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Welcome Back To The Wireless Messaging News I MADE A MISTAKE I found a quotation on the Internet from an unknown author: “Maturity is being able to apologize and admit when you’re wrong because you know that your mistakes don’t define you.” Of course it is better to apologize without an excuse, but my excuse is that I was having a bad week. See, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR following below about last week’s newsletter. RECOLLECTIONS
I am 76 years old. I first became interested in radio and electronics when I was in junior high school. I built my first crystal (1N34) radio receiver using an old wall-telephone earpiece that my grandmother had given me. When transistors first became available and the price dropped to where a kid could afford one with his allowance money, supplemented by refunds at the local grocery store for used soft-drink bottles, I constructed a transistor radio using a Raytheon CK722 transistor.
So I was “hooked” and spent the rest of my life in one form or another in Radio Communications and Electronics.
Then I went off to Central and South America to learn Spanish and help missionaries out in the bush with their radio communications. I also maintained the medical-lab equipment in a missionary hospital.
Over the next twenty-plus years I was fortunate enough to be promoted to progressively more responsible positions, eventually managing a department of engineers handling sales, systems engineering, field technical support, and programs management for Paging Infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Oh yes . . . I forgot to mention my best job in the Motorola Paging division was international market development manager for Pagers. Then on to a several positions in sales and marketing of Paging infrastructure for companies like BBL Industries, Real Time Strategies, and Spectrum Communications.
Wow, it makes me tired just trying to remember all of this. Travel to over fifty countries has taken its toll but I am still plugging away. I certainly don't know everything about Paging but I search the Internet every week to bring you the most interesting news that I can find. Sometimes I receive really good articles written by other Paging people.
I am doing the best that I can and I appreciate — very much — all the support and encouragement that I receive from readers of the newsletter. |
This doesn't mean that nothing is ever published here that mentions a US political party—it just means that the editorial policy of this newsletter is to remain neutral on all political issues. We don't take sides.
A new issue of the Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn’t fill up your incoming e-mail account. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world’s major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It’s all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology. I regularly get readers’ comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it. I spend the whole week searching the Internet for news that I think may be of interest to you — so you won’t have to. This newsletter is an aggregator — a service that aggregates news from other news sources. You can help our community by sharing any interesting news that you find.
Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any of advertisers or supporters. This newsletter is independent of any trade association. I don't intend to hurt anyone's feelings, but I do freely express my own opinions.
We need your help. This is probably the only weekly news source about paging and wireless messaging.
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GLENAYRE INFRASTRUCTUREI would like to recommend Easy Solutions for Support of all Glenayre Paging Equipment. This Texas company is owned and operated by Vaughan Bowden. I have known Vaughan for over 35 years. Without going into a long list of his experience and qualifications, let me just say that he was the V.P. of Engineering at PageNet which was—at that time—the largest paging company in the world. So Vaughan knows Paging. GTES is no longer offering support contracts. GTES was the original group from Vancouver that was setup to offer support to customers that wanted to continue with the legacy Glenayre support. Many U.S. customers chose not to use this service because of the price and the original requirement to upgrade to version 8.0 software (which required expensive hardware upgrades, etc.). Most contracts ended as of February 2018. If you are at all concerned about future support of Glenayre products, especially the “king of the hill” the GL3000 paging control terminal, I encourage you to talk to Vaughan about a service contract and please tell him about my recommendation. |
Subscribe Here IT'S FREE * required field If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter just fill in the blanks in the form above, and then click on the “Subscribe” button. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. It’s all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology.
