The FCC Public Safety Bureau granted 42 alert originator waivers Tuesday to do tests of the wireless emergency alert system. The tests will be Sept. 12 and 13, with alternate dates of Sept. 19 and 20. “Promoting the effectiveness of the nation’s emergency alerting systems is an important priority for the Commission and granting this waiver will enable” the bureau “in partnership with 42 alert originators, to gather critical data regarding WEA performance from geographically targeted areas across the United States.” This information collected “will help address a gap in alert originators’ understanding of WEA’s end-to-end performance,” the order said: The bureau “received reports that emergency management agencies are declining to use WEA in situations where it could save lives because they lack information about, and confidence in, how WEA works in practice.” The system wasn't used during the Marshall fire in Boulder “due to ‘concerns about its reliability and delivery,’” the bureau said. “The alert will sound and appear on compatible mobile devices using participating wireless networks in that area,” the FCC said in a news release: “The alert message will make clear that it is only a test and contain a link for the recipient to complete a survey about their receipt of the alert. Each agency will have a control group of volunteers in the targeted geographic area complete the survey, and members of the public may also do so. The tests are intended to assess the geographic accuracy of the alerts in addition to other performance factors, including reliability and speed.” The FCC also sent letters to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon with questions they're asked to answer as the FCC does a broader assessment of the tests. WEAs “are a life-saving tool, but emergency managers tell us that they need more information on the geographic accuracy of these alerts in order to use them with confidence,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
Country of origin cases
Backers of a bid to fully fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program believe appropriations legislation, including a likely continuing resolution to extend federal payments past Sept. 30, is the most viable vehicle for formally allocating the additional money, due to concerns about delayed action on the House-passed (see 2207280052) Spectrum Innovation Act (HR-7624). Senate Commerce Committee leaders are grappling during the August recess with how to respond to HR-7624, which would allocate some proceeds from a proposed auction of the 3.1-3.45 GHz band for rip and replace reimbursements, given disagreements on spectrum policy priorities (see 2208090001).
Tennessee Senate Republicans defended the rights of songwriters and musicians last week as the Supreme Court considers a case with implications for derivative works in every medium from photography and film to music and art (docket 21-869).
Industry disagreed whether the FCC should impose additional requirements on certain voice service providers to combat illegal robocalls (see 2207150053). Some agreed with a proposal to impose additional measures on intermediate providers, in comments posted Thursday in docket 17-97. Others sought flexibility as providers continue to implement Stir/Shaken caller ID authentication.
Low-income and community advocates supported consumer groups' petition to require low-cost broadband plans for all Californians. The California Public Utilities Commission received responses Wednesday to an amended petition in docket R.20-02-008. As they did earlier this month on the original petition (see 2208020033), ISPs warned that the state could risk losing broadband funding if the CPUC modified an April decision on rules for the state’s $2 billion last-mile federal funding account (FFA). Granting the petition "would ensure that the families who need access to affordable and reliable internet the most would finally be able to receive it without having to choose between paying their bills, grocery shopping or paying their internet bill,” said Alliance for a Better Community, a social justice nonprofit. “It would also aid in ending preferential treatment for high income broadband users over the needs of low-income users." LA-Tech.org, a nonprofit that helps low-income people find tech internships, also supported the change: "Low Income communities could be priced out of reliable broadband internet, depriving them of equitable access to health services and remote job opportunities.” If the CPUC fails to protect affordability, “the state risks funding high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that do not result in affordable service for unserved and underserved communities,” said the Institute for Local Self-Reliance: Reject any provider arguments to “wait to study the problem or collect data.” USTelecom countered that the “amended petition is procedurally improper” because it “fails to demonstrate new facts, materially changed circumstances, or misconceptions of law or fact.” Contrary to the public interest, the consumer groups' proposed changes would delay FFA implementation and discourage participation, which would make it harder for the state to use federal American Rescue Plan Act funding, the industry group said.
Consumers and advertisers are increasingly gravitating toward free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), from linear and on demand viewing, said panelists Tuesday at the Stream TV virtual advertising summit. FAST channels such as Amazon’s Freevee and Paramount’s Pluto are free, easy to access because many don’t require logins, and are increasingly offering a wider variety of high-quality content, said panelists from Tivo, Roku and Crackle. Combined with ad-supported video on demand, FAST offerings are starting to supplant MVPD video subscriptions, said Scott Maddux, TiVo vice president-global content strategy & business.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission should have hearings in its Lumen service-quality investigation, said Minnesota Commerce and Attorney General offices and Communications Workers of America in a Tuesday letter in docket C-20-432. The three intervenors said, after eight months of settlement talks with Lumen’s CenturyLink with no resolution, they “have concerns with the pace and scope of the discussion and believe other action may be appropriate.” Intervenors “are concerned that consumers may be experiencing problems with CenturyLink’s service that are beyond the scope of the originally filed complaint,” they added. The PUC should have at least six hearings in different parts of the state to collect comments from consumers, local officials and others about service-quality problems, intervenors said. The PUC paused the probe in December to allow for settlement talks (see 2112150049). Lumen has “been working cooperatively" with the intervenors to resolve their concerns, said a spokesperson."We are disappointed that they have moved in this direction."
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, backed the FTC’s exploration of a privacy rulemaking (see 2208110068). He spoke Friday in support of the FTC posing questions about “physical, mental and reputational harms” caused by social media data practices. Schatz, one of the Senate Commerce Committee’s original negotiators on recent privacy legislation, welcomed the FTC “scrutinizing discrimination in the algorithms that Americans interact with every day and that pose significant risks when used negligently or maliciously.”
California legislators killed a social media bill that would have held platforms civilly liable for addicting children, after opposition from the web industry and free-speech advocates. But some other controversial internet bills made it through Friday’s cutoff for fiscal committee votes. Bills on broadband, free inmate calls and the 988 mental-health hotline also advanced to floor votes.
President Joe Biden signed the Chips and Science Act into law Tuesday, calling it a “once in a generation” investment that will help address the supply chain shortage, inflation, national security, jobs and climate change. He spoke for about 20 minutes before signing HR-4346 during a ceremony in the Rose Garden with dozens of congressional, administrative and industry attendees (see 2207280060 and 2208030052)