Today:   Pennsylvania National Cyber Security Awareness Month, FCC Accessibility Innovations Expo, FCC Tentative Agenda for October Open Meeting  

Pennsylvania Highlights National Cyber Security Awareness Month

The PUC joined with Governor Wolf and other state agencies to highlight National Cyber Security Awareness Month and the role that every individual, organization, and business plays in keeping our critical information and infrastructure secure.  The PUC is working with utilities; state agencies like the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security; emergency responders and other organizations to better prepare for cyber and physical attacks, strengthen critical systems, share information about current and future threats, and ensure that essential services are as resilient as possible.  Press Release

FCC To Hold Accessibility Innovations Expo

The FCC announced it will host an Accessibility Innovations Expo from 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 23, 2017, featuring technologies that advance accessibility for people with disabilities.  The Expo, which is co-hosted by the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau and Connect2HealthFCC (C2H) Task Force, coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month and will highlight how technology can provide opportunities for people to be fully engaged in an increasingly technological workforce.   Press Release

FCC ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR OCTOBER OPEN MEETING

The FCC announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the October Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 24, 2017:

• Support for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands –Consideration of an Order to clarify the use of high-cost universal service support and permit forward funding of support to aid in reconstruction of telecommunications networks damaged by Hurricane Maria.  See also Chairman Pai’s blog regarding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
• Exemption to Calling Number Identification Service – Consideration of a Report and Order that would enable law enforcement and security personnel to obtain quick access to blocked Caller ID information needed to investigate threatening calls.  It also would amend the FCC’s rules to allow non-public emergency services, such as private ambulance companies, to obtain blocked Caller ID information associated with calls requesting assistance.
• Nationwide Number Portability – Consideration of a NPRM and NOI that proposes to amend the FCC’s rules and seeks comment on industry models to move toward complete nationwide number portability. 
• Promoting Investment in the 3550-3700 MHz Band – Consideration of a NPRM that would seek comment on propose changes to the Priority Access License rules in the 3550-3700 MHz (3.5 GHz) band to increase incentives for investment, encourage more efficient spectrum use, and promote faster and more widespread network deployments.  See Commissioner O’Rielly’s statement here.
• Hearing Aid Compatibility and Volume Control – Consideration of a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration on hearing aid compatibility (HAC) that would update the volume control standard for wireline telephones, extend wireline HAC requirements to cover telephones used with advanced communications services, adopt a volume control rule for wireless handsets, and delete an obsolete wireless HAC standard rule.
• Part 43 Reporting Requirements for U.S. Providers of International Services – Consideration of a Report and Order that would: (1) eliminate the Traffic and Revenue Reports and (2) streamline the Circuit Capacity Reports.
• Elimination of Main Studio Rule – Consideration of a Report and Order eliminating the rule that requires each AM, FM, and television broadcast station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license.
• Updates to Rules Governing Ancillary/Supplementary Services and Broadcast Public Notices – Consideration of a NPRM that seeks comment on updates to §73.624(g) of its rules, which imposes certain reporting obligations for broadcasters relating to the provision of ancillary or supplementary services, and §73.3580, which requires public notice of the filing of broadcast applications, including through newspapers.

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The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily 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 a TMI Briefing.

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