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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.
| About Us |
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 Policy |
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.
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Service Monitors and Frequency Standards for Sale
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BBT Announces Management Buyout From BeeperPR Newswire — June 15, 2020 New spin-off company offers most advanced Wireless SD-WAN solutionsTEL AVIV, Israel, June 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Be Broadband Technologies (BBT.live) Ltd., today announced their completion of a management buyout (MBO), becoming a majority employee-owned company together with a group of investors led by Moshe Levinson, former executive VP at Beeper Communications. This completes last year's spin-off by Beeper Communications Israel of its software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) technologies and operations to BBT, which will advance wireless SD-WAN technology to the next generation, reimagining the Wireless WAN World to comply with the needs of diverse market segments, while providing cybersecurity on the move. BBT.live is entering the market as provider of today's most advanced SD-WAN wireless technology solutions, which it develops, designs, engineers and manufactures. Its unique solutions, already serving a significant customer base in the wireless SD-WAN platform and edge networking markets, are based on its proven technology, recognized by the Israel Innovation Center Authority (the Office of the Chief Scientist), and by the BIRD Foundation (Binational Industrial Research & Development), under a bilateral partnership between Israel and the US Department of Homeland Security. Moshe Levinson, President, CEO and a co-owner, conceived of the idea behind BBT.live few years ago. "The acquisition is deeply satisfying for the employees as well as for the market," he said, "and will allow us to attract and keep top talent in the field." One of the features of BBT.live's commercial wireless SD-WAN platform is that it acts as a bonded cellular multi-channel with almost any wired or wireless channels over public infrastructure. This enables it to provide a range of solutions to create secured private networks over public infrastructures, such as Remote Office Branch Office (ROBO) applications, Smart City wireless connectivity, Safe City (Live Streaming), remote video streaming, and broadcasting, and any other wired or wireless connectivity. A technology leader in wireless SD-WAN and IP-based live video, BBT.live solutions are in operation among high profile users, such as Cellcom, leading Israeli cellular company, providing it with significant improvement in network capacity over any public infrastructure. BBT.live's solution flexibility enables it to work with any network technology from cellular, satellite, or microwave, to Wi-Fi and Ethernet IP, to deliver multi-WAN to LAN secured network connectivity and live streaming HD video, from just about any location. And it provides for management of a secured and highly scalable multi-tenant, multi-VPN Cloud network with Zero Trust security. Based on the current status of its offering — a proven, commercially deployed technology with zero risk for development and market validation — BBT.live is focusing on the multi-billion-dollar niche market, with a service model based on its technology to offer a recurring revenue stream for data and Cloud services. BBT.live is unique in the market as a facilitator of anywhere-to-everywhere, secured wireless connectivity over public infrastructures. BBT.live serves any size customer including news broadcasting, web streaming, law enforcement, healthcare, public safety, military applications, etc. Its customers include Tel Aviv Municipality, Cellcom, and Israel Home Front Command. |
| Source: | Broadband Wireless Network |
Passive Audio Amps For Smart Phones
Buy An Amp todayOh come on they are cool.These are acoustic amplifiers for smartphones. They don't need electric power to operate and there are no moving parts. They work like a megaphone (speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, or loudhailer). Everyone that I have shown one to has said something like “Wow, I want one of those!” So I have built 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 have been made with hardwood bases and some of them are 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, soldered, and polished. They horns are now on display and for sale at:
The two large horns — the trombone and the gramophone — are difficult to pack and ship to they are for local pickup only. The remainder can be sent to you. I have the cowboy horn and the rest are in stock at the Colorado coffee shop. Please call for pricing and availability or stop in for a demo and a great cup of espresso. P.S. Allan, Virginia and I worked together at WebLink Wireless in Dallas. |
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Zoom says free users will get end-to-end encryption after allThe beta launches in July for both free and paid usersBy Nick Statt @nickstatt Jun 17, 2020, 12:53pm EDT
Zoom says it will begin allowing users of its videoconferencing software to enable end-to-end encryption of calls starting with a beta next month, the company announced on Wednesday. The feature won’t be restricted to paid enterprise users, either. It’s coming to both free and paid users, Zoom says, and it will be a toggle switch any call admin can turn on or disable, in the event they want to allow traditional phone lines or older conference room phones to join. The company said as recently as early June that it might not be able to enable end-to-end encryption for free users out of concern that the app could be used for unlawful activity. Strong encryption would make it difficult for the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to access the data on free calls.
