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Welcome Back To The Wireless |
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This Week's Wireless News Headlines
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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. 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. |
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HELP SUPPORT THE NEWSLETTER
There is not a lot of news about Paging these days but when anything significant comes out, you will probably see it here. I also cover text messaging to other devices and various articles about related technology. |
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Service Monitors and Frequency Standards for Sale
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News Business Cork city business power couple Dan and Linda Kiely named Digital Heroes at prestigious awards"We hope that our story inspires others and highlights that Irish companies truly can have global ambitions"By Sara Rountree 23:00
After a glitzy ceremony on Thursday evening, the Rebel couple who went from broken salespeople to multi-millionaire CEOs were named Digital Heroes at the Spiders Awards. Dubbed ‘The Oscars’ of Ireland's digital industry, the Spiders is the longest running digital awards programme in Ireland, recognising Irish contributions to online and digital media. And glamourous Cork couple Dan and Linda Kiely were among those commended at the Dublin Mansion House event. The husband and wife team started their company, Voxpro, in 1995 with six employees in an office above a pub on Cork city's Marlboro Street. Starting from scratch, they grew the company to more than 6,000 team members across Europe, the US and Asia - and then their multi-million euro company received a deal. In 2019, Canadian call-centre giant Telus made an offer to acquire Voxpro, and the Cork couple accepted - bumping their already substantial personal fortune of €71 million to a huge €103 million. Rather than retire early and enjoy their fortune, they decided to turn their attention to investing in young entrepreneurs in Cork with their new business The Republic of Work. The Kielys have made a number of investments in Irish and global tech start-ups and continue to be involved in the development of these companies, including Vudini, Johnson Hana and Talivest. Dan has also continued to be part of the global organisation at TELUS, as a Strategic Advisor. Thrilled to be acknowledged at the Spiders, the Kielys picked up one of the most prestigious awards of the night for Digital Heroes. Accepting the award, Dan Kiely said: “We are thrilled to receive the Digital Hero award. It’s an incredible honour for Linda and I to receive recognition for outstanding contribution. Linda added: "We hope that our story inspires others and highlights that Irish companies truly can have global ambitions, impact and determination in the midst of economic challenges to emerge stronger." |
| Source: | Cork Beo |
| Leavitt Communications |
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| NEWS RELEASE
Spok Reports First Quarter 2022 ResultsCompany makes progress on recently announced strategic business planAnnounces conclusion of thorough strategic alternatives review process; Spok’s Board remains open to all pathways to maximize shareholder valueAlexandria, Va. (April 28, 2022) — Spok Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPOK), a global leader in healthcare communications, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.3125 per share, payable on June 24, 2022, to stockholders of record on May 25, 2022. 2022 First Quarter Highlights:
"We have made great progress on our recently announced strategic business plan while also continuing to provide critical communications services to our healthcare customers," said Vincent D. Kelly, president and chief executive officer of Spok Holdings, Inc. "We are on target with our previously announced financial objectives, and our focus remains on creating significant value for our shareholders by maximizing revenue and cash flow generation from our established communication solutions. We continue to believe that we are on the best path forward, and we are optimistic about our prospects for the remainder of 2022 and beyond." Strategic Review Update: Spok has concluded the strategic alternatives review process it publicly commenced on September 3, 2021. At this time, Spok has no actionable options for a sale of the Company and the Board has determined it is in the best interests of all shareholders for Spok to focus on executing its strategic plan as a standalone company. Since initiating the strategic review, the Board, along with its financial and legal advisors, conducted an exceptionally thorough process and reached out to and engaged with a wide range of strategic and financial parties. Spok’s Board is fully committed to maximizing value for all shareholders. Financial tables and the remainder of the news release are available at the source. |
| Source: | Spok |
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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Apr 27, 2022 — Technology FCC to vote on new plan to curb robocallsBy Margaret Harding McGill
The Federal Communications Commission will vote in May on a plan by Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel meant to help stem the flow of overseas robocalls into the U.S., the agency said Wednesday. Why it matters: Americans are inundated with spam, and federal agencies are struggling to combat illegal messages. Driving the news: The rules, if adopted by the commission at its May 19 meeting, would require gateway providers — which carry international calls to American networks — to participate in robocall mitigation efforts.
What they're saying: “International robocallers use these gateways to enter our phone networks and defraud American consumers," Rosenworcel said in a statement. "But no more. We won’t allow them to bypass our laws and hide from enforcement.” |
| Source: | AXIOS | Thanks to: Michael C. Candell |
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| Easy Solutions |
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.