Prism-IPX Systems is growing and they are looking for more good software developers with communications experience. Additional information is available on their web site. |
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Doctors should 'throw away their pagers', says Health Secretary in new technology drive for the NHSBy Anna Mikhailova The Telegraph 19 July 2018
Matt Hancock will call on doctors and nurses to “throw away their pagers” and replace them with smartphone apps as the new Health Secretary sets out his vision for the NHS. Mr Hancock, who gained a reputation for promoting new technology as Culture Secretary and was the first MP to launch his own app, will focus on “tech transformation” in the health service. He will make his first speech as Health Secretary today at West Suffolk hospital, and will set out his three early priorities — “technology, the health and care workforce and prevention”. One of his first targets will be to rid the NHS of pagers, the Daily Telegraph can reveal. More than one in 10 of the world’s pagers is being used in the NHS. The dated technology costs the NHS an estimated £6.6 million a year, according to a report by the digital solutions company CommonTime. One pilot study has shown that replacing pagers to smartphone apps will save nurses more than 20 minutes and doctors almost 50 minutes every shift. Mr Hancock replaced Jeremy Hunt last month in a reshuffle following the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson. Mr Hancock is expected to say today: “Technology used right is a catalyst for greater connectivity and empowerment — on both sides. Not only can the right use of technology save time and money, it can improve patient safety.” “I strongly believe that technology has the power to further enhance safety and improve outcomes for patients.” The question is how do we harness the best modern technology has to offer? How do we achieve this holy trinity of improving outcomes, helping clinicians and saving money? The minister will praise hospitals who have already decided to stop using pagers. “Right here in the West Suffolk, junior doctors and nurses will soon throw away their pagers and install a new smartphone app, removing the need to phone colleagues for details after getting paged,” Mr Hancock is expected to say. “Smartphone apps are only the start. Cutting edge technology is also improving safety and saving clinicians’ time.” He will also announce that £412 million will be made available to improve patient care and allow more patients to access health services at home. A further £75 million will be available to hospital trusts to install state-of-the-art electronic systems, to save money and “reduce potentially deadly medication errors by up to 50 per cent” when compared to the old paper systems. It is understood that one of Mr Hancock's aims as Health Secretary will also be to reset the relationship between the Government and NHS staff. — OPPOSING VIEWS —
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Paging Transmitters 150/900 MHz The RFI High Performance Paging Transmitter is designed for use in campus, city, state and country-wide paging systems. Designed for use where reliable simulcast systems where RF signal overlap coverage is critical.
Built-in custom interface for Prism-IPX ipBSC Base Controller for remote control, management and alarm reporting.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 Back To Paging Still The Most Reliable Protocol For Wireless Messaging!
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The Wireless Messaging News
The Board of Advisor members are people with whom I have developed a special rapport, and have met personally. They are not obligated to support the newsletter in any way, except with advice, and maybe an occasional letter to the editor.
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Critical Messaging that works
Secure . . . Dependable . . . and Encrypted |
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Repair and Refurbishment Services
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Click on the image above for more info about advertising here. |
Internet Protocol Terminal The IPT accepts Internet or serial messaging using various protocols and can easily convert them to different protocols, or send them out as paging messages. An ideal platform for hospitals, on-site paging applications, or converting legacy systems to modern protocols.
Additional/Optional Features
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
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BlackBerry dusts off oldest trick in the book to push new keyboard phoneAndy Boxall @AndyBoxall POSTED ON 7.19.18 - 3:05AM BlackBerry may have another device on the list for 2018 — a lower cost version of the Key2. And dropping the price is of course the oldest and most reliable trick in the book to increase sales. Evidence of its possible existence comes from a leaked picture allegedly showing what’s being called the BlackBerry Key2 Lite, which shows the back of a phone with BlackBerry’s familiar logo, and a Key2-like shape.
The device differs from the Key2 slightly. The chassis on the pictured device is red, and will apparently be made of plastic rather than metal. It will come in a blue or copper color as well, according to mobile leaker Evan Blass, who posted the picture on Twitter. The dual-lens camera BlackBerry introduced on the Key2 is present though, although the specifications may not be the same. While the Key2’s rear panel is also textured, the effect is different on the Key2 Lite. The device is apparently code-named BlackBerry Luna, and the cheaper materials used in its construction should make the phone cheaper to buy than the Key2, which starts at $650. What’s interesting is that being called the Key2 Lite and sharing the Key2’s basic design, means the phone will have a physical keyboard, potentially introducing the feature to a wider audience. Outside of the expensive KeyOne and Key2, the only other Android-based BlackBerry phone you could buy was the all-touchscreen BlackBerry Motion. We’ve already had indirect hints about the Key2 Lite. When Digital Trends spoke to BlackBerry’s global head of device portfolio Gareth Hurn in January, he told us there would be two phones with keyboards released in 2018. The BlackBerry Key2 turned out to be the first, and now it appears the Key2 Lite will be the second. When will the phone arrive? Blass mentions in a subsequent tweet the phone could launch at the end of August or in September, potentially at the IFA technology show in Berlin, which begins on August 31 and runs until September 5. We don’t know anything about the specification yet, or if BlackBerry will remove some of the Key’s special keyboard functionality to lower the price further. It’s always possible the Key2 Lite will use the KeyOne’s keyboard, just with the Key2’s improved design. |
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Paging Data Receiver PDR-4 The PDR-4 is a multi-function paging data receiver that decodes paging messages and outputs them via the serial port, USB or Ethernet connectors. Designed for use with Prism-IPX ECHO software Message Logging Software to receive messages and log the information for proof of transmission over the air, and if the data was error free.
