FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel outlined all the commission’s "pending" and "expected" rulemakings and expected declaratory rulings issued via delegated authority, in response to a query from House Commerce Committee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., but didn’t directly address the GOP leader’s warning that the agency not "continue to exceed Congressional authorizations." Rodgers advised the FCC and FTC in September against going further than Congress mandated because of the "limitations" on their authority highlighted in the Supreme Court's June West Virginia v. EPA ruling (see 2209290062). The FCC “takes seriously the responsibilities entrusted to it by Congress under the law, including the efforts identified in your letter ‘to expand connectivity to all Americans, regulate broadcast stations and’” MVPDs “‘in the media marketplace, limit the transmission of illegal robocalls, preserve the capability for reliable 911 and emergency alerting services, and remove untrusted communications equipment and services from U.S. communications networks,’” Rosenworcel said in a letter to Rodgers released Tuesday. “In the absence of any specific Commission order, the Bureaus and Offices generally do not have delegated authority to issue notices of proposed rulemaking.” Depending “upon the nature of the particular matter, and based on the comments received on these petitions, these may be addressed by a Bureau or Office,” Rosenworcel said: The FCC “cannot predict whether or when any of these petitions will be acted upon.”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau entered into settlement agreements with five providers for failing to file annual 911 reliability certifications for 2021, it said in orders released Friday. The bureau settled with Consolidated Communications, Highland Telephone Cooperative, Mud Lake Telephone, Otelco Telephone, and Viya. Consolidated and Highland each agreed to pay a $3,500 fine. Mud Lake, Otelco and Viya each agreed to pay a $6,000 fine.
Congressional telecom policy leaders and other observers are hopeful but not certain that additional funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program and next-generation 911 tech upgrades will remain top priorities in FY 2023 appropriations talks, amid the apparent lack of consensus so far on allocating future spectrum auction proceeds for that purpose. Lawmakers agreed last month to temporarily extend the FCC’s auction authority through Dec. 16 via a continuing resolution to buy additional time for talks on a broader spectrum legislative package that allocates sales proceeds to telecom projects (see 2209300058).
ISPs, states and local officials said they're closely monitoring the FCC’s bulk challenge process for the broadband serviceable location fabric, before the initial map’s release later this fall. Few issues have been identified so far, though some ISPs raised concerns about potential challenges by states since the new maps will be used to allocate broadband-related Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding.
The FCC extended its disaster information reporting system Friday to cover counties in Georgia and South Carolina hit by Hurricane Ian, which headed north after pummeling Florida. The FCC said it acted in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and FEMA. The FCC also set up a dedicated website on Ian.
Hurricane Ian caused large wireless outages in Florida's southwest where the storm made landfall, the FCC said Thursday. The FCC report covered network outage data submitted by communications providers through the disaster information reporting system (DIRS) as of Thursday at noon. The FCC will monitor the situation and is "committed" to ensuring communications are restored, said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel after Thursday’s commissioners' meeting.
Washington, D.C., may want to reconsider its unified approach to handling 911 calls, two D.C. council members said at a Judiciary and Public Safety Committee virtual meeting Wednesday. Members raised alarm with the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) making little progress on recommendations from an audit last year (see 2209090049), and continued reports of dispatching delays due to incorrect addresses and miscommunication and the agency’s alleged failure to give victims’ families an explanation or apology.
Frontier Communications sought rehearing Friday of an amended Arizona Corporation Commission order on the carrier’s June 911 outage. The ACC on Tuesday modified a July 27 decision requiring the company to invest in redundancy (see 2208160042). The commission removed a requirement that Frontier disseminate its emergency response plan to public safety agencies and the state 911 office, but left the rest of the order intact. Frontier supported the change but maintains objections to the original order, which was unlawful and issued without affording the company due process, it said in docket T-20680A-21-0198.
Lumen supported Colorado draft rule changes on emergency service network reliability. Stakeholders agreed to the draft changes in workshops (see 2209070041). “The workshop process … resulted in a set of Consensus Rules that, while not perfect, are good and, most important, further the intended purpose of ensuring excellent basic emergency service in Colorado,” Lumen commented Monday in docket 22R-0122T. Agreed rules “provide an efficient infrastructure for the filing, approval, implementation, and funding of” an improvement plan, it said. The carrier suggested a tweak to proposed informal investigation rules. “Lumen believes that a bit more flexibility in the process will maintain the purpose behind investigating outages while allowing for adaptability and reducing burden both on the [basic emergency service provider] and the commission staff where appropriate, said Lumen: Limit any recordings “to the confines of the informal investigation to ensure prompt, open and robust communication.”
The FCC Public Safety Bureau said Friday the commission’s 911 reliability certification system is now open for the filing of annual reports, which are due Oct. 17. “The Commission’s rules require covered 911 service providers to take reasonable measures to provide reliable 911 service with respect to: (i) 911 circuit diversity; (ii) central office backup power; and (iii) diverse network monitoring,” the notice said: “Covered 911 service providers must certify as to their compliance with each of these three requirements or to their implementation of reasonable alternative measures.”