Experts in Paging Infrastructure
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 INFRASTRUCTUREService ContractsI 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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FCC Looks at Strengthening Emergency Alerts Through Performance ReportingThursday, April 21, 2022 The FCC proposed strengthening the effectiveness of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), including through public reporting on the reliability, speed and accuracy of these messages. Since the program’s launch one decade ago, WEAs have become an essential part of America’s emergency preparedness. The system has been used more than 62,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children and other critical situations through alerts on compatible mobile devices. Despite these successes, there is still room for improvement, and to date there has been no formal mechanism for the commission to collect reliable and consistent data about the system’s performance. In a further notice of proposed rulemaking adopted at its April 21 meeting, the commission proposed that wireless providers that participate in WEAs publicly report on key aspects of the performance of this service. In particular, the commission is seeking comment on:
The commission noted that providing emergency management agencies and the public with visibility into the performance of WEAs in their communities will help promote the use and improvement of the life-saving tool. The commission is also seeking comment on ways to further improve the reliability and speed of WEAs based on findings from the 2021 nationwide WEA test. |
| Source: | Radio Resource Media Group | Thanks to: Michael C. Candell |
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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R.H. (Ron) Mercer |
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| Telephone: 631-786-9359 | |
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com  |
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A cautionary tale“Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. reached their highest point ever recorded last year, with more than 100,000 deaths over 12 months. Deaths are up nearly 50 percent since the start of the Covid pandemic.” Brad: My grandson was one of these. R.I.P. |
| Source: | The New York Times |
Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, Vic Jackson, and Ira Wiesenfeld are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects. Click here Note: We do not like Patent Trolls, i.e. “a person or company who enforces patent rights against accused infringers in an attempt to collect licensing fees, but does not manufacture products or supply services based upon the patents in question.” We have helped some prominent law firms defend their clients against this annoyance, and would be happy to do some more of this same kind of work. Some people use the title “consultant” when they don't have a real job. We actually do consulting work, and help others based on our many years of experience. “If you would know the road ahead, ask someone who has traveled it.” — Chinese Proverb
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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 |
TECHNOLOGY EXPLAINED HDMI Cable Types: Everything You Need to KnowBY DENIS MANYINSA PUBLISHED APRIL 26, 2022
HDMI cables are important accessories in your home theater or media center. Using an HDMI cable is one of the most common ways to connect smart devices to a TV or home theater set-up. Computer monitors, laptops, HD TVs, and game consoles all use HDMI. There are three basic types of HDMI cables—Standard, High-Speed, and Ultra High-Speed—and each type has subcategories. So, read on to learn everything you need to know about HDMI cables, including what types are available and what different HDMI connector types mean. HDMI Cable Types
When deciding on computer cable types, it’s important to understand cable standards and capabilities. HDMI cables, for instance, are classified based on their HDMI version and signal transfer speed (bandwidth). Here are the types of HDMI cables. Standard HDMI CableStandard is the most basic HDMI cable, designed for earlier consumer applications. The cable has a bandwidth of 5Gbps, which supports 1080i or 720p resolution. Standard HDMI cables do not transmit 4K and later resolutions. The Standard HDMI cable has a refresh rate of 30Hz and is a solid choice for satellite TVs, DVD players, and screen projectors. HDMI versions 1.0 to 1.2a are native to this cable. Standard with EthernetThis cable has the same performance capability as standard HDMI cables. The main difference is that it’s equipped with a dedicated data channel. Both connected devices must have an Ethernet Channel enabled to use the feature. Standard AutomotiveStandard Automotive is designed for in-vehicle HD video systems. The cable has the same features as the standard HDMI cable and is usually used to link portable or in-car DVD players to in-car video displays. It also can transmit strong signals and withstand vibrations. High-Speed HDMI CableA High-Speed HDMI cable is designed to transmit 1080p, 4K at 30Hz, and 3D signals. It has a bandwidth of 10.2Gbps and is optimized for HDMI versions 1.3 to 1.4a. The High-Speed HDMI cable also supports 3D and Deep Color technologies and is recommended for 4K capable video consoles and Blu-ray Disc players. High-Speed with EthernetA High-Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet has similar features as a high-speed cable, like support for 1080p up to 4K and advanced display technologies. The main difference is that they are equipped with a dedicated data channel, known as the HDMI Ethernet Channel. Although very few devices are compatible with this type of cable, it’s a great choice for systems that support Ethernet streaming channels. High-Speed AutomotiveA High-Speed Automotive HDMI cable has the same features as the regular high-speed HDMI cable, except it’s specifically designed for use in the automotive industry. High-speed automotive can perform under unique stresses of the automotive environment like temperature extremes and vibrations. Premium High-SpeedPremium High-Speed HDMI offers a bandwidth of up to 18Gbps and is optimized for HDMI versions 2.0, 2.0a, and 2.0b. In addition, the cable supports HDR and 4K at 60Hz, 4:4:4 chroma sampling, and expanded color spaces, including BT:2020. The cables also have a low electromagnetic interference (EMI) and