“Zoom does not proactively monitor meeting content, and we do not share information with law enforcement except in circumstances like child sex abuse,” a company spokesperson said at the time, following comments from Zoom CEO Eric Yuan during a call with investors after the company’s quarterly earnings release. “We plan to provide end-to-end encryption to users for whom we can verify identity, thereby limiting harm to these vulnerable groups. Free users sign up with an e-mail address, which does not provide enough information to verify identity.” Zoom has also been facing harsh criticism since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic for failing to beef up its security despite huge surges in user growth as Zoom and similar services became virtual hangout tools during lockdowns. In late March, Zoom admitted that while it uses a standard web browser data encryption, it does not use end-to-end encryption. The company has spent the time since improving its security and working on a new encryption solution. Yet it appears the company has figured out a workaround. “To make this possible, Free/Basic users seeking access to E2EE will participate in a one-time process that will prompt the user for additional pieces of information, such as verifying a phone number via a text message,” Zoom explains in its blog post. “Many leading companies perform similar steps on account creation to reduce the mass creation of abusive accounts. We are confident that by implementing risk-based authentication, in combination with our current mix of tools — including our Report a User function — we can continue to prevent and fight abuse.” It’s not clear when the feature will launch for all users, but the beta is arriving in July and Zoom intends to have some level of permissions so account administrators can disable or enable it at the account or group level. |
| Source: | The Verge |
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In Reference to The Three Products AboveOne of the catchy phrases composed by Rob Lockhart to promote diversification in paging was:
The last three have long been my favorite for "non-traditional" use of paging channels for machine communication. These can be used for:
So if this got you thinking about new applications, I draw your attention to the telemetry products from Wex International Limited. These are basically the "guts" of a pager including the radio receiver and/or the protocol decoder. There are both POCSAG and FLEX™ products available. Making a new product with these devices is not a major technical issue. Please see the ad following. One good example that I heard was this: An on-call technician gets a phone call late at night. An important server has crashed or frozen. He or she has to get out of bed, get dressed, drive to the server location, unlock the building and push the reset button on the server. All of this could be done with one telephone call to a paging system that would then send a simple tone-only page to the Wex telemetry device and "push" the reset button (electrically). Another cool application is sending text messages to scrolling LED signs with many different uses:
More application information here. |
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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
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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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Delta County 9-1-1 millage levy hikedESCANABA — Delta County’s 911 Authority millage will be levied at its full rate of 0.75 mills ($0.75 per $1,000 of taxable value). The increase was approved by the Delta County Board of Commissioners during a meeting Tuesday. According to Delta County Central Dispatch (DCCD) 911 Coordinator Darin Hunter, who gave a presentation at the meeting, the county’s 911 millage was originally proposed and approved in 2005. At the time, it was set to last through July 2020 and was levied at 0.5 mills ($0.50 per $1,000 of taxable value). In 2019, Delta County voters approved the renewal of the 911 millage for another five years. It was renewed at 0.75 mills, but has been levied at a rate of $0.45 mills ($0.45 per $1,000 of taxable value). “I’m here tonight to ask that we can go for a full capture,” Hunter said. The change could help provide funding for a 800MHz radio system for DCCD. Hunter spoke about the proposed system during Tuesday’s meeting. DCCD communications are currently split across multiple systems. Fire and EMS dispatching is handled on a system making use of six VHF tower sites across the county, and Escanaba Public Safety’s radio uses a separate VHF system. Meanwhile, the Delta County Sheriff’s Department, Gladstone Public Safety and Michigan State Police are dispatched via the state’s digital trunked radio system. In 2019, DCCD provided dispatching services in a total of 20,780 incidents. The VHF systems they have been using for this work are outdated, and are affected by inconsistent coverage and interference. “The system is roughly 30 years-plus in age,” Hunter said. The cost of upgrading the current VHF system was estimated at $3.9 million. “The 911 Authority then directed me to try to look at alternative measures, and one of the alternative measures I’m looking at is transferring over to an 800(MHz) system,” Hunter said. Hunter said these systems have a number of advantages. These include uniform radio coverage for all first responders; improved coverage and accountability; and the fact that towers, antennas and