Senators Seek GAO Study of Network Resiliency

In advance of the Senate Communications Subcommittee hearing June 5 on the IP transition, Subcommittee Chairman Mark Pryor (D-AK), Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL), chair of the Subcommittee on Science and Space, and parent Commerce Committee Chairman Sen Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) have asked the Government Accountability Office to study how the communications sector plans to "guarantee" resiliency and reliability as they transition to new technologies.

The senators want the following questions answered:

• To what extent has the communications sector transitioned from traditional copper-based networks to IP networks?
• As part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, what action has the federal government taken to ensure the reliability and robustness of communication networks that have transitioned to IP?
• What key challenges do IP network operators face during times of crises and how do the challenges affect consumers?
• To what extent do priority access programs for emergency preparedness communications exist for IP networks?