "helped lead GM to agree that the Petition is not necessary," said the motion posted Thursday in docket 15-178. "Once available to the general public, the Cruise AV in-vehicle customer support function would provide non-interoperable RTT-to-RTT communication (as between AV riders and customer support personnel); non-interoperable transmission and receipt of RTT communication from public safety entities (with immediate intervention and assistance from customer support personnel), and non-interoperable simultaneous voice and RTT communication (as between AV passengers and customer support personnel)." Passengers can use smartphones for "interoperable communication," so the automaker doesn't need the waiver, it said. It cited "the in-vehicle service button or accessible devices" giving "blind, low-vision, deaf, and hearing-impaired passengers" always-on communications. GM noted RTT rules don't apply to the company's Cruise autonomous vehicles being tested in Detroit, Phoenix and San Francisco "because the vehicles will offer a non-interoperable, non-interconnected telematics service rather than interoperable, interconnected communication." Led by TDI, more than a dozen groups had opposed GM's ask as "either unnecessary or unwarranted, depending on a critical ambiguity in the petition." The Hearing Loss Association of America, National Association of the Deaf, Paralyzed Veterans of America and other groups' comments ask the FCC to consider "broader issues" of IoT "accessibility and 911 access implicated" here. A GM lawyer and the FCC declined to comment. TDI's lawyer praised GM's withdrawal request.
CTIA raised concerns about two California bills responding to controversial incidents involving wireless carriers: Verizon throttling traffic of Santa Clara County firefighters during the Mendocino Complex Fire last year (see 1808220059) and carriers selling customers’ real-time data location (see 1904180056). But at a Wednesday hearing, the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee widely supported both measures. The panel also supported a bill to require text-to-911 across the state.
On Thursday morning, subscribers to Communications Daily will receive by email a Special Report on Emergency Communications. In it, six articles will examine challenges of modernizing systems like 911 and the emergency alert system, and other hurdles to further improving public safety. The articles discuss what localities, states and the FCC are doing to help address 911 fee diversion, false public alerts and other public safety issues. And some unusual FCC practices, like issuing public safety-related documents late in the day, are examined. The Special Report also will be posted for subscribers on www.communicationsdaily.com.
The FCC routinely released public safety and emergency communications documents in the evening, outside the time frame that experts recommend. This trend, seen on many other issues at the commission over more than a decade, possibly deprived stakeholders from being fully and timely informed on important issues. From Jan. 1, 2018, until Oct. 25, when Communications Daily filed a Freedom of Information Act request and the practice ceased, four such items were made public later than 5:30 p.m. Eastern when the commission's business hours end. That's according to results from the FOIA request and our database.
The FCC routinely released public safety and emergency communications documents in the evening, outside the time frame that experts recommend. This trend, seen on many other issues at the commission over more than a decade, possibly deprived stakeholders from being fully and timely informed on important issues. From Jan. 1, 2018, until Oct. 25, when Communications Daily filed a Freedom of Information Act request and the practice ceased, four such items were made public later than 5:30 p.m. Eastern when the commission's business hours end. That's according to results from the FOIA request and our database.
With scattered holes in enhanced 911 coverage around the U.S. slowly getting filled in, there's no consensus on when or if the U.S. ever will get universal coverage. Experts told us the issue could be mooted by next-generation 911 systems, though many communities without E-911 still are working toward that less-advanced goal. For a Special Report story on NG-911's rollout in New Jersey (see 1904230021).
With scattered holes in enhanced 911 coverage around the U.S. slowly getting filled in, there's no consensus on when or if the U.S. ever will get universal coverage. Experts told us the issue could be mooted by next-generation 911 systems, though many communities without E-911 still are working toward that less-advanced goal. For a Special Report story on NG-911's rollout in New Jersey (see 1904230021).
New Jersey’s failure to spend money tagged for 911 to upgrade an aging backbone network is delaying potentially life-saving next-generation features, local government officials said in interviews. Some counties years ago upgraded local systems and equipment to be NG-911 capable. They can’t use them to their full potential until the state modernizes its network integrating local public safety answering points (PSAPs). New Jersey probably would have enough money for upgrades if it stopped moving 911 fee revenue, they said.
New Jersey’s failure to spend money tagged for 911 to upgrade an aging backbone network is delaying potentially life-saving next-generation features, local government officials said in interviews. Some counties years ago upgraded local systems and equipment to be NG-911 capable. They can’t use them to their full potential until the state modernizes its network integrating local public safety answering points (PSAPs). New Jersey probably would have enough money for upgrades if it stopped moving 911 fee revenue, they said.
Public safety issues rarely dominate the agenda of any FCC chairmen, as in 2004 when one of the biggest focuses of then-Chairman Michael Powell was the 800 MHz rebanding, aimed at protecting safety users from interference. Four years later, then-Chairman Kevin Martin pushed through a failed plan to reallocate the 700 MHz D block for public safety. The main contender, Frontline, dropped its pursuit of the band, which went unsold at auction but now is part of FirstNet. Every chairman since has focused on a few public safety issues.