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Welcome Back To The Wireless Messaging News Although my computer is the equivalent of owning and driving a new Corvette, the software on computers now-a-days is another matter. With spyware, programming bugs and other problems, I am a little late today. I always aim for noon central US time and hope to make it by no later than 4:00 pm here or 3:00 pm on the East Coast so people who live in that time zone receive their copies before going home for the weekend. So no editorial section here, but a lot of interesting news does follow on below. We need your help. This is the only remaining news source dedicated to information about Paging and Wireless Messaging.
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NO POLITICS HERE 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. We are having a cold spell in Southern, Illinois 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. TIME TO HUDDLE UP 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.
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. Click here. |
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Small Brass Horn — Wood Base This is an acoustic amplifier for a smartphone. It doesn't need electric power to operate and there are no moving parts. I works like a megaphone (speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loudhailer). Everyone that I have shown it to has said something like “Wow, I want one of those!” So I am building a few of them. Of course there are more “Hi-Fi” ways to listen to audio on your smartphone but who would want to plug an elegant smartphone into some cheap, plastic gadget? Or even use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which are a pain in the neck to set up, even on a smartphone. These will be made with hardwood bases and some of them will be exotic hardwoods with interesting grain patterns. The horns are polished brass — made from mostly old horns that had rubber bulbs on the ends and were used in “times gone by” by taxis and even clowns in circuses. These horns have been re-purposed, reshaped, and re-polished. Of course when not listening to music or other interesting audio, you can appreciate it for its beauty, it looks just plain cool. This is a work of art. Sorry to say that I didn't design this myself. It was designed by Daniel Jansson in Sweden. He is a graduate of Umeå Institute of Design with an MFA degree in Interactive Design. CornucopiaThis one has been made from a Horn of Plenty (an antique hammered-brass planter) that came from India. The Smartphone to brass adapter will be made from various hardwoods. |
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Apr 25, 2019, 06:46am Microsoft Is Blocking PCs From Installing New Windows 10 Update, And The Reason Is RidiculousBy Jason Evangelho Contributor I don't even cover Windows 10 updates on a regular basis, yet I'm already struggling for creative ways to introduce news like this. So let's just get straight to it. Following the latest string of problems crippling Windows 10 PCs running anti-virus software, Microsoft has warned users of a new problem that will cause the upcoming Windows 10 May 2019 update to be blocked.
For now, here's how to identify if you could be affected. Are you using Windows 10? Do you have an external USB drive or SD card plugged into your PC? Do you have automatic updates turned on? That likely describes a ton of people. If you're one of them, this new Windows 10 support document is worth reading. It explains that if your PC attempts to upgrade to the upcoming Windows 10 May 2019 Update and you meet this criteria, the update will be blocked. Why? Microsoft explains that "inappropriate drive reassignment" can occur during the update if you have an external USB drive or SD memory card plugged into your PC. The document cites this scenario as an example:
But here's the really scary part: Microsoft adds a note saying this "inappropriate" drive reassignment isn't limited to removable drives. It can also happen to your internal hard drives. That has the potential to wreak havoc and lead to all kinds of breakage, so blocking the update is the right call. |
| Source: | Forbes |
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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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. |
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No, '250 scientists' didn't warn that AirPods are a cancer risk By Daniel Eran Dilger Over the last month, a UK tabloid and the Medium bloging platform helped launch a wave of articles later syndicated by Yahoo and other clickbait sites implying that large group of scientists were very concerned about the health risks of AirPods. The problem: the petition was signed in early 2015, before AirPods were even announced. Its concerns were not linked to the extremely weak Bluetooth Low Energy protocol that AirPods use.