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
Wireless Network Planners
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Remote AB Switches ABX-1 switches are often used at remote transmitter sites to convert from old, outdated and unsupported controllers to the new modern Prism-IPX ipBSC base station controllers. Remotely switch to new controllers with GUI commands. ABX-1 ABX-3 switches are widely used for enabling or disabling remote equipment and switching I/O connections between redundant messaging systems. ABX-3 Common Features:
Prism-IPX Systems LLC. 11175 Cicero Dr., Alpharetta, GA 30022 |
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FCC Sorting Through License Transfers for Proposed T-Mo-Sprint DealThe FCC is tackling the nitty-gritty aspects of the proposed T-Mobile acquisition of Sprint. The telecoms asked for agency permission to transfer Sprint’s licenses, authorizations and spectrum leases to T-Mobile. They’d also like the agency to okay the pro forma transfer of T-Mobile’s licenses, authorizations and spectrum leases to the combined company, should the deal be approved. Interested parties must file petitions to deny by August 27, to Docket 18-197. T-Mobile asked the Commission for a ruling to allow foreign ownership in the U.S. company higher than the current 25 percent threshold. This concerns the proposed transfer to T-Mobile of common carrier wireless licenses and leases, and common carrier fixed satellite earth station licenses, held by Sprint subsidiaries. The companies have said the combined entity would occupy about 85,000 macro tower sites and roughly 50,000 small cells. The FCC says initial review of data submitted by the two telecoms indicates that, in countries where their spectrum holdings overlap, the merged entity (New T-Mobile) would hold a maximum of 361.7 megahertz of spectrum. See this list of all the licenses involved. Post-transaction, 69 percent of T-Mobile’s equity and voting interests will be held by subsidiaries of Deutsche Telekom (42 percent) and SoftBank (27 percent), subject to a proxy that would be held by T-Mobile to direct the voting of SoftBank’s T-Mobile shares. The other 31 percent of T-Mobile shares will be held by public shareholders. T-Mobile asked the Commission to specifically approve foreign equity and voting interests that would be held directly or indirectly in T-Mobile post-closing by:
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| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
Selected portions [sometimes more — sometimes less] of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update and/or the BloostonLaw Private Users Update — newsletters from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP — are reproduced in this section of The Wireless Messaging News with kind permission from the firm. The firm's contact information is included at the end of this section of the newsletter.
REMINDER: Form 477 Data Due September 4On July 11, the FCC issued a Public Notice reminding all parties required to file Form 477 data that the filing deadline for the Form 477 data as of June 30, 2018 is September 4, 2018. The FCC’s Form 477 filing interface, available online at https://apps2.fcc.gov/form477/login.xhtml, is now accepting data as of June 30, 2018. Accurate and timely submission of FCC Form 477 is mandatory. Service providers that are required to file Form 477 but fail to do so may be subject to enforcement action under sections 502 and 503 of the Communications Act and any other applicable law. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesFCC Announces Tentative Agenda for August Open MeetingOn July 12, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the August 2, 2018 Open Commission Meeting. Linked in each summary item is the draft text of each item expected to be considered at this Open Commission Meeting. One-page cover sheets are included in the public drafts to help summarize each item. However, it is important to note that these documents are subject to change before final consideration at the Meeting.
Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live and can be followed on social media with #OpenMtgFCC. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast. Chairman Pai Announces Diversity Incubator Program for BroadcastOn July 11, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he has circulated a proposal that would establish the requirements to govern the incubator program that the Commission decided to adopt in 2017 to support the entry of new and diverse voices into the broadcast industry. The proposal, which the FCC will vote on at its August Open Meeting, outlines a program in which established broadcasters would pair with small aspiring new entrants or struggling broadcast station owners who lack access to capital and operational experience, among other things. The established broadcaster—the incubator—would help provide financial and operational support, including training and mentoring, to the new or struggling broadcaster. The program would initially apply to AM/FM full-service broadcast radio station ownership, as radio has traditionally been the most accessible entry point for new entrants and small businesses seeking to enter the broadcasting sector. “The FCC is committed to taking action to promote diversity in the broadcast industry,” said Chairman Pai. That’s why we will be voting at our August meeting to move forward with a new incubator program. This program will encourage new voices, including women and minorities, to enter the broadcast business. In particular, it will help address the significant barriers, including lack of access to capital, that currently make it hard for many to join the broadcast industry. I would like to thank all of the stakeholders, including the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment, that shared their recommendations on how this program should be structured. I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this important initiative.” BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy. Commissioner Carr Announces USF Connected Care Pilot ProgramOn July 11, Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that the FCC will seek to establish a new $100 million “Connected Care Pilot Program” to support telehealth for low-income Americans, especially those living in rural areas and veterans. According to a Press Release, the FCC will vote on a Notice of Inquiry at its August Open Meeting that seeks comment on:
“I want to thank Chairman Pai who, as the son of two doctors, appreciates the role that telemedicine plays in connecting rural communities to health care opportunities. I am grateful for the support he has shown as my office has worked on developing this Pilot Program,” Commission Carr stated. “I also want to thank the leadership shown on these issues by Senators John Thune, Roger Wicker, Deb Fischer, Cory Gardner, and Todd Young who have all urged the FCC to take additional steps in support of connected care deployments,” Commissioner Carr said. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. Law & RegulationFCC Adopts Items at July 12 Open MeetingAt the July 12, 2018 Open Commission Meeting, the FCC adopted the items listed below. A link to the final, as-adopted version of each item is linked where available.
Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live and can be followed on social media with #OpenMtgFCC. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast. Slamming and Cramming Rule Amendments Effective August 16On July 17, the FCC published in the Federal Register its Report and Order codifying rules against sales call misrepresentations and cramming and revising rules to improve the effectiveness of the third-party verification (TPV) process. These rules and revisions go into effect on August 16. Specifically, the FCC codified a rule to prohibit material misrepresentation, including material omissions, in sales calls to further reduce the incidence of slamming. Codifying this prohibition will provide carriers and consumers with more specific information and notice of this prohibited practice. The Commission also revised the Slamming and Cramming NPRM's proposed rule, published August 14, 2017, on sales calls by deleting the reference to “deception.” The Commission found that term to be vague and subject to an unclear interpretation absent a record to define it. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. FCC to Announce Future Timetable for Filing of Next Gen TV License ApplicationsOn July 17, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that the Next Gen TV local simulcasting rules are now in effect, and television broadcasters are authorized to use the “Next Generation” broadcast television transmission standard on a voluntary, market-driven basis. However, the Media Bureau is in the process of making changes to its Licensing and Management System (LMS) to accommodate Next Gen TV license applications and completion of such changes is expected in the beginning of 2019. Accordingly, the Bureau is not yet accepting applications for Next Gen TV licenses. The Bureau will issue a public notice announcing when it will start accepting applications for Next Gen TV licenses. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy. Rep. Coffman Introduces No-Paid-Prioritization Net Neutrality BillOn July 17, Representative Mike Coffman (R-CO) introduced his ‘21st Century Internet Act’. If enacted, the legislation would permanently codify into law the ‘four corners’ of net neutrality: no throttling, no blocking, no paid prioritization and oversight of interconnection (exchange points between ISP’s and backbone transit providers). Additionally, the legislation creates a new title for broadband, under the Communications Act of 1934 and contains enhanced protections for both consumer and businesses. “The fight to keep the internet open belongs in Congress, not at the Federal Communications Commission,” said Representative Coffman. “The American people deserve to know that their elected officials, not unelected bureaucrats, are fighting for their interest. That fight begins with my bill, which will create an ‘internet constitution’ with the foundational elements of net neutrality.” BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. IndustryFCC Announces Emergency Alerting Webinar on July 25On July 12, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau announced an upcoming webinar on the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts. The free webinar will focus on issues relevant to broadcasters, cable television service providers, wireless service providers, state and local emergency managers, and other emergency alert and warning stakeholders. Topics will include:
FCC Circulates Draft Hearing Designation Order for Sinclair/Tribune TransactionOn July 16, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued a Press Release announcing circulation of a draft hearing designation order (HDO) regarding the Sinclair/Tribune transaction: “Based on a thorough review of the record, I have serious concerns about the Sinclair/Tribune transaction. The evidence we’ve received suggests that certain station divestitures that have been proposed to the FCC would allow Sinclair to control those stations in practice, even if not in name, in violation of the law. When the FCC confronts disputed issues like these, the Communications Act does not allow it to approve a transaction. Instead, the law requires the FCC to designate the transaction for a hearing in order to get to the bottom of those disputed issues. For these reasons, I have shared with my colleagues a draft order that would designate issues involving certain proposed divestitures for a hearing in front of an administrative law judge.” Commissioner Rosenworcel said: “Today’s announcement is welcome. As I have noted before, too many of this agency’s media policies have been custom built to support the business plans of Sinclair Broadcasting. With this hearing designation order, the agency will finally take a hard look at its proposed merger with Tribune. This is overdue and favoritism like this needs to end. I have voted to approve.” Commissioner O’Rielly said: “In general, I have long stated that parties to merger applications are entitled to an answer from the Commission and have expressed deep objections to blindly sending decisions to the Commission’s Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Accordingly, I believe that to the extent there are HDOs, to garner my support they must include sufficient and defined timelines for the ALJ to conduct and process a hearing. If included in the Sinclair/Tribune HDO, I am inclined to support it. The ALJ process is in need of significant reforms, including putting an end to the interminable hearing.” Announced in May of last year, TV station owner Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. said it is acquiring Tribune Media Co. for $3.9 billion, in order to increase negotiating leverage over programmers and distributors and improve the ability to launch new channels or wireless streaming services. Sinclair has 173 stations in mid-size and small markets, and the Tribune has 42 stations. The merger would give Sinclair outlets in almost every major market. DeadlinesJULY 31: FCC FORM 507, UNIVERSAL SERVICE QUARTERLY LINE COUNT UPDATE. Line count updates are required to recalculate a carrier's per line universal service support, and is filed with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). This information must be submitted on July 31 each year by all rate-of-return incumbent carriers, and on a quarterly basis if a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (CETC) has initiated service in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area and reported line count data to USAC in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area, in order for the incumbent carrier to be eligible to receive Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). This quarterly filing is due July 31 and covers lines served as of December 31 of the previous year. Incumbent carriers filing on a quarterly basis must also file on September 30 (for lines served as of March 31); December 30 (for lines served as of June 30, 2014), and March 31, for lines served as of September 30 of the previous year). BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. JULY 31: CARRIER IDENTIFICATION CODE (CIC) REPORTS. Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Reports must be filed by the last business day of July (this year, July 31). These reports are required of all carriers who have been assigned a CIC code by NANPA. Failure to file could result in an effort by NANPA to reclaim it, although according to the Guidelines this process is initiated with a letter from NANPA regarding the apparent non-use of the CIC code. The assignee can then respond with an explanation. (Guidelines Section 6.2). The CIC Reporting Requirement is included in the CIC Assignment Guidelines, produced by ATIS. According to section 1.4 of that document: At the direction of the NANPA, the access providers and the entities who are assigned CICs will be requested to provide access and usage information to the NANPA, on a semi-annual basis to ensure effective management of the CIC resource. (Holders of codes may respond to the request at their own election). Access provider and entity reports shall be submitted to NANPA no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31, and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. It is also referenced in the NANPA Technical Requirements Document, which states at 7.18.6: CIC holders shall provide a usage report to the NANPA per the industry CIC guidelines. . . The NAS shall be capable of accepting CIC usage reports per guideline requirements on January 31 for the period ending December 31 and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. These reports may also be mailed and accepted by the NANPA in paper form. Finally, according to the NANPA website, if no local exchange carrier reports access or usage for a given CIC, NANPA is obliged to reclaim it. The semi-annual utilization and access reporting mechanism is described at length in the guidelines. