FCC to Hold Field Hearings To Examine New Challenges to Resiliency of U.S. Communications Networks During Natural Disasters

Federal Communications Chairman Julius Genachowski announced plans to convene a series of field hearings in the coming months to examine new challenges to the nation’s communications networks in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, and help inform recommendations and action to improve network resiliency.

The field hearings will focus on the unique challenges faced by communications service providers, state and local officials, emergency personnel, and consumers before, during and after Superstorm Sandy as well as other natural disasters. Beginning in early 2013, hearings will take place throughout the country in locations that have experienced major natural disasters, starting in New York. They will include businesses, public safety officials, engineering and academic experts, consumers and other stakeholders. The field hearings will inquire about a number of topics, based on the Commission’s current assessment of the U.S. communications infrastructure post-Superstorm Sandy.

These inquiry topics and related questions include, but are not limited to, the following areas.

• Sandy was an event for which communications providers had substantial advance notice.
• There were several instances where communications providers worked together to share resources to improve communications performance during Sandy.
• Our communications systems are increasingly reliant on electric power, both for the infrastructure and in homes and businesses: e.g., to power consumers’ mobile and home communications devices and equipment, communications companies’ central offices and cell sites, and broadcasters’ transmitters and studios.
• In addition to back-up power, transport connectivity between cell sites and other network nodes failed, resulting in disruptions to wireless communications.
• Emergency communications, particularly 9-1-1 communications networks, generally remained operational during Sandy.
• Communications services took days to recover after Sandy. This not only includes service availability, but service availability at full performance.
• Users of communications services appear to lack information about the performance of the services they pay for.