A petition for more researchThe 2015 petition related to Electromagnetic Field Exposure, signed by scientists, was addressed to the World Health Organization and member nations of the UN. It cited "serious concerns regarding the ubiquitous and increasing exposure to EMF generated by electric and wireless devices." Rather than specifically citing AirPods, which didn't even yet exist, the petition stated that "these include-but are not limited to-radio frequency radiation (RFR) emitting devices, such as cellular and cordless phones and their base stations, Wi-Fi, broadcast antennas, smart meters, and baby monitors as well as electric devices and infra-structures used in the delivery of electricity that generate extremely-low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF)." The petition acknowledged that the WHO and member nations had established guidelines for exposure to EMF radiation back in 1998 developed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Ten years later, that agency revisited its rules and stated its opinion that "the scientific literature published since that time has provided no evidence of any adverse effects below the basic restrictions" it had outlined. In 2002 and 2011, the WHO adopted classifications by International Agency for Research on Cancer that EMF is a "possible human carcinogen (Group 2B)", a category that includes carbon black, cobalt, ginkgo biloba, and nickel. However, regarding EMF it also noted "insufficient evidence to justify lowering these quantitative exposure limits" in its regulations. The petition noted "it is our opinion that, because the ICNIRP guidelines do not cover long-term exposure and low-intensity effects, they are insufficient to protect public health." It further stated that "since there is controversy about a rationale for setting standards to avoid adverse health effects, we recommend that the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) convene and fund an independent multidisciplinary committee to explore the pros and cons of alternatives to current practices that could substantially lower human exposures to RF and ELF fields." So rather than finding any link between cancer or other issues in levels of EMF at or below the current, accepted regulations, the scientists involved here were simply asking for more research into to area and suggested that it was probably a good idea to limit human exposure. They were also taking issue with the findings of other scientists and a decade of scientific literature that indicated that there was "no evidence of any adverse effects below the basic restrictions" already in place. From EMF concerns to AirPods clickbaitVarious bloggers picked up the subject and worked to associate it with Apple's AirPods. Natalie Rahhal, the "Deputy Health Editor" of the UK's sensationalist tabloid Daily Mail, kicked things off with the headline "Are AirPods dangerous? 250 scientists sign petition warning against cancer from wireless tech including the trendy in-ear headphones," without regard for the fact that nothing in the petition even suggested concern about in-ear headphones, Bluetooth, or AirPods. The petition was updated in January 2019, with no mention of Bluetooth or AirPods being added, despite three years of prominent sales as a standout hit in wearables using wireless technology.
Alarming, but also not true Rob Waugh, a "contributor" for Yahoo News UK penned a piece headlined, "Wireless headphones like Apple AirPods could pose cancer risk', scientists warn." Except that the truth was that these scientists were not warning that "wireless headphones" were a cancer risk. Yahoo was making that up and spreading it for ad clicks. AirPods clearly became central to the story to gain attention, with the Daily Mail prominently noting "Apple sold 29 million pairs of AirPods." Yet the devices actually cited by the petitioning scientists in question were not AirPods nor even Bluetooth wearables, but rather cordless phones, cellular phones, WiFi devices, and power delivery infrastructure. Yet across the last decade, we haven't seen any evidence that the EMF these devices use has any significant association with cellular damage or cancer—two things that we do know are quite clearly associated with other behaviors, from eating meat to going outside in the sun. Misleading reports by tabloids have also fueled claimed that there have not been any recent studies that have specifically looked at modern consumer use of EMF generating products like mobile phones and wireless earbuds. But