equipment would be maintained by Michigan Public Safety Communication System. The disadvantages of moving to an 800MHz system that Hunter listed were mostly related to finances. Hunter said the total cost of the project was estimated between $2.4 million and $3.6 million. “Currently, at the .45 mills, we do not have enough revenue for a capital outlay project of this magnitude,” he said. Work on the 800MHz project would take place over four phases. In Phase One — which is set to continue over the next six months — the authority will seek FAA certification or exemption of a 100-foot tower at Escanaba Public Safety and will work with Michigan Public Safety Communication System to do a study on the possibility of using Escanaba Public Safety as a “micro-site” for a 800MHz antenna, among other work. In Phase Two — which would take place between the six-month and one-year marks — all township fire departments, EMS and law enforcement departments (with the exception of Michigan State Police) would be outfitted with 800MHz radios. A micro-site and/or “green site” would begin operating to allow for optimal coverage within Escanaba’s city limits. In Phase Three — which would take place between the one-year and 18-month marks — Escanaba Public Safety would transfer its full communications to 800MHz after coverage is upgraded. Prices would be sought for 800MHz pagers, and a study would be done for 800MHz paging equipment for DCCD consoles. Finally, in Phase Four — which would take place between the 18-month and 24-month marks — the county’s radio and paging would be fully transferred to 800MHz communication operability and a decision would be made on what to do with the VHF system. After some discussion by the board, a motion to increase the rate at which the 911 Authority millage is levied from 0.45 mills to 0.75 mills was unanimously approved. |
| Source: | Daily Press |
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| Easy Solutions |
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Providing Expert Support and Service Contracts for all Glenayre Paging Systems. The GL3000 is the most prolific paging system in the world and Easy Solutions gladly welcomes you to join us in providing reliable support to the paging industry for many more decades in the future. Easy Solutions provides cost effective computer and wireless solutions at affordable prices. We can help in most any situation with your communications systems. We have many years of experience and a vast network of resources to support the industry, your system and an ever changing completive landscape.
Please see our web site for exciting solutions designed specifically for the Wireless Industry. We also maintain a diagnostic lab and provide important repair and replacement parts services for Motorola and Glenayre equipment. Call or
Easy Solutions |
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.
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 Adds More Federal Agencies to Crisis Notification PlatformThursday, June 11, 2020 BlackBerry announced that its FedRAMP-authorized BlackBerry AtHoc crisis communications system continues to expand its position within the U.S. federal government with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) using BlackBerry AtHoc for secure crisis response. The FTC is a new customer. USDOT joined the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) AtHoc FedRAMP Cloud solution, and HHS achieved its department authority to operate (ATO) for BlackBerry AtHoc. BlackBerry AtHoc is trusted by government, military, commercial and humanitarian organizations around the world including more than 70% of U.S. federal government employees. The BlackBerry AtHoc FedRAMP solution is a secure emergency mass notification system used across the U.S. federal government. To date, BlackBerry AtHoc has received 12 ATOs from federal agencies including the departments of Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, Treasury and Veterans Affairs, as well as the FAA and HHS. |
| Source: | Radio Resource MissionCritical Communications |
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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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Effective intergovernment communication fosters clear, calm crisis managementBY DAVID WISEMANJUN 16, 2020 The novel coronavirus remains top of mind for millions of people around the world. The spread of the virus continues to increase at such a rapid pace that news outlets are pushing out regular updates, and social media channels have COVID-19 dedicated sections where news and theories are posted by the minute. This giant wave of speculation and endless conjecture mixed with rapidly changing facts causes public confusion and the dangerous spread of misinformation. With a death toll ticking up by the day and many countries still under quarantine, public alarm is arguably as high as it’s been since 9/11. Considering that the federal shelter-in-place order was the first quarantine mandate of its kind in over 50 years, it’s no surprise that this sudden change, combined with the pandemic itself, is creating a chaotic public health emergency. The role of intergovernment communications during a crisisThat said, it’s absolutely crucial governments are fully prepared when it comes to crisis communication to keep people calm, safe, informed and healthy in real time, aligning communication practices among federal, state and local agencies. When society is being pulled between fact and fiction, reliable