New York Seeks Changes to Messaging Draft

New York City asked the FCC to modify its draft ruling clarifying wireless messaging as a Communications Act Title I information service to account for emergency texts. The item is set for a vote Wednesday (see 1812050019). The city would have the FCC require message providers work with public safety agencies on texts. New York warned of the potential for unintended consequences. “As there are many emergency mass notification providers which often rely on the same downstream aggregators, the City is concerned that, absent a carefully considered regulatory framework, efforts by commercial mobile service providers to curtail spam have the potential to prevent the delivery of critical messages to recipients that need them and have either opted in to the system … or have been imported into the system as part of a sanctioned program,” said a filing posted Thursday in docket 8-02. Software company Zipwhip said the FCC is right to provide clarity. The ruling would "remove uncertainty on the matter and enable companies like Zipwhip to continue their efforts to protect consumers by adopting blocking protocols that eliminate spam,” Zipwhip said.