that's not true. US Food and Drug Administration has been running studies for 15 years on the topic. And internationally, scientists looking at the data have repeatedly established that there was no data supporting the idea that existing limits should be lowered for safety reasons, as the petition signers above acknowledged. EMF risk assessment should be based on real dataSince the WHO regulations were codified in 1998 and ratified in 2009, there have been billions of cellular phones in constant use around the world, using far higher powered EMF than AirPods can produce. Anywhere you can reach a WiFi or cellular signal or can feel the sun on your skin, you're getting far more EMF exposure than having AirPods in your ears. We know this because WiFi and Bluetooth use the same radio frequencies, but at wildly different intensities. Carrying the same data payload, WiFi uses about 40 milliwatts of power at the same rate as Bluetooth does broadcasting just 1 mW. That's of course why Bluetooth can lose its signal in a few feet, while WiFi can blast through walls and around your entire house. In the case of sunlight, you're also exposed to ionizing radiation, the type that is actually known to cause cancer and other damage. The radio energy produced by electronics like AirPods is non-ionizing. And while AirPods do fit into the soft tissues of your ear canal and are intended to sit in contact for hours of constant use, that's not some entirely new application of Bluetooth. Previous generations of far less efficient Bluetooth headphones and phone headsets broadcasting at higher power have been in use for a decade. If there were some credible link between soft tissues and Bluetooth wearables, we should have the data showing that. Lowering EMF standards would have the side effect of making devices work less effectively, so there should be data driving the decision rather than just a hunch or speculation of possibility. At the same time, the industry is already working increase efficiency using lower EMF simply because that also improves battery life. Bluetooth is rapidly getting better with less EMFApple wasn't the first to market when it released its own Bluetooth Headset back in 2007 for the original iPhone. And that product used far more power to operate, begin based on Bluetooth 2.0. That version of the standard had a maximum permitted power of 2.5 mW. The more modern Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy (BLE) protocol used by today's AirPods isn't just a minor update, it's an entirely different technology stack based on Wibree and simply rebranded as Bluetooth for marketing reasons. The maximum permitted power of AirPod's BLE is just 0.5 mW, a fifth of what Bluetooth used just ten years ago. Further, Apple has optimized the highly efficient use of AAC codecs using advanced psychoacoustics to deliver audio to your ears as efficiently as possible, so the devices are not running at full power. It didn't do this primarily to make AirPods a "health device," but the side effect of squeezing as much performance as possible using as little power as possible makes AirPods one of the smallest sources of EMF we ever interact with on a daily basis, even though they're worn in the ear canal. Apple Watch uses WiFi and Bluetooth, and is strapped to your wrist all the time. iPhones use both as well as mobile radios, and are typically in your pocket right up against your leg most of the time. Apple's WiFi "maximum output power" on iPhone 5 was reported on FCC filings to be between about 130 and 315 mW. In the United States, WiFi base stations can legally broadcast at 1000 mW to 1500 mW, although most modern units work at around 28 mW. So WiFi itself involves many times stronger EMF than the BLE used by AirPods. That is reflected in the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), a measurement of the amount of emitted radiation absorbed by your body. For AirPods, it's 0.466 watts per kilogram, or about a quarter of U.S. Federal Communications Commission regulatory limit of 1.60 w/kg. For iPhone 7, the SAR is 1.58 w/kg when against your head or body, and actively broadcasting at full power with both Wi-Fi and the LTE radio. That suggests that using AirPods to answer calls involves dramatically less exposure to EMF than holding your phone to your ear. Further, the Bluetooth antennas in AirPods are not the part inserted into your ear canal. Their antennas run parallel to the battery and microphones on the exterior side of the segments that hang out of your ears.
