FCC commissioners approved rules to improve the delivery of outage information to public safety answering points 4-0 Thursday, largely as circulated by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Last week, APCO, CTIA, wireless carriers, ATIS and others sought a few changes to the draft order (see 2211140072). The order was approved before commissioners held a virtual field hearing on other potential changes that could be made to disaster-related rules (see 2211170079).

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., are believed to be readying separate proposals for a larger spectrum legislative package as Congress returns this week from the long pre-election recess. The bills would grapple with how to address a renewal of the FCC’s auction authority before a short-term extension expires Dec. 16, among other things. CTIA Senior Vice President-Regulatory Affairs Scott Bergmann and others cited the FCC renewal as the priority lawmakers should focus on as they grapple with whether to move forward on the House-passed Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624) or another measure as a compromise vehicle, during a Monday R Street Institute event.

The much-scrutinized 911 center in Washington, D.C., has completed about two-thirds of the recommendations from a D.C. audit report since a follow-up audit said little progress was made, Office of Unified Communications (OUC) acting Director Karima Holmes told D.C. council members Thursday. At a three-hour Judiciary and Public Safety Committee virtual meeting, members picked up on concerns raised at a September hearing (see 2209280058), pressing Holmes on recent audits and specific incidents where incorrect addresses and miscommunication led to dispatching delays.

Ten years after the launch of wireless emergency alerts, WEAs have become a critical part of providing warnings to the public, officials said Thursday during an FCBA webinar. Speakers said WEAs have made progress since the false missile alert that created panic in Hawaii in early 2018 (see 1801160054 and 1803160042). Last month, FCC commissioners approved 4-0 an NPRM proposing new rules to make the emergency alert system and WEAs more secure (see 2210270058).

FirstNet has been able to build, with AT&T, a $40 billion network based on an initial $7 billion investment, said Richard Reed, FirstNet Authority network management officer, Tuesday at the hybrid in-person and virtual IEEE Advances in Public Safety Technology Workshop. The workshop is part of a new IEEE initiative on public safety technology.

The FirstNet Authority said Friday Renee Gordon, Alexandria, Virginia, director-emergency communications, was appointed by the Commerce Department as a member of the authority’s board. “Renee is a leader in the field of 911 communications and brings a deep background in public safety operations to the Board with her dual experience as a 911 professional and police officer,” said FirstNet Chairman Stephen Benjamin. She replaces Karima Holmes. Her term expires in September 2025.

T-Mobile said Tuesday it’s working with Sinch on next-generation 911 real-time text technology, which is being tested at an emergency communications center in Hood County, Texas. The technology allows T-Mobile customers “to communicate with 911 through simultaneous conversational text and voice -- text messages can be sent and read at the same time -- without the need for teletype technology,” said a news release: “This is particularly critical for up to 48 million Americans who are Deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who have speech-related disabilities or are non-native English speakers. RTT also gives public safety centers the ability to make better-informed dispatch decisions during a crisis and shave crucial time off a response.”

Samsung Electronics elevates Jay Lee to executive chairman … Next Generation 911 Institute board elections include elected Liz Graeber, City of Phoenix, as chair; Peter Beckwith, South Sound 911, as vice chair; and Mike Tan, AT&T, for vacant consumer telco position … Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission elects Stephen DeFrank vice chairman … Streamline Media Group adds ex-IBM Chairman-CEO Samuel Palmisano and Christopher Caine, former IBM corporate vice president-governmental programs, to its advisory board, expanding it to five members.

The FCC will vote Nov. 17 on rules aimed at improving the delivery of outage information to public safety answering points by requiring operating service providers (OSPs) and covered 911 providers to “utilize special diligence to obtain and maintain up-to-date contact information for each 911 special facility they serve,” said a draft report and order released Thursday. The FCC also announced that it won't be pursuing an inquiry into the agency's reliance on Nielsen ratings in a draft broadcast order on updating the publication used to determine broadcast DMAs (see 2210260081).

The FCC will tackle 911 calling at its Nov. 17 commissioners' meeting, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said Wednesday. The agenda is light, with only a broadcast item and an enforcement action also set for a commissioner vote. Drafts are expected to be released after Thursday's meeting.