intergovernment communications can showcase strong leadership, instill trust in the public and greatly assist in relieving societal unrest. There is, however, a debate over the best way to conduct intergovernment communications during times like this and effectively deliver the information and messaging the public requires and deserves. On one hand, too much messaging from multiple sources can leave individuals feeling overwhelmed and more confused than before. On the other, lacking consistent and clear communication during times of crisis can ultimately have serious repercussions, such as increased upheaval and fear-mongering. Navigating intergovernment communication during a pandemicWhen mass panic spreads as a result of a pandemic, the best way to squash it is to ensure government officials at each and every level are communicating effectively with citizens. All communication must be aligned across government agencies, with clear guidelines, protocols and security measures around the dissemination of information in place. This is extremely valuable in terms of guiding a country through this crisis and any future incidents. However, that’s easier said than done when one considers the scale of coordination needed to provide clear, real-time communication via multiple channels and various languages between thousands of federal stakeholders and millions of citizens. Governments can get the word out, while simultaneously keeping the public calm and collected, with well-designed crisis communication programs. This is where emergency notification systems can help. Emergency notification systems represent the pinnacle of strong intergovernment communication at work. When properly implemented, they are interoperable across a wide range of networks, media and devices used by different agencies, first responders and health care workers. Emergency notifications should facilitate the distribution of updates from government agencies so that all civilians are receiving one clear, unified message about what’s going on around them. It’s also critically important to get information back from first responders and medical staff working on the frontlines and coordinating safety around an outbreak. Governments can use this data to build reactive and improved strategies for battling the pandemic and keeping millions of people informed. Keeping intergovernment communications securePandemic control also requires a comprehensive approach featuring strong intergovernment communication regarding the dissemination of information to the general public. Security must be at the forefront of this approach. Multimodal technology is a leading option here, as it can promptly send messages to all connected devices, rather than relying on one type of technology like SMS. Individual government agencies that are in sync with their communication practices can seamlessly orchestrate announcements and updates, ultimately calming the public and inspiring trust. Arguably just as important, these systems must use authentication and encryption to secure all communication and comply with government security and privacy regulations. Careful control of information between responders, public health officials and civilians is also key. All messaging must be carefully vetted and approved by authorized leaders from federal, state and local government agencies prior to being released to the public. Divulging sensitive information prior to it being vetted can be detrimental to public trust, creating even more uncertainty. This is where having all government agencies on the same page is absolutely crucial, ensuring level-headed, consistent response. The benefits of improved intergovernment communicationThe novel coronavirus is a potent reminder of how important it is for governments to react, inform, communicate and respond in real time to contain a crisis and take immediate action to save lives. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a major wake-up call for local, state and federal governments to take a good, hard look at their current communication processes and ensure they’re designed to support the primary objective of keeping the public safe and informed. The way governments are communicating among each other every day is highly valuable in instilling public confidence and demonstrating a country’s strong leadership. If anything, this pandemic exemplifies the power that clear and coordinated intergovernment communication can have. Strong investment in improving intergovernment communications will pay off in the long term, as it will manifest an integrated government that is prepared for the crises to come. About the Author David Wiseman is vice president of secure communications with BlackBerry. |
| Source: | CGN.com |
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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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| Inside Towers Newsletter |
T-Mobile Layoffs Begin, AT&T Plans Job Cuts Too