When you open up WiFi settings and your phone can detect a dozen or more various networks, that demonstrates that you are effectively always bathing in the same EMF frequencies used by BLE, except at higher intensities than AirPods can produce. And even WiFi networks are not the strongest EMF sources we're exposed to on a regular basis. So writing about the "cancer threat of AirPods" is as asinine as being concerned about the potential of cancer risk from your nickel bracelet while laying in the sun smoking cigarettes. Apple's latest wearables were not the subject of the petition asking the WHO to keep studying the effect of EMF. And that petition itself was effectively speculating that there could be some impact that we just haven't seen over the past decade of much more intense sources of EMF-related to WiFi and other radio devices that are not new. We should certainly continue to study the effects of EMF on human tissue. This subject is of particular interest to Apple, given that it currently effectively owns the markets for wearable audio devices and for other wearable radio devices like Apple Watch. But raising alarm about issues that lack any supporting evidence draws attention away from issues that are real. |
| Source: | Apple Insider |
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Critical Messaging that works
Secure . . . Dependable . . . and Encrypted |
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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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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 |
| Leavitt Communications |
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SoftBank Invests $125M in LoonJapan telecom SoftBank Corp.’s HAPSMobile and Alphabet’s Loon said they’ve formed a long-term relationship to advance the use of high altitude vehicles, such as balloons and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), to bring connectivity to more people, places, and things worldwide. HAPSMobile is investing USD$125 million in Loon. Loon has obtained the right to invest the same amount in HAPSMobile in the future. Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth called the agreement the beginning of a long-term relationship based on a shared vision for expanding connectivity to those who need it. Junichi Miyakawa, Representative Director & CTO of SoftBank Corp., also President & CEO of HAPSMobile Inc. said, “Building a telecommunications network in the stratosphere, which has not been used by humankind so far, is uncharted territory and a major challenge for SoftBank. Even in this current era of coming 5G services, we cannot ignore the reality that roughly half of the world’s population is without Internet access.” To strengthen the relationship, the companies are exploring commercial collaborations to accelerate the deployment of high altitude network connectivity solutions, with a focus on expanding mobile Internet penetration, enabling Internet of things (IoT) applications, and assisting in the deployment of 5G. The companies entered into formal negotiations on a number of areas of potential technical and commercial collaboration. High altitude network connectivity platforms operate in the stratosphere, which is above ground infrastructure, but below satellites, allowing for near ubiquitous coverage that avoids ground clutter and significant latency issues. These advantages make such vehicles a promising solution for expanding mobile coverage to those who need it as well as IoT and 5G use-cases. |
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| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers. It is daily by subscription. chieck it out. |
| 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.
RUS Announces Filing Window for ReConnect Rural Broadband Loan and Grant FundOn April 23, the Rural Utilities Service published in the Federal Register notice that it has begun accepting applications for its rural broadband development program, ReConnect. The application deadlines are May 31 for grants; June 21 for loan/grant combinations; and July 12 for low-interest loans. USDA is making available up to $200 million in grants, $200 million in loan and grant combinations, and $200 million in low-interest loans through the ReConnect program. See the full article below for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesRUS Announces Filing Window for ReConnect Rural Broadband Loan and Grant FundOn April 23, the Rural Utilities Service published in the Federal Register notice that it has begun accepting applications for its rural broadband development program, ReConnect. The application deadlines are May 31 for grants; June 21 for loan/grant combinations; and July 12 for low-interest loans. USDA is making available up to $200 million in grants, $200 million in loan and grant combinations, and $200 million in low-interest loans through the ReConnect program. According to a Press Release, telecommunications companies, rural electric cooperatives and utilities, Internet service providers and municipalities may apply for funding through USDA’s ReConnect Program to connect rural areas that currently have insufficient broadband service. Funds will be awarded to projects that have financially sustainable business models that will bring high-speed broadband to rural homes, businesses, farms, ranches and community facilities such as first responders, health care sites and schools. BloostonLaw has experience in helping our clients apply for and obtain funding through RUS grant and loan programs, including past programs such as the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) and the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP). Carriers with questions about the application process should contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy, John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for May Open MeetingOn April 18, the FCC announced the tentative agenda for its upcoming Open Meeting, currently scheduled for May 9. At the meeting, the FCC is scheduled to consider the items below. Links to advance drafts of these items are included in the description; they are not final and may differ from what the FCC ultimately considers on May 9.