are available for both HDMI Type A and Type D connectors. Premium High-Speed is a great choice for design software and PC gaming. To ensure your cable meets the specifications in this category, look for one that has a Premium HDMI Cable Certification Label. Each certified product label includes a unique holographic fingerprint and a QR code which you can scan for verification using the HDMI smartphone app. Ultra High-Speed HDMI CableThe Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable is designed to support uncompressed 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 120Hz up to 48Gbps of bandwidth. The cable can present a video in up to 10K resolution and achieve up to 240Hz on an HDR TV. Ultra High-Speed HDMI supports HDMI 2.1a, meaning it works with almost all HDMI devices as it’s also compatible with earlier standards. And it’s less susceptible to EMI caused by some wireless devices. It also supports new features like eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). For compliance with all the specifications, check the cable packaging for the Ultra High-Speed HDMI Certification Label. HDMI Connector Types
HDMI Type A (Standard HDMI)Standard HDMI connector types are typically used on common source devices like laptops, video game consoles, and Blu-ray players to TVs and video projectors. Type A uses a 19-pin configuration and is the largest HDMI connector. HDMI Type B (Dual-Link)This HDMI connector was designed for very hi-res displays but is currently not used in any mainstream consumer products. The reason for this is that, with the inception of HDMI 1.3, the speed of a single link surpassed that of the old dual link. HDMI Type C (Mini HDMI)Mini HDMI connectors also use a 19-pin configuration and share the full functionality of standard HDMI connectors. However, Type C is smaller and slimmer than types A and B. You’ll likely find it on smaller, portable devices like tablets, DSLR cameras, and even some laptops. HDMI Type D (Micro HDMI)Though smaller than Mini HDMI, Micro HDMI retains the 19-pin configuration and provides the full functionality of its larger siblings. This connector type is typically used for small cameras, smartphones, and other mobile devices. HDMI Type E (Automotive)Type E is a special connector for automotive HDMI cables. Automotive differs from other connector types in that it features a locking tab that allows it to remain in place when your vehicle vibrates. Which HDMI Cable Should You Buy?HDMI cables are the standard for audio and video in everything from game consoles and TV to PC screens and soundbars. While there are many cable standards with different features, almost any HDMI cable seen in the market in the last decade can handle anything you throw at it. For most devices, including TVs, game consoles, and some sound systems, you likely need an HDMI 2.0 cable that supports 4K up to 60Hz, but you can opt for more advanced HDMI cable types. The good thing is that most HDMI cables are affordable, and many reputable manufacturers offer consumers a wide range of pricing. |
| Source: | MAKE USE OF |
| Leavitt Communications |
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Cover Your Wall in MIT's New Paper Thin Speakers to Turn Your Bedroom Into a Noise Cancelling OasisThe thin-film speakers use very little power and can be installed almost anywhere.By Andrew Liszewsk You might be resigned to wearing a pair of headphones all day to block out the sounds of noisy neighbors or other distractions, but researchers at MIT have developed a paper-thin speaker that can be applied to almost any surface like wallpaper, turning objects like walls into giant noise-cancelling speakers. Tear apart the speakers in almost any consumer device that produces sound, and you’ll find essentially the same hardware: a membrane paired with a coil of wire that produces a magnetic field (or other movement mechanism). When electricity is applied, this causes the membrane to move back and forth and push air in specific patterns, creating sound waves that reach our ears. It’s a simple formula that’s worked well for over 150 years, but one that requires a certain amount of power and a certain amount of space to work. Just look at the tower of massive speakers on either side of the stage at a concert and you’ll understand why there’s room for some improvement when it comes to speaker tech. Researchers at MIT’s Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory have created a new kind of thin-film speaker that’s as thin and flexible as a sheet of paper, but is also able to generate clear, high-quality sound, even when bonded to a rigid surface like a wall. This is not the first time researchers have created ultra-thin lightweight speakers, but previous attempts have resulted in a film that needs to be freestanding and unencumbered to produce sound. When mounted to a rigid surface, past thin speakers’ ability to vibrate and move air is greatly reduced, which limits where and how they can be used. But MIT’s researchers have now come up with a new manufacturing process that solves that problem. Instead of designing a thin-film speaker that requires the entire panel to vibrate, the researchers started with a sheet of lightweight PET plastic that they perforated with tiny holes using a laser. A layer of thin piezoelectric material called PVDF was then laminated to the underside of the sheet, and then the researchers subjected both layers to a vacuum and 80 degrees Celsius heat, which caused the piezoelectric layer to bulge and push through the laser-cut holes in the top layer. This created a series of tiny domes that are able to pulse and vibrate when an electric current is applied, regardless of whether or not the panel is bonded to a rigid surface. The researchers also added a few extra layers of the durable PET plastic to create a spacer to ensure that the domes can vibrate freely, and to protect them from abrasion damage. The domes are just “one-sixth the thickness of a human hair” in height and move a mere half micron up and down when they vibrate. Thousands are needed to produce audible sounds, but the researchers also discovered that changing the size of the laser-cut holes, which also alters the size of the domes produced, allows the sound produced by the thin-film panel to be tuned to be louder. Because the domes have such minute movement, just 100 milliwatts of electricity were needed to power a single square meter of the material, compared to more than a full watt of electricity needed to power a standard speaker to create a comparable level of sound pressure. The applications for the thin-film speaker material are endless. In addition to being applied to interiors like office walls or even the inside of an airplane to cancel out unwanted noises, an entire car could be wrapped in a speaker, making it easier to alert pedestrians that an otherwise silent electric vehicle was approaching. The researchers believe the technology could even be used for ultrasonic imaging, tracking the movements of people in a given space, or even as a futuristic display technology by covering all those tiny domes in reflective surfaces, similar to how Texas Instrument’s DLP technology works. But the one thing the researchers can’t foresee is when we might actually see this technology hit the market. |