T-Mobile let go hundreds of Sprint workers this week and AT&T plans layoffs as well, according to published reports. T-Mobile VP James Kirby on Monday told hundreds of Sprint employees their services were no longer needed. He declined to answer questions, citing the “personal” nature of employee feedback, and ended the conference call, reported TechCrunch. TechCrunch obtained leaked audio of the call, which was said to be one of several held by T-Mobile leadership throughout the day to lay off staff across the organization. The layoffs come just two months after its acquisition of Sprint closed. On the call, Kirby said T-Mobile was eliminating Sprint’s inside sales unit, a division that focuses on small businesses. The executive didn’t say how many staff were laid off. Almost 400 people were in the phone meeting, a person on the call told TechCrunch. Kirby said the layoffs would make way for 200 new positions, and encouraged employees to apply for one of the new jobs. The employees who were laid off Monday will keep their jobs for another two months until August 13, said Kirby. The exact effect the merger has had on employee headcount is murky. Last month, the Communications Workers of America estimated it would impact some 30,000 jobs as corporate roles and retail stores consolidated. In a statement, T-Mobile told TechCrunch it’s looking at its entire merged organization, “to ensure that we focus our resources in the places where our customers need us the most. This will result in additional career opportunities for many, as the company positions itself for long-term healthy growth. As part of this process, some employees who hold similar positions are being asked to consider a career change inside the company, and others will be supported in their efforts to find a new position outside the company. We will work with all employees and support them.” Meanwhile, AT&T told the Communication Workers of America it plans to cut over 3,400 technician and clerical jobs over the next few weeks. In addition, the carrier plans to permanently close 250 AT&T Mobility and Cricket Wireless stores, impacting 1,300 retail jobs. CWA and AT&T have been working together to protect worker and customer health and safety and to provide premium pay for essential workers, according to CWA President Chris Shelton. He noted the carrier showed an interest in investing in its workers and its network by canceling planned stock buybacks. “AT&T could help lead the country toward recovery by partnering with its workforce to build next generation networks. Instead the company is adding to the pain of the recession already underway,” said Shelton. AT&T said in a statement to Business Insider, “economic impact and changed customer behaviors” due to the pandemic drove the layoffs and store closures. AT&T said it’s eliminating more non-payroll workers, many of which are based outside of the United States, than it is managers or union-represented employees.
Thune Introduces Bill to Fund Rural Broadband DeploymentSen. John Thune (R-SD), chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, Thursday introduced a bill to dedicate a portion of FCC spectrum auction proceeds for rural broadband through September 30, 2022. Under the Rural Connectivity Advancement Program (RCAP) Act of 2020, the agency would be able to use the money to support broadband deployment in rural America. “The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need to ensure that we provide rural areas, not just in South Dakota, but throughout the entire United States, with reliable broadband connectivity. My bill would take an important step toward the goal of closing the digital divide and does so in a responsible manner,” said Thune. Several telecom trade associations praised the action, including NATE, the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, which endorsed the measure and said it would provide funding for communications infrastructure expansion. “Closing the digital divide has been a top NATE priority for several years,” said NATE President/CEO Todd Schlekeway. “The association and our member companies have been honored to collaborate with Sen. Thune and his staff on important initiatives to improve communications services in rural, underserved and unserved areas of the United States. The bill he is introducing today will accelerate development of critical communications infrastructure and the deployment of broadband in rural America. This legislation also represents an enormous economic and employment opportunity for the communications industry,” added Schlekeway. “The legislation introduced today represents yet another measure of that leadership and a reaffirmed commitment to achieving the goal of universal service,” said NCTA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. “The Rural Connectivity Advancement Program Act would leverage efforts that have already proven effective in tackling connectivity challenges in rural America, and provide much-needed resources to help the FCC build upon the successes thus far of these existing programs to close the remaining digital divide.” CTIA SVP Government Affairs Kelly Cole explained the bill “recognizes the importance of ensuring all Americans have access to broadband, especially those in rural areas, and seeks to provide the necessary resources to close the digital divide.” USTelecom President/CEO Jonathan Spalter noted the measure “recognizes the essential public-private partnership necessary to deploy high-speed broadband to every corner of the country and narrow the digital divide.” “By establishing a permanent funding source for rural broadband that will supplement current resources and use existing programs, this bill has the potential to deliver rapid results for rural Americans in more communities across our country,” said Lisa Youngers, President and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. Specifically, RCAP would:
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| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter |
Courtesy of the editor of
Inside Towers
Jim Fryer.
Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
REMINDER: CLECs Must De-tariff Business Data Services by August 1In April of 2017, the FCC adopted its Business Data Services Order requiring price cap incumbent LECs and all competitive LECs to de-tariff their business data services (BDS a.k.a. Special Access). The transition period adopted for the prescribed de-tariffing comes to a close on August 1, 2020. After that date, the FCC has indicated that “no price cap incumbent LEC or competitive LEC may file or maintain any interstate tariffs for affected business data services.” The FCC further noted, however, that de-tariffing is not intended to “disturb existing contractual or other long-term arrangements.” According to the FCC, “a contract tariff remains a contract even if it is no longer tariffed.” Carriers with questions about the mandatory de-tariffing of BDS may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. HeadlinesFCC Releases Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Auction Procedures Public NoticeOn June 11, the FCC released the text of its Public Notice prescribing the procedures for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I auction (Auction 904). In addition, the following official dates have been adopted:
At least 14 days prior to the short-form application deadline, the FCC will release a list and map of eligible census blocks based on the most recent publicly available FCC Form 477 data and incorporating comments received during the limited challenge process. The list will include the reserve price for each Census Block Group (CBG) containing eligible census blocks and the number of locations associated with each CBG as determined by the Connect America Model. The FCC will also remove from that list any areas that will be substantially overlapped by an announced ReConnect Program awardee. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast. FCC Seeks Comment on CAF Phase II Location Adjustment Waiver Request On June 15, the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking comment on a petition filed by the Connect America Fund Phase II Coalition (Phase II Coalition), a group of 14 carriers authorized to receive support through the CAF Phase II Auction program. Comments are due June 29, and reply comments are due Specifically, the Phase II Coalition requests a waiver of the requirement to reduce support on a per location basis (pro rata reduction) in situations where the total number of qualifying locations within the state is within 35% of the carrier’s CAF Phase II Auction defined deployment obligation for that state (35% threshold). In addition, petitioners request that the FCC allow funding recipients to certify at the end of their support term that the actual number of qualifying locations is within this 35% threshold rather than requiring them to participate in the Eligible Locations Adjustment Process (ELAP) to establish the number of total qualifying locations. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. FCC Seeks to Refresh the Record in Contribution Methodology Reform for One-Way VoIPOn June 11, the FCC adopted a Public Notice inviting interested parties to update the record in the 2012 Contributions Reform Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking as it pertains to whether the FCC should exercise its permissive authority under section 254(d) to include in the contribution base revenues derived from the provision of “one-way” voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Comments are due July 13 and reply comments are due July 27. Specifically, the FCC seeks updated responses to the questions posed in that proceeding, and seeks comment on whether such services should be required to pay other fees applicable to interconnected VoIP services, such as regulatory fees. Questions from the previous proceeding include:
The FCC previously found that it is in the public interest to require providers of two-way interconnected VoIP services to contribute, noting that among other things, such providers benefit from universal service because much of the appeal of their services to consumers derives from the ability to place calls to and receive calls from the PSTN, and that interconnected VoIP increasingly was being used by consumers in lieu of traditional voice telephony. The FCC seeks comment on whether this rationale should apply to one-way VoIP as well. Carriers with questions or interested in filing comments may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, Mary Sisak, and Sal Taillefer. FCC Adopts Second Report and Order on Next-Gen TVOn June 16, the FCC released the text of its Second Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration in its proceeding on authorizing permissive use of the “Next Generation” broadcast television standard (GN Docket No. 16-142). In this document, which was originally adopted on June 3, the FCC provides additional guidance to broadcasters deploying Next Gen TV that wish to receive a waiver of local simulcasting rules, declines to permit at this time the use of vacant broadcast channels for purposes of Next Gen TV deployment, and clarifies the “significantly viewed” status of Next Gen TV stations. Second, the FCC dismissed and denied two petitions for reconsideration of the Next Gen TV Report and Order. BloostonLaw Contact: Gerry Duffy. Law and RegulationComment on 5G Fund Adjustment Factors Due July 7On June 17, the FCC published in the Federal Register its Public Notice seeking comment on adjustment factor values for the 5G Fund. Accordingly, comments are due July 7, and reply comments are due August 6. As we reported in