As always, the 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. Auction 102 Clock Phase Concludes; Assignment Phase Bidding to Begin May 3As reported last week, on April 17, 2019, bidding in the clock phase of the auction of 24 GHz Upper Microwave Flexible Use Service licenses (Auction 102) concluded. Bidders that won at least one generic block of spectrum in one Partial Economic Area (PEA) in the clock phase of the auction are eligible—but not required— to participate in the assignment phase, which allows bidders to place bids for specific frequency blocks. Bidders eligible to participate in the assignment phase will be able to log in to the assignment phase bidding system between 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Friday, April 26, 2019 and 12 noon ET on Monday, April 29, 2019, to download their assignment phase bidding options (which correspond to their clock phase winnings), view the sequence and timing for the assignment rounds for all PEAs, and identify the assignment rounds in which they will be eligible to participate. At 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday, April 29, 2019, bidders will have access to the bidding system for the assignment phase mock auction. On Tuesday, April 30, 2019, The FCC will conduct a mock auction for the assignment phase of Auction 102, according to the schedule announced below. The first round of the assignment phase bidding will begin on Friday, May 3, 2019. The FCC also reminds all applicants in Auction 101 and/or Auction 102 that they remain subject to the Commission’s prohibition on certain communications by auction applicants and its limited information disclosure procedures. Accordingly, applicants in either auction must not disclose their status as a winning or non-winning bidder or any other non-public bidding information covered by the prohibition until after the close of Auction 102. The prohibition on certain communications relating to Auctions 101 and 102 continues to apply until the deadline for winning bidders in Auction 102 to submit down payments. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. Pole Attachment Rule Revisions Effective May 20On April 19, the FCC published in the Federal Register notice of approval by the Office of Management and Budget of the revised pole attachment access rules adopted in August of last year. The amendments to sections covering timeline for access to utility poles, contractors for surveys and make-ready, and overlashing are effective May 20, 2019. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC adopted a new framework for the vast majority of pole attachments governed by federal law by instituting a “one-touch make-ready” regime, in which a new attacher may elect to perform all simple work to prepare a pole for new wireline attachments in the communications space. The FCC retained the current multi-party pole attachment process for attachments that are complex or above the communications space of a pole, but makes significant modifications to speed deployment, promote accurate billing, expanded the use of self-help for new attachers when attachment deadlines are missed, and reduce the likelihood of coordination failures that lead to delays. The FCC also codified and redefined FCC precedent that requires utilities to allow attachers to “overlash” existing wires and eliminated disparities between the pole attachment rates that incumbent carriers must pay compared to other similarly-situated cable and telecommunications attachers. Carriers with questions about the new regulations should contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Mary Sisak, and John Prendergast. Law & RegulationPetition for Review Filed on Separations Freeze OrderOn April 15, a group of petitioners referring to themselves as “the Irregulators” filed a Petition for Review of the FCC’s Report and Order of December 2018. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, in this Report and Order the FCC extended for up to six years the freeze on Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors that was originally adopted in the 2001 Separations Freeze Order. This extension began on January 1, 2019, and will continue until the earlier of December 31, 2024, or the completion of comprehensive reform of the Part 36 jurisdictional separations rules. The FCC also provided carriers that opted to freeze their separations category relationships in 2001 a one-time opportunity to unfreeze and update those relationships so that they can categorize their costs based on current circumstances. The Irregulators argue that the determination to withhold or delay action on separations was: (A) arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law;(B) contrary to constitutional right, power, privilege, or immunity;(C) in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right;(D) without observance of procedure required by law; (E) unsupported by substantial evidence; and(F) unwarranted by the facts to the extent that the facts are subject to trial de novo by the reviewing court. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. House to Hold Hearing on Robocalls BillOn April 23, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced that the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee will hold a legislative hearing on legislation to protect consumers from abusive robocalls. The hearing, which is scheduled for April 30, is entitled, “Legislating to Stop the Onslaught of Annoying Robocalls.” Information for this hearing, including the Committee Memorandum, legislation, witness list, and testimony, is not yet available. “The robocall epidemic is only getting worse. Americans are understandably demanding action to stop these annoying, and often fraudulent, calls,” Pallone and Doyle said. “It’s time for Congress to act, and next week we will discuss legislation that will protect consumers, stop the abusive practices of robocallers and better restrict unauthorized calls.” BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. Senate to Hold Hearing on Internet of Things Cybersecurity BillOn April 23, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, chairman of the Subcommittee on Security, announced that the Subcommittee will convene a hearing titled, 'Strengthening the Cybersecurity of the Internet of Things,' on April 30. The hearing will examine the security threats and challenges posed by the Internet of Things (IoT), and ways to incentivize building more cybersecurity by design into connected devices and the networks that support them. The hearing will also examine the importance of 5G network security to connected devices and the manner in which the federal government, businesses community, and consumers can promote and support increased IoT cybersecurity. Witnesses as of this writing are scheduled to be Mr. Michael Bergman, Vice President, Technology & Standards, Consumer Technology Association; Mr. Matthew Eggers, Vice President, Cybersecurity Policy, U.S Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Harley Geiger, Director of Public Policy, Rapid7; Mr. Robert Mayer, Senior Vice President for Cybersecurity, US Telecom - The Broadband Association; and Mr. Charles Romine, Director, Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. FCC Grants Informal Complaint Against Tele Circuit Network CorpOn April 19, the FCC released an Order granting a complaint filed against Tele Circuit Network Corporation (Tele Circuit) alleging it changed the complainant’s telecommunications service provider without obtaining authorization and verification (i.e., “slamming”). According to the Order, the FCC received the complaint and notified Tele Circuit, but Tele Circuit failed to respond. The failure of Tele Circuit to respond or provide proof of verification is presumed to be clear and convincing evidence of a violation; therefore, the FCC found that Tele Circuit’s actions resulted in a violation of the carrier change rules. The Order required Tele Circuit to remove all charges incurred for service provided to the complainant for the first thirty days after the alleged unauthorized change in accordance, and found that absolution for the charges incurred during the first thirty days after the unauthorized change occurred was appropriate (i.e., neither the authorized carrier nor Tele Circuit may pursue any collection against the complainant for those charges). Any charges imposed by Tele Circuit for service provided after this 30-day period were required to be paid by the complainant to the authorized carrier at the rates the complainant was paying the authorized carrier at the time of the unauthorized change of their telecommunications service provider. Finally, the FCC referred the matter to the Enforcement Bureau to determine whether additional action was necessary. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Mary Sisak, and Sal Taillefer. IndustryFCC to Deny China Mobile ApplicationOn April 17, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued a Press Release announcing that he opposes China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in the United States, and that the FCC is scheduled to vote on an Order that would deny that application at its May Open Meeting. According to the Press Release, China Mobile filed an application requesting authority under Section 214 of the Act and Section 63.18 of the Commission’s rules to provide international facilities-based and resale telecommunications services between the U.S. and foreign destinations back in September of 2011. In July of 2018, after a lengthy review of the application and consultation with the U.S. intelligence community, the Executive Branch agencies recommended that the Commission deny China Mobile’s application due to substantial national security and law enforcement risks that cannot be resolved through a voluntary mitigation agreement. Thus, the draft Order circulated by Chairman Pai to his colleagues would find that, based on the public record, China Mobile had not demonstrated that its application for international Section 214 authority is in the public interest. The draft Order would also find that China Mobile is vulnerable to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government. “Safeguarding our communications networks is critical to our national security. After reviewing the evidence in this proceeding, including the input provided by other federal agencies, it is clear that China Mobile’s application to provide telecommunications services in our country raises substantial and serious national security and law enforcement risks. Therefore, I do not believe that approving it would be in the public interest. I hope that my colleagues will join me in voting to reject China Mobile’s application.” DeadlinesMAY 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. MAY 31: FCC FORM 395, EMPLOYMENT REPORT. Common carriers, including wireless carriers, with 16 or more full-time employees must file their annual Common Carrier Employment Reports (FCC Form 395) by May 31. This report tracks carrier compliance with rules requiring recruitment of minority employees. Further, the FCC requires all common carriers to report any employment discrimination complaints they received during the past year. That information is also due on May 31. The FCC encourages carriers to complete the discrimination report requirement by filling out Section V of Form 395, rather than submitting a separate report. BloostonLaw Contact: Richard Rubino. Calendar At-a-GlanceApril May June July
