The Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) unanimously voted Wednesday to approve Working Group 4’s report on recommendations on communications sector cybersecurity risk management, which was meant to adapt the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework. Working Group 4 released its report almost a year after CSRIC formed the working group as part of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s push for the agency to increase its focus on cybersecurity as a public safety issue (see report in the March 21, 2014, issue). Wheeler said Wednesday, at what he called CSRIC IV’s “graduation ceremony,” that Working Group 4’s report would be “crucial to where we as an agency and we as industries and government have got to go” on addressing cybersecurity risk management. Wheeler continued to emphasize what he sees as the importance of the private sector leading on cybersecurity but noted that the FCC will continue to coordinate and play an oversight role. CSRIC also adopted Working Group 3’s report on expanded security best practices for Emergency Alert System stakeholders and Working Group 7’s report on updates to the prioritization of earlier CSRIC best practices.
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A draft FCC emergency alert system order would implement lessons learned from the first national EAS test, following a June 26 NPRM in docket 04-296, said an agency official. The item was circulated Feb. 2, said the commission's list of circulates. A subsequent national EAS test hasn’t been announced.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has “heard very clearly” that it’s still too early to consider a full-fledged Version 2.0 update of the Cybersecurity Framework, said Kevin Stine, Computer Security Division manager-Security Outreach and Integration Group, during a framework development workshop Thursday. Industry stakeholders have told NIST major changes to the framework aren’t a good idea because NIST released the Version 1.0 framework only in February (see 1410140173). A White House official said Wednesday that he believed it was unlikely that major changes would be coming in the near future (see 1410290046). The NIST workshop and comments submitted to the agency have shown there’s “very strong” awareness of the framework in all critical infrastructure sectors but all stakeholders should continue to raise awareness, Stine said.
LAS VEGAS -- Compared with the TV incentive auction, the AWS-3 auction, which starts Nov. 13, got much less attention at the Competitive Carriers Association and CTIA conferences this week. Industry officials disagreed on the extent to which smaller carriers are likely to go big in the 65 MHz AWS-3 auction. CCA concluded Wednesday while CTIA wrapped up Thursday.
Congress needs to provide “an on-going commitment to policies that ensure wireless providers have access to a significant and predictable supply of spectrum,” CTIA told House lawmakers in comments on the House Communications Subcommittee white paper issued as part of its Communications Act update process. Comments, which were due Friday, weren’t immediately released but a committee spokesman told us comments will likely be posted on the House Commerce Committee website in the same manner responses to its first white paper were earlier this year. CTIA and some others made their comments available to us.
Details were scarce at our deadline about the outcome of the multi-group meeting Thursday in Las Vegas that organizers had convened to get the ball rolling on talks to standardize high-dynamic-range (HDR) content and displays. Word of the meeting involving delegates from the Advanced Television Systems Committee, CEA, NCTA, and the Society of Motion Picture and TV Engineers was disclosed by a senior executive at Harmonic, who described the lack of HDR standards as perhaps Ultra HD’s “biggest roadblock.” Of the groups we canvassed for comment on the meeting and the lack of HDR standardization that brought it about, only ATSC President Mark Richer responded with a statement that addressed the HDR issue, if only in the most general terms. “HDR is one of the many issues being considered in the development of ATSC 3.0,” Richer said. “The industry recognizes that there are many technical parameters in addition to total pixel count that determines perceived quality. Since ATSC is focused on the standardization of the transmission to the home, a lot will depend on the plans of the production and consumer electronics industries.” At the NAB Show, the chairwoman of the ATSC’s “S34” specialist group responsible for ATSC 3.0’s audio and video codecs, closed captioning and its other “applications and presentations” said her group would “definitely” study HDR, but she said little more on the subject (CD April 8 p11). Brian Markwalter, CEA senior vice president-research and standards, declined comment on HDR standards. Recently, he said there was much industry “discussion” taking place about getting together this year and devising more up-to-date Ultra HD definitions, logos and certifications than was possible when CEA adopted its Ultra HD nomenclature in fall 2012, but whether that update effort would involve studying HDR standards remains to be seen. At NCTA, “we don’t really have any comment on the HDR standards issue as it is early on with this topic,” said a spokeswoman by email.
Several telecom entities urged the FCC in comments on the process reform report to quickly take steps to eliminate unnecessary policies and streamline others to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Comments were due Monday.
CTIA members support use of mobile devices on commercial flights, but question whether the FCC has studies in hand to show there is no danger from the use of these devices in-flight, CTIA said in comments filed at the FCC. CTIA and other commenters responded to a December notice on rules that would permit airlines to choose whether to allow voice calls and other mobile communications in-flight. CEA said the FCC “correctly notes” that the airlines, working with the Federal Aviation Administration, “are the appropriate entities to decide whether or not to permit in-flight voice communication in addition to broadband data access."
The FCC approved an NPRM seeking comment on modernizing rules to allow mobile wireless calls on airplanes while in-flight. The item was backed by Chairman Tom Wheeler and commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel at the commission’s monthly meeting Thursday. Rosenworcel approved letting the proposal move toward the comment phase, but she doesn’t support allowing such usage. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O'Rielly opposed it. The Department of Transportation meanwhile said it will look at whether to block such calls.
While the IP transition could see action first, the incentive auction of broadcast TV spectrum remains one of the highest priorities for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a senior commission official said Wednesday. The auction remains the single issue on which Wheeler is spending the most time, the official said. Some industry observers feared a slight pivot on Wheeler’s part in recent days, highlighted by last Thursday’s blog post promising action in January on the transition (CD Nov 30 p1).