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. AUGUST 1: FCC FORM 499-Q, TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPORTING WORKSHEET. All telecommunications common carriers that expect to contribute more than $10,000 to federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support mechanisms must file this quarterly form. The FCC has modified this form in light of its recent decision to establish interim measures for USF contribution assessments. The form contains revenue information from the prior quarter plus projections for the next quarter. Form 499-Q relates only to USF contributions. It does not relate to the cost recovery mechanisms for the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA), and the shared costs of local number portability (LNP), which are covered in the annual form (Form 499-A) that was due April 1. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. AUGUST 1: FCC FORM 502, NUMBER UTILIZATION AND FORECAST REPORT: Any wireless or wireline carrier (including paging companies) that have received number blocks--including 100, 1,000, or 10,000 number blocks--from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), a Pooling Administrator, or from another carrier, must file Form 502 by August 1. Carriers porting numbers for the purpose of transferring an established customer’s service to another service provider must also report, but the carrier receiving numbers through porting does not. Resold services should also be treated like ported numbers, meaning the carrier transferring the resold service to another carrier is required to report those numbers but the carrier receiving such numbers should not report them. Reporting carriers file utilization and forecast reports semiannually on or before February 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending December 31, and on or before August 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending June 30. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. AUGUST 29: COPYRIGHT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Copyright Statement of Accounts form plus royalty payment for the first half of calendar year 2014 is due to be filed August 29 at the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office by cable TV service providers. BloostonLaw contact: Gerry Duffy. SEPTEMBER 4: FCC FORM 477, LOCAL COMPETITION AND BROADBAND REPORTING FORM. Normally due September 1, this year’s filing falls on a federal holiday, pushing the deadline back to the next business day. Three types of entities must file this form.
BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. OCTOBER 1: FCC FORM 396-C, MVPD EEO PROGRAM REPORTING FORM. Each year on September 30, multi-channel video program distributors (“MVPDs”) must file with the Commission an FCC Form 396-C, Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor EEO Program Annual Report, for employment units with six or more full-time employees. Because September 30 falls on a Sunday this year, the filing will be due the following business day on October 1. Users must access the FCC’s electronic filing system via the Internet in order to submit the form; it will not be accepted if filed on paper unless accompanied by an appropriate request for waiver of the electronic filing requirement. Certain MVPDs also will be required to complete portions of the Supplemental Investigation Sheet (“SIS”) located at the end of the Form. These MVPDs are specifically identified in a Public Notice each year by the FCC. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. Calendar At-a-GlanceJuly August September October
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New Legislation Suggests Implementing Emergency Alerts Into Streaming Services Like Netflix and SpotifyThursday July 19, 2018 8:21 AM PDT by Mitchel Broussard Currently, when users in a certain area face potentially bad weather, threats of danger, or a nearby AMBER alert, their iPhone or other smartphone sounds off and displays a message explaining the emergency. In new legislation shared today, United States senators Brian Schatz and John Thune hope to "explore" ways this system could improve to enhance reliability, including implementing these alerts into audio and video online streaming services (via TechCrunch) According to the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act, more people would be successfully alerted to and aware of potential emergencies if these alerts played on services like Netflix and Spotify. In these situations, the legislation argues, users might have left their smartphone behind in another part of the house while streaming on a TV or computer, missing an alert in the process. Senator Schatz explained that the mishap with the false missile alert in Hawaii earlier this year "exposed real flaws in the way people receive emergency alerts," inspiring change and the new legislation.