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| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
Hi Brad, I read your article in the April 19, 2019 issue on Professor Joe Taylor who won the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Russel Hulse. Now I can tell you about that other person, Russel. Russ was a classmate of mine in our 4 years of study of Physics at The Cooper Union in New York City. When we were 17 years old at school, he was 14 going on 15 and new everything imaginable about astronomy. Russ was always amazing. We would have two-hour open book examinations in Physics having to solve problems in math and physics where having the books didn’t even help you to solve them. Russ would walk out in an hour leaving the rest of us in sweat trying to come up with ideas and approaches to the problems presented to us and most did not complete the work in two hours. And Russ would get the highest marks on these examines of anyone in the class. We all said that if anyone in our class was to ever win the Nobel prize for Physics it was going to be Russ. And sure enough, 20 years later, he and Joe Taylor won the prize. The work they did at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, was done one year after Russ graduated from Cooper Union. Interestingly, my focus was in Nuclear Physics and Chemistry at the time but I knew I was going to go into telecommunications after graduation. I was doing some consulting on the side while at school and was working with a newly introduced computer from a company called MODCOMP. I introduced Russ to the salesman from MODCOMP and they eventually donated a computer to Russ to use at Arecibo. They were impressed with the idea he and Professor Taylor were working on and figured they could sharing bragging rights if their computers were used in their discoveries. Unfortunately, MODCOMP was wiped out by Digital Equipment Corporation’s VAX computer and I believe they folded just around the time Russ won the Nobel Prize. It was interesting to read that Professor Taylor moved to Princeton in 1980. Russ was working in Nuclear Fusion at Princeton at that time. Russ was awarded a Lifetime Achievement in Engineering award from The Cooper Union in 1996. I was happy to be given the same award in 2014, 20 years later. This is from the Cooper Union Alumni Association Gano Dunn Award Winners page. Interestingly, there were more lifetime achievement winners (4) from our graduating class than any other year from this school. Maybe it was something in the New York City water at the time.
Jay Moskowitz
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The above is just like the old men who have stickers on the rear window of their pickup trucks.
| FEATURED INFORMATION FOR THE WEEK |
When the drumbeat cries out in celebration, it radiates deep history and tradition from the banks of the Magdalena River in Colombia. The sound of the flute pierces the air like the call of an exotic bird and emits excitement of which every Colombian feels, either at home or abroad when he or she hears the exquisite melodies of cumbia. Cumbia is one of the most melodic representative expressions of Colombia. It brings together three cultures - African, Indigenous and European. The African influence gives the rhythm of the drums while the Indigenous based flute blends in the melody. The European influence provides some variations in the melodies, choreography and costumes of the dancers. The origin of cumbia music comes from the days of slavery in the late 17th century and is derived from the African word cumbe which means dance. Another word was derived later in the Antioquia region of Colombia called caracumbe and was coined by African slaves who worked in the mines. A third variation of the word called paracumbé emerged and then disappeared as well as the term cumbancha which in Cuba means party. However, one thing is for certain, cumbia was born of a cultural mix of black and indigenous backgrounds. The music got very popular in the 1950′s and 1960′s in Colombia as it evolved into what we recognize today. *There has been a recent movement in Medellin, Colombia by young artists and dancers to revive the original sounds of the earlier decades. These performances can be seen throughout cultural centers in Medellin including the José Gutiérrez Gómez Metropolitan Theatre. |
| Source: | Discover Colombia |
| VIDEO INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK |
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| Source: | YouTube |
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