Today:  FCC Announces Test of Disaster Information Reporting System, FCC Commissioner Carr Introduces FCC’s Next 5G Action 

FCC Announces Test of Disaster Information Reporting System

The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it will conduct a voluntary test of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) for broadcasters on September 13-14, 2018.  The purpose of this exercise is to help users become familiar with the system and ready to file DIRS reports when a real disaster strikes. DIRS is a voluntary, web-based system that communications providers, including broadcasters, can use to report communications infrastructure status and situational awareness information during times of crisis.

On September 13, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. EDT, PSHSB will send a DIRS 2018 EXERCISE activation letter to broadcasters registered in DIRS. To simulate an actual disaster, the letter will request that broadcasters participating in this exercise file a first set of reports by 3:00 p.m. EDT that day. PSHSB will also ask broadcasters to update their reports by 11:00 a.m. EDT on September 14, 2018.

FCC Commissioner Carr Introduces FCC’s Next 5G Action

On September 4, 2018, Commissioner Brendan Carr announced the FCC's next 5G order on the Senate floor of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, IN.  Commissioner Carr praised the legislation that has passed in Indiana relating to small wireless. 

Commissioner Carr said “[b]ased on your work, I am announcing today the next steps in the FCC’s efforts to bring more broadband to more Americans.  Later this month, the FCC will vote on a proposal designed to support small cell deployment.”  Commissioner Carr also said that the plan has four main components, it: (1) reaffirms local control over wireless infrastructure decisions where it is most appropriate, while ensuring that commonsense guardrails apply to outlier conduct; (2) affirms that local governments may charge wireless providers for the costs associated with reviewing small cell deployment; (3) tailors the “shot clocks” that have long governed local review of infrastructure deployments to account for the size and scale of small cells; and (4) preserves local governments’ reasonable aesthetic reviews. 

Commissioner Carr went on to say “These are commonsense ideas drawn from the hard work of leaders right here in Indiana’s General Assembly and in 19 other state legislatures.  By taking your ideas nationwide, we help ensure that every community in our country is 5G Ready.  And that will make a difference to American jobs and families.  In fact, an economic analysis released last week suggests that this FCC decision would cut about $2 billion in red tape, stimulate $2.5 billion in additional investment, and create 27,000 jobs.  Moreover, by lowering the cost of deploying small cells, this decision will flip the business case for building 5G and next-gen networks in rural and less affluent communities. According to the analysis, two million more homes will be reached by small cells as the result of this decision—and 97% of those will be in rural and suburban communities.”

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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.