Today: FCC Report on Tropical Storm Harvey,  FCC CSRIC Signaling System 7 Security Best Practices, Utah National Lifeline Verifier 

FCC Report On Tropical Storm Harvey

The FCC released a report on the status of communications services in geographic areas impacted by Tropical Storm Harvey as of August 27, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. EDT. This report incorporates network outage data submitted by communications providers to the Federal Communications Commission’s Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS). DIRS currently covers 55 counties in Texas and Louisiana.  The report indicates that: (1) there were a total of 17 PSAPs affected by the storm; (2) 4.1% of the cell sites in the affected area were down but that Aransas, Calhoun, Refugio, and San Patricio in TX had more than 50% of their cells sites down; (3) there are at least 148,565 cable and wireline  subscribers out of service in the affected area, 11 non-mobile switching centers out of service and 21 switching centers on back-up power; (4) there are 9 radio stations out of service; and (5) there are no TV stations reported as being out of service. See our Emergency Regulatory Mix dated 8/25/17.

FCC Encourages Implementation Of CSRIC Signaling System 7 Security Best Practices

The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) released a Public Notice encouraging communications service providers to implement the security countermeasures recommended by the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) to prevent exploitation of carrier Signaling System 7 (SS7) network infrastructure.  These recommendations can be grouped into the following two areas: Awareness and Protection and Security Best Practices.  The Bureau recommends that communications service providers review the SS7 security best practices recommended by CSRIC to assess whether and how they may adapt or incorporate them into their own networks.  The Bureau said that implementation of these mitigation solutions will benefit the commercial communications infrastructure and its end users by reducing SS7 security risks.  It noted that nearly all of the topics discussed are aimed at efforts that can commence now or in the near future.  The exception is Diameter, which is a topic that is a subject for consideration by the current CSRIC.

Utah To Use National Lifeline Verifier

The PSC informed all Utah ETCs that, effective January 1, 2018, they must use the USAC national verifier system to complete the Lifeline eligibility verification process for the state Lifeline program.  The PSC said that USAC and the Utah Department of Workforce Services had worked together to develop a computer interface that will allow USAC to assume the responsibility of verifying Lifeline eligibility for all Utah customers.

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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.