FCC To Revise Emergency Backup Power Rule For Cell Phones

The Federal Communications Commission said it will revise a rule requiring wireless companies to maintain enough generators or batteries to sustain cell phone and pager service in the event of a major power failure. In a notice to a federal appeals court that has been reviewing the rule, the FCC said it wouldn't override a recent White House decision to reject the backup power requirement, even though the commission has the authority to do so as an independent agency. The FCC instead will issue a new proposal "with the goal of adopting revised backup power rules that will ensure that reliable communications are available to public safety during, and in the aftermath of, natural disasters and other catastrophic events," the notice said. The earlier FCC proposal stemmed from discussions among public safety experts and government officials in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when communication networks were disrupted for long periods in certain areas because of power failures.