| Source: | gizmodo |
| Inside Towers Newsletter |
American Tower Sees Accelerating Global ExpansionBy John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor
American Tower (NYSE: AMT) continues to bolster its position as the world’s largest independent tower company. With significant new tower builds during the quarter, along with some small acquisitions and site sales, the company ended 1Q22 with a total of 219,266 towers worldwide. During its quarterly earnings call, AMT reported that total property revenues, including contributions from both towers and data centers, increased 22 percent on a year-over-year basis to $2.6 billion. Adjusted EBITDA grew 13 percent to $1.6 billion while AFFO came in at $1.2 billion, up 7 percent YoY. The company attributes the strong growth to global secular trends for mobile data consumption and continued heavy capital expenditures by its mobile network operator tenants around the world as they install equipment to activate new spectrum. MNOs in the U.S. and Europe are focused on new 5G networks while 4G coverage and densification continues apace among MNOs in developing markets. Internally, AMT is on track with its construction program to build 6,000-7,000 new towers in 2022. The company completed 1,437 new builds in 1Q22 across its global footprint with the majority split between India and Africa. The U.S. & Canada segment accounts for nearly 43,000 or just 20 percent of the global towers but was $1.2 billion or 47 percent of 1Q22 total property revenues. International segments together account for another 46 percent of total property revenues. Of note, 1Q22 was the first full quarter of contributions from the company’s Core Site data center acquisition at the end of 2021. AMT now reports data centers in a separate segment that includes Core Site, earlier Data Site acquisitions along with mobile edge computing in six U.S. markets. The Data Center segment accounted for $184 million or 7 percent balance of total 1Q22 property revenues. AMT points out that macro towers continue to be critical infrastructure for long-term MNO network investments, particularly in North America. The company says its backlog of contractually guaranteed revenues in the U.S. has more than doubled on a per site basis over the past five years, indicating the long-term value its MNO tenants attribute to macro towers as a key component of their 5G network deployment strategy. In 2022, AMT expects another year of accelerating gross new business growth in the U.S. and Canada. It expects growth from co-locations and amendments to ramp in the back half of the year, reaching a high point by the end of 2022. With colocation and amendment contributions accelerating and the impacts of the Sprint churn gradually declining through 2022, AMT expects strong mid-single digit organic tenant billings growth in 2023 and beyond. At the same time, the data center business has growing long-term prospects. AMT sees accelerating hybrid IT and multi-cloud deployments driving demand for highly interconnected data center facilities that the company now operates. AMT will selectively deploy capital toward high-yield development projects as that demand grows. In Europe, AMT’s acquisition of Telxius from Telefónica in 2021 is paying off with a recently signed long-term deal with 1&1 for a greenfield 5G network across Germany. Furthermore, AMT is assessing the potential for more tower acquisitions in Europe as MNOs divest their passive infrastructure assets. “We’re off to a strong start in 2022 with organic tenant billings growth accelerating sequentially in each of our reported segments,” states Tom Bartlett, American Tower’s President and CEO. “It is clear to us that macro towers will continue to be critical infrastructure for carrier network investments over the next decade and beyond. We believe our global footprint of distributed communications real estate is well-positioned to capture the benefits of the emerging technological trends, ultimately driving what we hope to be a prolonged period of solid global growth and attractive returns for our shareholders.” Accordingly, the company is upping full-year 2022 midpoint guidance on all key metrics. It now expects 2022 total property revenue of $10.4 billion, a 14 percent increase over FY2021, Adjusted EBITDA of $6.6 billion, up 11 percent and AFFO of $4.8 billion, an 8 percent increase. The company plans to invest over $2 billion in capital expenditures of which roughly $835 million is in discretionary capex that includes the 6,000-7,000 tower construction and about $300 million towards data centers, $270 million of which is for development projects. |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
REMINDER: Eligible Locations Adjustment Process Registration Deadline is May 13As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC extended the deadline for individuals, non-governmental entities such as small businesses, and governmental entities, such as state public utility commissions and Tribal authorities, to initiate the registration process for participating in the Eligible Locations Adjustment Process (ELAP) to Friday, May 13, 2022, at 11:59 PM ET. The ELAP is a voluntary challenge process designed to facilitate post-auction review and potential adjustment of the defined CAF II Auction deployment obligations (and associated support) on a state-by-state basis if the total number of locations funded by the program exceeds the number of actual locations. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesFTC Files Suit Against VoIP Provider for Facilitating Transmission of Illegal RobocallsOn April 26, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida against VoIP service provider VoIP Terminator, Inc., a related company named BLMarketing, Inc., and the firms’ owner for “assisting and facilitating the transmission of millions of illegal prerecorded telemarketing robocalls,” including those they “knew or should have known were scams.” The complaint was filed along with an order permanently stopping the defendants from such illegal conduct, and includes a suspended civil penalty of more than $3 million. Specifically, according to the complaint, the defendants continued to provide VoIP services to customers despite knowing or consciously avoiding knowing the customers were: 1) using the services to place calls to numbers on the FTC’s Do Not Call (DNC) Registry; 2) delivering prerecorded messages; and 3) displaying spoofed caller ID services to callers involved in scams related to credit card interest rate reduction, tech support, and the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the FTC, this facilitated in the violation of the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The FTC’s proposed order settling the complaint requires VoIP Terminator to:
Carriers with questions about the proceeding, or the TSR in general, may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. Senators Outline Broadband Priorities, Urge NTIA to Delay Infrastructure Funding AwardsOn April 26, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and John Thune, R-S.D., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, along with U.S. Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Robert Latta, R-Ohio, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Alan Davidson identifying a number of priorities for implementation of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA) broadband programs. Specifically, the legislators call on the NTIA to:
As part of their call to rely upon the FCC’s upcoming broadband mapping data efforts, the Senators said, “NTIA should not award funds until the FCC’s broadband maps are completed, with challenges adjudicated ... [a]warding money before the FCC resolves challenges could undermine the success of this program.” We provided a breakdown of the various IIJA broadband programs in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update. Providers with questions about the IIJA broadband programs may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. Law and RegulationFCC Initiates Proceeding on RF Receiver PerformanceOn April 21, the FCC opened a proceeding to promote improvements in radio frequency (RF) receiver performance, including through use of incentives, industry-led voluntary approaches, FCC policy and guidance, or regulatory requirements. According to the associated Press Release, the Notice of Inquiry will “take a fresh look at the role of receivers and how improved receiver performance can promote more efficient spectrum use and enable valuable new services to be introduced that will benefit the American public.” Comment and reply comment deadlines have not yet been established. The NOI seeks comment on a number of issues related to this issue, including up-to-date information on receiver performance, advances in receiver technologies, and various approaches for promoting development and adoption of more interference-resilient receivers. In particular, the FCC indicates that receivers without sufficient interference immunity performance can “diminish opportunities for innovative spectrum uses that drive economic growth, competition, security, and innovation.” Comment is also sought on the FCC’s authority to act in this regard. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. FCC Proposes Incorporation of Public Reporting on WEA TestsOn April 21, the FCC adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes incorporating public reporting on the reliability, speed, and accuracy into Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) testing procedures, among other things. Comment and reply comment deadlines have not yet been established. Specifically, the FCC proposed that wireless providers that participate in Wireless Emergency Alerts publicly report on key aspects of the performance of this service. The FCC further sought comment on:
Carriers interested in participating in this notice and comment proceeding may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. IndustryUSAC Files Annual Report with FCC and CongressEarlier this week, USAC announced that it filed its Annual Report with the FCC and Congress last month. The Annual Report details the operations, activities, and accomplishments of the four Universal Service Fund (USF) programs during 2021. A copy of the report can be found here. in March 2022. According to a press release issued by USAC, notable highlights for the High Cost program included:
USAC further stated that highlights from the Lifeline program during 2021 include:
Looking forward to 2022, the report indicates that USAC will “implement the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) and the 5G Fund for Rural America;” and will “continue to educate targeted stakeholders with a focus on increasing program awareness among eligible Lifeline populations.” DeadlinesMAY 2: GEOGRAPHIC RATE AVERAGING CERTIFICATION. Non-dominant providers of detariffed interstate inter-exchange service must certify that they provide such service in compliance with the appropriate geographic rate average and rate integration obligations pursuant to section 254(g) of the Communications Act. BloostonLaw Contacts: Sal Taillefer. 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. [WAIVED; NEW DEADLINE NOT YET ESTABLISHED] JULY 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 of the FCC, 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: FCC FORM 507, LINE COUNT DATA (A-CAM AND ALASKA PLAN RECPIENTS). Sections 54.313(f)(5) and 54.903(a)(1) of the FCC’s rules requires all rate-of-return telecommunications carriers to provide line count information on FCC Form 507 to USAC, the universal service Administrator. Carriers receiving Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) must submit this information annually on March 31st of each year, and may update the data on a quarterly basis. Carriers that receive Alternative Connect America Model (A-CAM) I, A-CAM II, or Alaska Plan support are required to file by July 1st of each year. For 2020, the FCC has extended the A-CAM filing deadline until July 31. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy 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.