last week’s edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC sought comment on specific adjustment factors for the 5G Fund. The purpose of these factors is to try to account for the relative costs of serving areas that vary in terrain characteristics and potential business cases. The proposed adjustment factors also would be used to transition legacy high-cost support to 5G Fund support. The Demand Factors are calculated using various economic characteristics—including income, GDP, and population density—as proxies for the demand factors in each of the economic analyses. The Terrain Elevation was calculated and characterized as follows: “flat” is a standard deviation of terrain elevation of 40 meters or less; “hilly” is a standard deviation of terrain elevation between 40 and 115 meters; and “mountainous” is a standard deviation of terrain elevation of greater than 115 meters. The FCC also sought comment on three analyses used to support these factors. In the first analysis, the FCC examined how geographic areas’ physical and demographic characteristics affect carriers’ network deployment decisions. In its second analysis, the FCC estimated the difference in the number of cell sites required to provide high-quality 5G service in hillier terrain areas compared to flat areas. In its third analysis, the FCC used Mobility Fund Phase I (Auction 901) sealed bid data (i.e., a firm’s requested subsidy to provide mobile service to a specified unserved geographic area) to understand how terrain and other factors impact the bid amount requested by a carrier to deploy service. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. FCC Announces 26.5% USF Contribution Factor for Q3On June 12, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the third quarter of 2020 will be 0.265 or 26.5% percent. The FCC calculates the quarterly contribution factor based on the ratio of total projected quarterly costs of the universal service support mechanisms to contributors’ total projected collected end-user interstate and international telecommunications revenues, net of projected contributions. The contribution factor is calculated based upon the projected demand and expenses as follows: ($ millions)
BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. IndustryFCC Announces Availability of RDOF Short Form Instructions, TutorialOn June 15, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that it has released the instructions for completing the short-form application (FCC Form 183) for entities seeking to participate in Auction 904 (Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Phase I). The instructions are available on the Auction 904 website (www.fcc.gov/auction/904) under the Education tab. Among other things, the instructions indicate how an applicant can select the specific state(s) in which it wishes to bid, choose the performance tier and latency combination(s) on which it wishes to bid in its selected state(s), submit operational and financial information demonstrating that it can meet the public interest obligations associated with the performance tier and latency combination(s) for which it intends to bid, disclose auction-related agreements, and provide information regarding its ownership structure. In addition, the FCC announced that an online tutorial is now available to assist applicants in completing their short-form applications. This tutorial is also accessible on the Auction 904 website through a link under the Education tab DeadlinesJULY 1: FCC FORM 481 (CARRIER ANNUAL REPORTING DATA COLLECTION FORM). All eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must report the information required by Section 54.313, which includes information on the ETC’s holding company, operating companies, ETC affiliates and any branding in response to section 54.313(a)(8); its CAF-ICC certification, if applicable; its financial information, if a privately held rate-of-return carrier; and its satellite backhaul certification, if applicable. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. JULY 1: MOBILITY FUND PHASE I ANNUAL REPORT. Winning bidders in Auction 901 that are authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the FCC an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization. Each annual report must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary, clearly referencing WT Docket No. 10-208; the Universal Service Administrator; and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate. The information and certifications required to be included in the annual report are described in Section 54.1009 of the FCC’s rules. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. 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 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 1: Live 911 Call Data Reports – Non-Nationwide Providers that do not provide coverage in any of the Test Cities must collect and report aggregate data based on the largest county within its footprint to APCO, NENA, and NASNA on the location technologies used for live 911 calls in those areas. Clients should obtain spreadsheets with their company’s compliance data from their E911 service provider (e.g., Intrado / West). BloostonLaw Contacts: Cary Mitchell. AUGUST 29: COPYRIGHT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Copyright Statement of Accounts form plus royalty payment for the first half of year is due to be filed August 29 at the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office by cable TV service providers. BloostonLaw contact: Gerry Duffy. Calendar At-a-GlanceJune July August
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