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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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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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Audio Channels: How Many Do You Need for a Home Theater?KRIS WOUK JAN 6, 2022, 9:00 AM EST
When shopping for Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, or home theater systems, we see numbered audio channels. What does 5.1 mean? Is 7.1 better? Let’s decode those numbers and figure out how many audio channels you need. What Do 2.1, 5.1, or 7.1.4 Mean?Looking at the numbers, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed, but these numbering schemes are relatively simple. The first number means how many normal audio channels there are, while the second number denotes how many subwoofer channels there are. Imagine a simple stereo setup with an A/V receiver connected to two bookshelf speakers. This would be a 2.0-channel system. There are two normal speakers and no subwoofer, hence the 0 in the second part of the number. A simple home theater system may be 5.1-channels. This denotes five standard speakers and one subwoofer. More specifically, you have a single center channel speaker, left and right stereo speakers, then left and right rear surround speakers, with a subwoofer for extra bass.
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X aim to bring variable height to sound with upward-firing speakers. These get their own number tacked on to the end. A 5.1.4-channel system would be exactly as described above, but with an extra four speakers facing the ceiling. It’s worth noting that just because a given audio system has a certain number of channels, that doesn’t mean that it has exactly that many speakers. It’s often the case that the numbers match, but not always. A soundbar, for example, may claim 5.1.4 channels but could have as many as 20 or more individual speakers built-in. While Bluetooth speakers are generally a single unit, that doesn’t mean that there is only one speaker. This is true for some speakers, but even deceptively small-looking speakers may have multiple audio channels. Stereo: 2.0 and 2.1 Systems
Outside of mono, which is a single channel of audio, stereo is as simple as you can get. If you have a hi-fi stereo system for listening to music, it’s most likely a 2.0-channel system. That said, subwoofers are getting more popular these days, even for stereo setups. The vast majority of music sold or streamed is in stereo with no subwoofer channel. Instead, the subwoofer carries the low-end information, giving you more bass. While stereo is most often used for music, it’s fine for a modest home theater system as well. This is especially true if you’re mainly watching TV shows. Services like Netflix offer many of their shows in 5.1 surround sound, but TV shows are mixed with stereo sound in mind much more than movies are. The benefits of a 2.0 or 2.1 system mainly come down to cost and space-saving. These are cheaper than systems with more speakers, and fewer speakers means less space required. This is great if you have minimalist tendencies or live in a smaller apartment and want to save on storage real estate. Surround Sound: 5.1, 7.2, and 9.1
If you’ve been to a movie theater, you know what surround sound is. Helicopters seem to circle around the room, sounds come from behind you or to your left or right. Home theater systems can start at as low as 3.1-channels (left and right speakers, plus a center channel and subwoofer), but the vast majority start at 5.1 and go up from there. A typical 5.1-channel speaker setup relies on the left and right stereo speakers for the vast majority of movie or TV audio, with dialogue coming from the center channel speaker to make it easier to understand. Two surround speakers off to your side or behind you add to the immersion. Add another subwoofer, and this becomes a 5.2-channel setup. This allows for front and rear subwoofers, or left and right. This helps even out the bass response, so it doesn’t only come from one part of the room. You’ll also occasionally find 6.1-channel systems that add a rear center channel speaker. A 7.1 or 7.2-channel system is close to a 5.1-channel setup, but with the addition of dedicated surround and rear surround speakers. This means that you’ll hear sounds off to your left and right as well as behind you, bringing it closer to a movie theater experience. Going beyond 7.1 or 7.2-channel systems puts you into a territory where your home theater is more or less an actual theater in your home. This is because a 9.1 or 9.2-channel setup is similar to a 7.1 or 7.2-channel setup, but with an additional pair of speakers mounted in the ceiling. If you’re going this far, you’re probably pairing it with a projector and theater-style seating. For the vast majority of people, the sweet spot is somewhere between 5.1 and 7.2 channels. This is still relatively affordable and gives you immersion. To get results beyond this, you’ll probably want to opt for a Dolby Atmos / DTS:X setup. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 5.1.4 and Beyond
As mentioned above, both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X add height to surround sound with either ceiling-mounted or upward-firing speakers. Upward firing speakers built into either a soundbar or your existing surround speakers is the most common way you’ll see this implemented. Atmos is compatible with any other surround sound system, generally with four upward-firing speakers. Common speaker layouts include 5.1.4, 5.2.4, and 7.2.4-channel systems. To clarify, a 7.2.4 channel system includes a total of 13 channels. You get a center channel, left and right speakers, a pair of surround speakers, and a pair of rear surround speakers, complemented by a pair of subwoofers. The four upward-firing speakers are built into four of those speakers, usually the front left and right and rear surround speakers. Atmos isn’t limited to home theater speakers. You’ll find it built into soundbars and other speakers as well. It’s becoming so common, you can even use Atmos surround sound in Windows.