Calendar At-a-GlanceMay June July TBD
Failure to Accurately Disclose Foreign Ownership Results in Proposed $660K FineThe FCC has proposed a forfeiture of $660,639 against Truphone, Inc. for allegedly exceeding the statutory limits for ownership by foreign individuals or entities of equity or voting interests in FCC-issued licenses without first obtaining prior Commission approval. It appears that over the course of several years, the ownership of Truphone (and therefore the control of its FCC licenses) was transferred several times to foreign individuals and/or entities without making accurate disclosures to the FCC. This resulted in the FCC not being able to conduct its review in order to determine whether the foreign ownership was acceptable, as required by the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Additionally, because inaccurate information was provided, these foreign entities were not vetted for compliance with the Commission’s rules or subject to review by Executive Branch agencies for national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, or trade policy concerns. Should the company file updated, accurate information, the FCC will review any such filing and determine whether to refer the matter for review to the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector, known informally as Team Telecom. FCC approval is required before the foreign ownership of a U.S.-organized entity that controls a common carrier radio station license (or CMRS license) may exceed 25 percent of the U.S. entity’s equity or voting interests. Additionally, even after the FCC has granted permission for foreign ownership to exceed 25 percent statutory limit, prior approval is still required before any additional foreign individual or entity not previously approved by the FCC acquires a five percent or greater direct or indirect equity or voting interest in the entity. Here, it appears that Truphone failed to accurately report its ownership structure and obtain prior approval before vesting control of the company in its current owners. The FCC stated that these apparent violations reflect the repeated and ongoing nature of the Truphone’s “cavalier attitude” toward FCC rules and screening mechanisms to determine risks associated with foreign investment – which is a compliance issue that the FCC takes seriously. This is especially important since the FCC has recently found that foreign ownership of telecommunications companies providing services in the United States could pose national security or law enforcement risks. In addition to the proposed $660K forfeiture, the Commission is also requiring that Truphone promptly file corrective transfer of control applications as necessary and amend its pending Petition for Declaratory Ruling. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino San Jose Water Company SCADA System Interferes with T-Mobile 700 MHz SystemThe FCC has cited San Jose Water Company (“San Jose Water”) for causing harmful interference to the 700 MHz operations of T-Mobile. San Jose Water holds an FCC license to operate a 900 MHz microwave multiple address SCADA system. Apparently, its 900 MHz SCADALink 900MB wireless communications controller was casing harmful interference to T-Mobile’s 700 MHz system. In a follow up inspection, the FCC confirmed radio frequency (RF) emissions in the 700 MHz band at San Jose Water’s water storage facility. The 900 MHz SCADALink 900MB wireless communications controller used by San Jose Water is a Part 15 device that does not require a separate FCC license for operation. However, as a condition of operation, operators of Part 15 radio frequency devices must immediately cease operation upon notification by the FCC that a device is causing harmful interference; and operation may not resume until the harmful interference is resolved. Here, San Jose Water failed to immediately cease operation upon notification from the FCC that it was causing harmful interference to T-Mobile’s licensed operations. As a result, San Jose Water violated Part 15 of the FCC’s Rules. For those of our clients who operate Part 15 devices, it is critically important that operations cease if directed by the FCC. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Comment Sought on Request for Partial Waiver of Industrial Signal Booster Equipment Labeling RulesWinstron Neweb Corporation (“WNC”) has requested a partial waiver of the FCC’s Rules to permit it to alter the mandatory wording on its FCC-mandated equipment warning label. Comments are due 30 days from release of the FCC’s Public Notice in the Federal Register. Reply Comments are due 45 days from release of the Public Notice in the Federal Register. WNC is seeking a waiver of the labeling rules for its TR2 5G Extender in order to allow it to alter the text of its warning label, including deletion of language which specifies that the device is to be installed by FCC licensees or qualified installers. In particular, WNC seeks to use the following language on its warning label:
The TR2 5G Extender is a second-generation version of WNC’s 5G mmWave extender. This product is classified as an industrial signal booster under the FCC’s Rules since there is no consumer signal booster available that is designed for mmWave frequencies (28 GHz and 39 GHz). WNC states that its request is consistent with other waivers that have been granted by the FCC. Here, WNC’s 5G mmWave extender has been developed to facilitate the delivery of home Internet service via 5G millimeter wave transmissions between a single ISP (Verizon Communications, Inc.) and its residential customers so that Verizon Internet customers can receive 5G signals on the home/residential Internet network. WNC states that installation is straightforward and that both WNC and Verizon contemplated that end users would be able to self-install the device in their homes. WNC has pointed out that the potential for interference is low, since it is designed to work on the Verizon network. This is because it can only transmit an RF signal if it first decodes and then verifies the Synchronization Signal Block (“SSB”) information from Verizon’s gNodeB equipment. If it cannot decode the SSB, then it will not function. And, due to this feature, if a consumer were to attempt to use the device on another carrier’s network (or for any purpose other than receiving service from Verizon), the device would not be able to transmit until it was put back on the Verizon network and able to decode the appropriate SSB. As a result, WNC states that the risk of interference is extremely low. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino FCC Seeks Comment on Proposal to Bolster Effectiveness of Wireless Emergency AlertsThe FCC has released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which proposes rules that will strengthen the effectiveness of Wireless Emergency Alerts, including through public reporting on the reliability, speed, and accuracy of these messages. Comments are due 30 days from publication in the Federal Register; Reply Comments are due 60 days from publication in the Federal Register. In its proposal, the FCC notes that Wireless Emergency Alerts have become an essential part of emergency preparedness in the United States. This system has been used more than 62,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations – through alerts on compatible mobile devices. While FCC feels that Wireless Emergency Alerts have been extremely successful, it acknowledges that the Wireless Emergency Alert System sill requires improvement. Unfortunately, under current procedures, the FCC does not have a formal mechanism to collect reliable and consistent data about the system’s performance. As a result, the FCC has adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which would propose that those wireless providers who participate in Wireless Emergency Alerts publicly report on key aspects of the performance of this service. In particular, the FCC is seeking comment on:
In proposing these changes, the FCC noted that providing emergency management agencies and the public with visibility into the performance of Wireless Emergency Alerts in their communities would help promote the use and improvement of this life-saving tool. The FCC also seeks comment on ways to further improve the reliability and speed of Wireless Emergency Alerts based on findings from the 2021 nationwide Wireless Emergency Alert test. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast, Richard Rubino and Cary Mitchell FCC Initiates Proceeding on RF Receiver PerformanceThe FCC has established a proceeding in which it seeks to promote improvements in radio frequency (RF) receiver performance, including through use of incentives, industry-led voluntary approaches, FCC policy and guidance, or regulatory requirements. According to the associated Press Release, the Notice of Inquiry will “take a fresh look at the role of receivers and how improved receiver performance can promote more efficient spectrum use and enable valuable new services to be introduced that will benefit the American public.” Comments will be due 45 days following publication in the Federal register and Reply Comments will be due 75 days following publication in the Federal Register. The NOI seeks comment on a number of issues related to this issue, including up-to-date information on receiver performance, advances in receiver technologies, and various approaches for promoting development and adoption of more interference-resilient receivers. In particular, the FCC indicates that receivers without sufficient interference immunity performance can “diminish opportunities for innovative spectrum uses that drive economic growth, competition, security, and innovation.” Comment is also sought on the FCC’s authority to act in this regard. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast, Richard Rubino and Cary Mitchell FCC Urges Communications Companies that Use Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices to Guard Against Security ThreatsThe FCC is urging communications companies that use uninterruptable power supply (UPS) devices as either a primary or backup power source to review the Joint Cybersecurity Advisory (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Department of Energy (DOE)), Mitigating Attacks Against Uninterruptible Power Supply Devices. Those agencies have become aware of threat actors gaining access to a variety of Internet-connected UPS devices, often through unchanged default usernames and passwords. CISA and DOE recommend that communications companies, along with all other critical infrastructure entities, immediately review all UPSs and similar systems in order to ensure that they are not generally accessible from the Internet And to the extent that UPS devices or similar system’s management interfaces must be accessible from the Internet, that those devices have compensating controls, such as ensuring the device or system is behind virtual private network, enforcing multifactor authentication, and applying strong, long passwords. With the situation in Europe and other parts of the world, the FCC’s advisory points out the need for target hardening from cyber and other threats. Clients with questions about the Public Notice may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Virginia State Police Obtain Waiver to Increase Power on its Part 22 LicensesThe Virginia State Police (VSP) operates a Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) on Part 90 public safety channels, Part 80 VHF Public Coast Channels and Part 22 VHF paging channels – the latter of which are geographic area-based licenses. Use of geographic Part 22 paging channels to meet public safety and state/local governmental communications needs is not unusual. STARS provides digital voice and data wireless communications for 22 agencies across the Commonwealth of Virginia in order to provide interoperatbility between local, state and federal agencies. The system uses many conventional VHF channels to support public safety grade radio communications for approximately 336 talk groups. In order to meet increased demands for capacity on the STARS, VSP has determined that it would be necessary to upgrade the network from Frequency-Division Multiple Access (FDMA) technology to the more spectrally efficient TDMA technology that allows two talk paths on the same channel at the same time, since doing so increases spectrum capacity and efficiency. VSP notes that the downside to this technology upgrade to TDMA is that uplink coverage (and therefore overall system coverage) will result in reduced geographic coverage that can best be regained by increasing the maximum transmitter output power on its Part 22 paging channels from 60 watts to 100 watts. In this regard, VSP notes that the maximum allowed output power on its Part 80 and Part 90 channels is between 110 and 125 watts, with a maximum ERP of 250 watts. As a result, VSP states that the current configuration causes an imbalance between talk-out and talk-in coverage for its P25 network. VSP has submitted that allowing increased power on the Part 22 channels will not cause harmful interference to adjacent channel users. In evaluating VSP’s request, the FCC concluded that the underlying purpose of the FCC’s rules would not be served by a strict application in this case. Rule Section 22.565(f) provides power limits in order to minimize the potential for harmful interference between one-way and two-way communications systems. In particular, the FCC stated that the purpose of Rule Section 22.565(f) and related Part 22 rule sections was to provide Part 22 licensees with the “flexibility in providing service to the public and expand access to mobile radio networks and services while preventing harmful interference.” Here, the FCC concluded that a grant of a rule waiver would be beneficial because strict application of the rule would limit the services that VSP is able to provide on its public safety radio network rather than enhance flexibility. Simply put, the FCC noted that waiver of the rule would allow the STARS network to continue to “provide high quality and cost-effective portable radio coverage covering 97% of Virginia’s population (with over 90% geographical coverage) without unduly impacting adjacent licensees.” While VSP was able to obtain this waiver, it is important to note that the waiver comes with conditions in order to ensure that there will be no harmful interference. These conditions include (a) 30-days’ prior notice to all adjacent market, co-channel licensees before operating at the higher transmitter power along with contact information for licensees to provide technical concerns, (b) VSP must satisfactorily address any objections received during the 30-day period from an adjacent market, co-channel licensee or otherwise refrain from increasing power in the affected geographic area market within a 5 km of the objecting party’s licensed boundary and (c) for any objections received after the 30-day period VSP must address the objection to the satisfaction of the adjacent market co-channel licensee within a reasonable time frame or otherwise cease operations at the higher power limit within 5 km of the objecting party’s licensed boundary until the objection can be addressed. VSP has started the process of gearing up to start operations at the higher power level. To that end, we are aware that VSP has begun to send notices out to affected co-channel licensees in adjacent market areas. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Chairwoman Rosenworcel Supports Job Reclassification of 911 ProfessionalsOn April 13, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging it to “use the next available opportunity to review the current employment classification of 911 professionals in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system,” according to a Press Release. The SOC is a federal statistical standard, maintained by OMB, used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data. “911 operators are among our most essential first responders. Before a whistle at a fire station blows, an ambulance races, or an air horn blares, it is a 911 professional who takes in a call and sets emergency response in motion,” wrote Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “Of course, today’s 911 professionals do far more than answer 911 calls or passively receive information. They provide assistance, guidance, and life-saving advice to 911 callers, particularly in the critical minutes before emergency personnel arrive at the scene. They also actively plan, coordinate, and direct the response activities of emergency personnel, especially when multiple agencies are involved.” BloostonLaw Contact: Richard Rubino Is Private LTE the Wave of the Future for Utilities and Critical Infrastructure?Utilities such as Southern Company operate large private communications systems using a variety of platforms. Currently, Southern Company (and its subsidiary, Southern Linc) is the only utility with a private LTE system. Talk in the industry is that this could change as other utilities and critical infrastructure providers consider LTE networks to meet their internal communications needs that could potentially use the broadband segment in the 900 MHz band. In this regard, Anterix, which obtained FCC approval for the reconfiguration of the 900 MHz band, has announced long-term spectrum lease deals with major utilities and apparently is in talks with several others. This spectrum could provide the needed impetus for utilities and other critical infrastructure entities that was previously lacking due to a lack of suitable spectrum for private LTE systems. Southern Linc CEO Tami Barron has said that with LTE, “we’ll be all the better, once we have others in this private-LTE space . . . I suspect you will see that as an ever-evolving opportunity.” Nonetheless, it has to be acknowledged that while access to spectrum may no longer be the hurdle it once was, the commitment to building out an LTE network will not be simple due to the amount of resources required for the project and the amount of time it would take. In this regard, Barron stated that it took Southern Linc over six years and a lot of work to build its wide-area system – something that Barron stated that utilities are not well equipped to do. And, even if one is able to construct the system, it is critically important to ensuring that a well-qualified and experience workforce is available in order to operate and maintain the system, so that is able to meet critical mission needs — including in times of severe weather conditions. Thus, it will be necessary to ensure not only a reliable system, but also a system that is hardened, redundant and resilient — much like that of a public safety communications system. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP is a telecommunications law firm representing rural telecommunications companies, wireless carriers, private radio licensees, cable TV companies, equipment manufacturers and industry associations before the FCC and the courts, as well as state and local government agencies. Our clients range from Fortune 500 companies to small and medium-sized enterprises whose vitality and efficiency depend on the effective deployment of communications. |
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Surprise. Surprise. Thought he [was] 50. From this place, too: Congratulations Brad Dye Happy Birthday 🎂🎈🎉 See what somebody posted in Facebook Happy Birthday, dear Brad. Wish you all the best for next 20 years and all time best content and ideas for your (and our — see 2ndInfra) newsletter. Happy to read next 1040 issues. Dietmar (in the name of CRITICAL MESSAGING ASSOCIATION) and from for your friends from e*Message France and e*Message Deutschland too. Cheers. Okay, all we are happy to have you, dear Brad, as our youngest runner for critical messaging and alternative communications publishing — same time every Friday — your fresh and well researched Newsletter. All, all the best for you from all us. By the way: Well remember your great contribution at: |
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“I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter”Featuring the mother of Shaye Cohn of Tuba Skinny fame.
Yas Ishibashi (keyboard/vocals), Shaye Cohn (Cornet), Joe Cohn (guitar), and Ralph Pepe (bass) performing at the Battery Wharf Lounge on Friday 11/27/2015 Shaye Cohn is the only child of Joe Cohn and Yas Ishibashi. Shaye is also the Granddaughter of the great Al Cohn — Tenor sax, played with Woody Herman and worked closely with Zoot Sims. “Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to his work as a jazz tenor saxophonist, Cohn was widely respected as an arranger. His work included the Broadway productions of Raisin' and Sophisticated Ladies, and his arrangements of his own compositions were recorded by big bands led by Maynard Ferguson, Gerry Mulligan, Terry Gibbs and Bob Brookmeyer. Also, Cohn did arrangements for unreleased Linda Ronstadt recordings from the 1980s. Cohn also appeared on stage with Elvis Presley in June, 1972, as a member of the Joe Malin Orchestra at Madison Square Garden. Al Cohn died of liver cancer in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in 1988. Cohn's first wife was singer Marilyn Moore. His son, Joe Cohn, is a jazz guitarist. Granddaughter Shaye Cohn, Joe's daughter, is a musician who plays cornet with her band Tuba Skinny in New Orleans and at jazz festivals in Italy, France, Australia, and elsewhere. Shaye also plays accordion, violin and piano. Cohn was married to Flo Handy, a singer and composer, from the mid-1960s until his death.” [source] More about Shaye Cohn here. A new song; a sneek peek just out this week: Tim Raybon Band's single, “Sally Johnson.” |
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a network.
IMPORTANT 
For an HDMI cable to fit into a particular display device and source, it requires an end-connector. There are multiple types of HDMI connectors, but only four actually matter. Here are the HDMI connector types. 
