The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Huricane Katrina and other man-made and natural disasters often reveal flaws in emergency communications systems. Here we attempt to chart the effects of disasters on our telecommunications and media communications systems -- and efforts by policymakers to stregthen these systems.
Emergency Communications
The hearing will examine FirstNet and AT&T’s progress on building a nationwide public safety broadband network. The hearing will also review the Government Accountability Office’s most recent oversight report on FirstNet that was released in January 2020.
Witnesses
The FirstNet Authority will post a detailed agenda for the Combined Board and Board Committees Meeting on FirstNet.gov prior to the meeting. The agenda topics are subject to change. Please note that the subjects discussed by the Board and Board Committees may involve commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential, or other legal matters affecting the FirstNet Authority. As such, the Board may, by majority vote, close the meeting only for the time necessary to preserve the confidentiality of such information.
Another Massive Hurricane, Another Reason Why Congress Must Pass the RESILIENT Networks Act
If we want to make any progress on [connecting Americans] during hurricane season, then we need Congress to pass the “Reenforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity, Local Infrastructure, and Emergency Notification for Today’s Networks — or RESILIENT Networks — Act.” Congress should pass the RESILIENT Networks Act as quickly as possible. Neither the Federal Communications Commission nor state governments have taken the needed steps to update our regulations governing repair of physical networks to reflect modern network construction.
California Members of Congress Issue Joint Statement on Wireless Carriers’ Unconscionable Challenge to CPUC’s 72-Hour Backup Power Safeguards
20 Members of Congress from the California Delegation issued a joint statement regarding the application for rehearing that was recently filed by wireless carriers at the California Public Utilities Commission. They wrote: “We are outraged that wireless carriers are arguing against safeguards that will protect Californians during wildfire season and that they are doing so as devastating wildfires burn across our state.
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for Sept 2020 Open Meeting
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the Sept Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Sept 30, 2020:
A Big Fall Kickoff
The Federal Communications Commission’s Sept agenda looks like a well-balanced fantasy team; we’re rolling out a diverse lineup featuring at least one item from each of the FCC’s seven bureaus.
Chairman Pai's Response to Members of Congress Regarding Telecommunications Connectivity in Puerto Rico During the COVID-19 Pandemic
On May 26, 2020, Reps Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and Darren Soto (D-FL) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to request the FCC to provide an update on the status of communications networks in Puerto Rico and determine whether its residents have maintained reliable connectivity throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The Reps wrote they were deeply concerned about the potential for continued communications disruptions, in light of recent earthquakes and the lingering impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
FCC seeks Comment On Emergency Access To Wi-Fi Access Points And Spectrum For Unlicensed Devices
The Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau seeks comment on emergency access to Wi-Fi access points as directed by Congress in the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018. By March 23, 2021, Section 301 of RAY BAUM’S Act requires the FCC to submit to Congress and make publicly available on the FCC’s website, a study on the public safety benefits and technical feasibility and cost of
Remarks of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai at the ITU's Global Symposium for Regulators
I’ve been asked to speak briefly about our experiences dealing with the pandemic in the United States, and some of the lessons we might be able to apply to unexpected events in the future. When it comes to America’s communications networks, the top headline is that they have performed extremely well during the COVID-19 pandemic. As one would expect, we saw significant increases in voice and Internet traffic as our lives and the economy moved online due to the pandemic. Our wired and wireless networks handled this surge without any significant service disruptions or declines.
How Covid-19 Changed Americans’ Internet Habits
Internet usage soared 25% within a few days in mid-March as the coronavirus pandemic started forcing Americans to stay home and is bound to remain substantially higher than before the pandemic. The increased internet usage has pushed broadband providers to perform round-the-clock enhancements on their networks, in hopes of minimizing hiccups to connection and speed.