Today:  FCC Emergency Alerting Roundtable, FCC Universal Service Monitoring Report, Virginia Commonwealth Broadband  Chief Advisor  

FCC Emergency Alerting Roundtable

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released the findings and recommendations from its investigation into the January 13, 2018, false ballistic missile alert that was sent to all of Hawaii using the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).  The Report finds that a combination of human error and inadequate safeguards contributed to the transmission of the false alert.  Neither the false alert nor the 38-minute delay to correct the false alert would have occurred had Hawaii implemented reasonable safeguards and protocols to minimize the risk that HI-EMA would issue a false alert, and to ensure that HI-EMA would be able to issue a rapid correction of any false alert that was delivered to the public.  This report also identifies best practices to guard against the issuance of false alerts and, if a false alert is issued, to swiftly correct any misinformation and mitigate the consequences.  The recommendations include regular internal tests in a controlled and closed environment, more than one credentialed person to validate the message content, requiring supervisor approval and supervision of internal tests and proficiency training exercises, and establishing redundant and effective lines of communication with key stakeholders.

The Bureau also announced that, on May 15, 2018, it will host a public roundtable to share lessons learned and help encourage awareness and understanding of these best practices, as well as to promote a continued dialogue among stakeholders.  Further details regarding the workshop participants, roundtable discussion topics, and times will be announced by a subsequent public notice.

FCC Universal Service Monitoring Report

The FCC released its 20th Universal Service Monitoring Report based on data received through September 2017.  Among other things, the report discussed universal service program funding requirements and contribution factors.  It shows that provider revenues subject to contribution assessments have fallen considerably from 2006 to 2016 (from $74.499 billion in 2006 to $57.59 billion in 2016) and that the contribution factor roughly doubled in that same time frame.  The report also contains revenue breakdowns by local, toll, and mobile service; support breakdowns by USF program and state; voice, Internet, and broadband subscribership figures.  The broadband section includes the below table on Internet usage among all household, with a breakdown by income, urban/rural, age, and race.

Virginia Creates Commonwealth Broadband Chief Advisor Position

A new law effective July 1, 2018, will create the position of Broadband Chief Advisor within the office of the Secretary of Commerce and Trade.  The Chief Advisor will serve as Virginia's single point of contact and integration for broadband issues, efforts, and initiatives and to increase the availability and affordability of 13 broadband throughout all regions of the Commonwealth.  Among other things, the Chief Advisor will:

• Integrate activities among federal and state agencies and coordinate with Internet service providers (ISPs) in the Commonwealth
• Provide continual research into public and private grants and loans to help defray the cost of broadband infrastructure buildouts and upgrades;
• Maintain broadband maps;
• Monitor and analyze broadband legislative and policies and trends; and
• Develop a strategic plan for deploying broadband.