Today:   FCC Adopts Procedures for Review of State Opt-Out Requests from the FirstNet , Wyoming Schedule for CenturyLink Deregulation Proceeding, FCC Report on Hurricane Irma  

FCC Adopts Procedures for Review of State Opt-Out Requests from the FirstNet

The FCC adopted an Order finalizing the technical criteria it will use when considering alternative plans from states that elect to opt-out of the FirstNet network.  The FCC determined that its review will be limited to determining whether the alternative state plans comply with requirements [4] and [5] of the Interoperability Board Report.  These recommendations apply to the use of Access Point Names or APNs.  Recommended requirement [4] states that

“[h]ardware and software systems comprising the NPSBN SHALL support APNs defined for PSAN [Public Safety Application Network] usage.” Recommended requirement [5] states that “[h]ardware and software systems comprising the NPSBN SHALL support nationwide APNs for interoperability.”  However, opt-out states will not be limited to using the same APNs as FirstNet to comply with these requirements. 

Wyoming CenturyLink Deregulation Proceeding

The Wyoming PSC issued a procedural schedule for its consideration of the request of CenturyLink QC that its basic residential and business telecommunications services provided through its Zone 2 and Zone 3 service areas are subject to effective competition and should be deregulated.    Among other things, the schedule calls for direct testimony to be filed November 15, 2017, rebuttal testimony to be filed on December 22, 2017, a prehearing conference on March 6, 2018, and a public hearing on March 21, 2018.

Do you need more details regarding this and other proceedings? See zone information, dates, and back up documentation in TMI's Briefing dated 7/5/17.

FCC Status Report on Hurricane Irma

The September 17, 2017, status report for areas impacted by Hurricane Irma indicates that: (1) there were 4 PSAPs in Florida and 2 PSAPs in the US Virgin Islands affected by the storm; (2) 50% of the cell sites in the US Virgin Islands and 4% of the cell sites in Florida were out of service with no counties in Florida and 2 counties in the US Virgin Island reporting 50% of their cells sites down; (3) there are at least 1,115,752 consumers in Florida without either cable or wireline service in Florida and a “large” percentage of consumers in the Virgin Islands without such services due to widespread power outages; (4) there are a total of 5 broadcast stations reported out of service; and (5) there are a total of 27 radio stations out of service.

_____________________

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.

Learn about TMI's Fall Seminar and Workshop