Other aspects of the READI Act also propose eliminating the option for users to opt out of receiving “certain” federal alerts, like missile alerts, on smartphones. For iPhone, users can toggle off AMBER Alerts and Emergency Alerts completely under the “Government Alerts” section in Notifications settings. Otherwise, the legislation would encourage State Emergency Communications Committees to “periodically review and update” their own alert system plans to keep them more up-to-date, as well as compel FEMA "to create best practices" for state, tribal, and local governments for issuing alerts, avoiding false alerts, and retracting false alerts if they happen. This false alert system would also see a reporting system implemented under the READI Act so the FCC can track when they occur and “examine their causes.” |
| Source: | MacRumors |
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
Brad, Rarely do I take exception to your newsletter or the letters you post, however, I do so with respect to Mr. Erdmann’s letter and your response to him. Based on facts unknown to you, I take issue with your suggestion this was a “great report.” I contend it was not, although I do agree it was painful to read, but for very different reasons. As you know, I have been involved in the paging industry for almost thirty years, first as a lender to the industry, then as CFO of Arch Wireless, Inc. and for the past thirteen years as Chairman & CEO of American Messaging Services, LLC. (“American Messaging”). So, like you “I know a thing or two because I have seen a thing or two.” One certainty is that our industry’s challenges are not unique. Products and services are constantly disrupted by new products and services predicated on creativity and new technologies. Product displacement happens almost daily and often requires difficult decisions to allow a company or industry to survive and prosper. This is our reality. As product displacement occurred in our industry we became smaller, requiring many difficult decisions that negatively affected many people, including you. Those difficult decisions and the financial restructuring that occurred not only allowed our industry to survive but they created new opportunities to meet the unique needs of our industry. American Messaging was born of this learning as we set out from the beginning “to be the best, most trusted provider of wireless messaging services to targeted customers in the United States.” Today, thirteen years later, this remains our Mission Statement because it focuses on two things — knowing our target customer and understanding their needs. These two principles ensure we do not endanger the viability of our business by trying to be all things to all people. In this regard, Mr. Erdmann is correct — we are very focused on the needs of our target customers and their coverage requirements and yes, we have worked hard to optimize and improve network coverage for our target customers. Yet, let me be clear, beyond this fact Mr. Erdmann’s assertions are false. Several years ago, we did consolidate two networks in Florida but the footprint available to customers, although not identical, increased as we put each frequency in all transmitters and only eliminated transmitters that provided overlapping coverage. As a result, regardless of frequency a customer generally gained coverage. Today, we operate across the country with a total of 3,422 transmitters compared to 3,342 five years ago. We now have greater coverage although it is more concentrated in some areas and less so in other areas. Over the last several months we communicated extensively with Mr. Erdmann, responding to his many enquiries time and again, but to no avail. The issue is simple, we made a network change that affected a small area frequented by Mr. Erdman. Although we understand Mr. Erdmann’s frustration we cannot justify maintaining service in an area for three pagers — this is the trade-off we make to improve coverage in other areas with greater customer concentration knowing we may lose a long-time customer such as Mr. Erdmann. We do not take these actions lightly but do so in the best interests of our constituents, including customers, employees and shareholders. Please be assured that Mr. Erdmann’s other assertions related to our FCC licenses are based on frustration rather than fact. We have never had a license not granted or subsequently renewed. Mr. Erdmann first communicated his frustration in early April at which time we immediately contacted our FCC counsel to investigate his claims — there are no issues or concerns. American Messaging always strives to provide the best customer service possible and to be in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not express some disappointment that you did not contact me to garner my perspective in advance of publishing Mr. Erdmann’s letter, but your circumstances are understood and accepted. Today, our industry is performing very well and the value of our service remains strong. We should espouse this reality rather than eras of the past. Sincerely, (508) 344-2640
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| THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK |
Happiness
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| VIDEO OF THE WEEK |
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Mbappé Creates a New Skill
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| Source: | YouTube |
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“When a missile alert went out across Hawai‘i in January, some people never got the message on their phones, while others missed it on their TVs and radios. Even though it was a false alarm, the missile alert exposed real flaws in the way people receive emergency alerts,” said Senator Schatz, lead Democrat on the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet. “Our bill fixes a number of important problems with the system responsible for delivering emergency alerts. In a real emergency, these alerts can save lives so we have to do everything we can to get it right.” 
