Emergency Communications

It’s been four months since my colleague, Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and I penned an op-ed reaffirming the need and accompanying reasons to stop states from diverting critical 9-1-1 fees collected from consumers to non-9-1-1 functions.  After such time, it seems appropriate to ask: have things improved?  In reality, the effort to end 9-1-1 fee diversion has had mixed results.

The Federal Communications Commission approved additional immediate funding to accelerate the restoration of communications networks in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands that were damaged and destroyed during the 2017 hurricane season. The FCC is also seeking comment on injecting almost $900 million in medium- and long-term funding into expanding and improving broadband access on the islands. To accomplish these goals, the Commission created the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund (Bringing Puerto Rico Together Fund) and the Connect USVI Fund.

Using its deployment of FirstNet to provide a dedicated, nationwide network to first responders, AT&T can reach deeper into rural consumer markets that typically fall to chief competitor Verizon, according to AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan. “T-Mobile much more urban, Verizon much more rural,” Donovan said. “FirstNet gives us a great opportunity to go into the rural markets because not only will we be building the network for first responders, it dawned us that we should also be putting up stores and going after the consumers.

Upgrading to next-generation services, like high-speed broadband, is important and essential to closing the digital divide. While the copper network may be dated, millions of Americans still rely on it to support devices like credit card machines, fax machines, school fire alarms, and medical devices. With this order, the Federal Communications Commission gives carriers the green light to provide consumers with less notice about service changes and less time to respond.

The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) and Free Press filled joint comments with the Federal Communications Commission calling on the agency to increase efforts to help Puerto Rico fully recover from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which devastated the island’s communication infrastructure.

[Speech] You either believe broadcasters should be allowed to innovate, or you don’t. And we do. So last November, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules authorizing the Next Gen TV transmission standard. By allowing use of this standard on a voluntary, market-driven basis, we’ve opened the door to a substantially improved, free, over-the-air television broadcast service and fiercer competition in the video marketplace.

On January 13, 2018 at 8:07 am, the State of Hawaii Emergency Management Agency sought to conduct an internal exercise of their ballistic missile defense drill using the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). The exercise went awry, resulting in HI-EMA sending the following message throughout Hawaii: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. This false emergency alert resulted in 38 minutes of confusion, fear and uncertainty for the residents of Hawaii.

In January, the state of Hawaii mistakenly warned the public of an imminent missile attack by issuing a false alert to televisions, radios, and wireless phones. My team recently completed an investigation into the incident—an alerting drill gone awry—and we’ll be partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on additional outreach to help stakeholders better understand the capabilities of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts.

In the coming months, localities around the nation can expect to begin receiving a flood of applications to construct the first of hundreds—perhaps thousands—of new telecommunications towers up to 300 feet high, plus applications to attach hundreds of thousands of “small cell” wireless devices on buildings, utility poles, and new structures. A major driver of this activity is FirstNet, the federal organization overseeing the deployment of a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). These developments will bring clear public safety benefits.