Government
Where’s the Money?
March 31, 2011Much of what Congress, the FCC and other federal agencies attempt to do in the realm of public safety telecommunications policy is to promote efficiency and enhanced capabilities, such as interoperability, broadband radio communications and NG9-1-1. In the private sector, these goals would be pursued in the interest of profits, potentially opening the door to capital investments to turn the goals into reality. The government sector obviously lacks a profit motive and must appropriate funds purely on the basis of improving the public good. That simple reality sometimes gets lost when telecommunications policy is being made.
Read full articleFCC Issues Notice about Membership on Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council
March 31, 2011Washington, March 31 — Federal Communications Commission has issued a notice called: Federal Communications Commission Recharters and Seeks Nominations for Membership on the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.
Read full articleFCC Recharters the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council
March 24, 2011The FCC is seeking nominations and expressions of interest for membership on the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC). The Council is a Federal Advisory Committee that provides guidance, expertise, and recommendations to the Commission to improve the security, reliability and interoperability of the nation’s communications systems.
Read full articleSpoofing Still Plagues PSAPs
March 17, 2011PSAPs across the country are still experiencing issues with spoofing, which refers to a caller’s ability to modify caller ID, including the name and number. Although it seems like just a harmless prank, spoofing can tie up emergency resources. The FCC is currently accepting comments on regulations to prohibit this misrepresentation.
Read full articleAPCO Member Advisory on H.R. 607, Broadband for First Responders Act
March 17, 2011In February, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) introduced H.R. 607, the…
Read full articleEmergency Access Advisory Committee Releases National Survey to Learn About Emergency Calling by Individuals with Disabilities
March 17, 2011The FCC launched an online national survey of individuals with disabilities to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable their access to emergency services. The results of the survey will inform the Advisory Committee as it develops recommendations to implement such technologies and methods in a Next Generation 9-1-1 system that will be capable of receiving emergency calls via video, text and voice.
Read full articleNew 800 MHz Band Plan for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
March 4, 2011This document summarizes the Fourth Report and Order, which establishes a new 800 MHz band plan for the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). This action is necessary to meet the Commission’s goals to improve public safety communications in the 800 MHz band. The effect of this order ensures an orderly and efficient transition to the new 800 MHz band plan in the USVI.
Read full articleBleak Grant Outlook for 2011
March 3, 2011Politicians tell us that the recession has ended. If you asked a person standing in an unemployment line in New York, Philadelphia, Denver or Los Angeles if they agree with that assessment, they would probably say no. If you look at many state and local budgets, prosperity is hard to find. More and more, states are withholding funds that used to be passed on to municipalities to help with their projects.
Read full articleNew Study Verifies Public Safety’s Broadband Plan
March 2, 2011Alexandria, Va. — A new economic study released today by former FCC staff and leading telecommunications academics finds that assigning the D block to public safety, as opposed to subjecting it to a commercial auction, provides the nation with at least $3.4 billion more in social benefit. Furthermore, the study concludes that the allocation of D block to public safety will help contribute to deficit reduction.
Read full articleFCC Wants Answers on 10,000 Dropped 9-1-1 Calls
February 24, 2011The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asking Verizon for answers after receiving reports that approximately 10,000 9-1-1 calls were dropped during a Jan. 26 snowstorm. The outage affected trunks that handle wireless 9-1-1 calls in two Maryland counties, Montgomery and Prince George’s.
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