Virgin Islands Granted Waiver to Conduct Wireless Emergency Alert Test
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau issued an order granting a limited waiver allowing Emergency Alert System (EAS) Participants and Participating Commercial Mobile Service (CMS) Providers to participate in a test to be conducted by the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency. The test will be conducted on March 14, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. Atlantic Standard Time.
The EAS is a national public warning system through which EAS Participants deliver alerts to the public to warn them of impending emergencies. The primary purpose of the EAS is to provide the President of the United States with “the capability to provide immediate communications and information to the general public at the National, State and Local Area levels during periods of national emergency.” State and local authorities also use the EAS to distribute voluntary weather-related and other emergency alerts to the public.
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The Regulatory Mix Today: Virgin Islands Granted Waiver to Conduct Wireless Emergency Alert Test, FTC Agenda for 11th Session on Competition and Consumer Protection, FCC Stops Clock on Consideration of T-Mobile and Sprint
FTC Agenda for 11th Session on Competition and Consumer Protection
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the agenda for the 11th session [Day 1 | Day 2] of its Hearings Initiative, which will focus on the agency’s international work.
FTC Chairman Joe Simons will deliver opening remarks, followed by a presentation by current George Washington University Law Professor and former FTC Chairman William E. Kovacic, which will highlight international developments in competition, consumer protection, and privacy laws, enforcement, and policies, and explore their impact on the FTC’s mission and work. The first day will also feature panels on enforcement cooperation, along with discussion of international engagement and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
The hearing’s second day will begin with opening remarks by Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips and a presentation by Roger Alford, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. Commissioner Christine S. Wilson will also deliver a presentation. The day will include panel discussions addressing international policy cooperation, international engagement, and the FTC’s role in a changing world.
FCC Stops Clock on Consideration of T-Mobile and Sprint
The FCC has stopped the clock as of today, March 7, 2019, in its consideration of the T-Mobile and Sprint merger. On February 21, 2019, and March 6, 2019, the Applicants filed significant additional information regarding their network integration plans for 2019-2021, an extension of their previously filed merger simulation analysis to cover the years 2019-2021, and additional information regarding their claims related to fixed wireless broadband services. These filings contain substantial new material and reach conclusions about the effects of the transaction that were not previously in the record. Accordingly, consistent with its past practice, the FCC is seeking comment on this new information. Comments should be limited to the Applicants’ new submissions and not repeat arguments previously raised. Comments must be filed by March 28, 2019. Absent further significant new record submissions by the Applicants or other outstanding issues, including documentation of claims of privilege, the informal 180-day clock will resume on April 4, 2019, at day 122.
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.