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| Source: | How To Geek |
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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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Americans fed up with robocalls; complaints jump 25%By Diane Bartz
Federal Trade Commission seal is seen at a news conferenceat FTC Headquarters in Washington, U.S., July 24, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Americans were more annoyed by robocalls and other telemarketing calls last year, lodging a 25% increase in complaints with a federal regulator. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday it received more than 5 million complaints about violations of the Do Not Call Registry in the last fiscal year to Sept. 30. The top complaints included callers pretending to be a government official or family member and calls to offer warranties, protection plans, debt relief or computer technical assistance, the FTC said. "Consumer complaints about illegal calls — especially robocalls — have increased significantly," the agency said. The 2021 number was up from 4 million in the 2020 fiscal year but slightly less than 5.4 million complaints in 2019, according to FTC data. More than 2.8 million people added their phone numbers to the Do Not Call list in 2021, bringing the total to 244 million. The FTC attributed the troublesome calls in part to technology that allows scam artists and telemarketers to conceal their identities or "spoof" the phone number they are calling from. Automated dialing and recorded or robocalls enable callers to reach large numbers of people easily, and the agency cannot easily track down offenders, it said in the report. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology makes it inexpensive for scam artists to make calls from outside the United States. |
| Source: | Reuters |
| PRISM IPX Systems |
With PRISM IPX Systems, Your message is delivered Secure & Encrypted
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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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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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This iOS malware fakes an iPhone shutdown to avoid deathBy Sead Fadilpašić published January 6, 2022 PoC iOS Trojan shows how malware can avoid being removed from device memory
Cybersecurity researchers from ZecOps have demonstrated a new Trojan for iOS devices, including iPhones, that avoids being terminated by faking a shutdown. Usually, an iOS malware can be eliminated by rebooting a device, as that clears it from memory. However, a malware strain could potentially trick the victim into thinking the device was shut down when, in fact, it wasn’t, that way remaining operational. The proof of concept malware, named “NoReboot”, follows a couple of steps. First, the reboot trigger: iOS users need to hold the power button and either volume button, until the slider with the reboot option appears. Then, they need to interact with the slider to initiate the shutdown. Physical detection impossibleThis is the first process that is hijacked. Instead of actually triggering the shutdown, the malware will send a specially crafted code, making the device non-responsive to user input. Then, it will trigger the shutdown process indicator (the spinning wheel), and start monitoring for physical button clicks and screen touches. That way, the malware will know when the victim tries to “turn on” the device, and prevent them from pressing the power button for too long and actually triggering a hard reset. “This will exit all processes and restart the system without touching the kernel. The kernel remains patched. Hence malicious code won't have any problem continuing to run after this kind of reboot. The user will see the Apple Logo effect upon restarting,” the researchers explained. As a result, it is impossible for users to physically detect if the device had been turned off, or not. Describing it as a trick, and not actual malware that exploits flaws, BleepingComputer believes Apple will not bother patching it up. It remains unclear how the Trojan handles other potential red flags, such as the SIM PIN prompt after every restart, or what happens if the user decides to shut the device down by going to Settings>General>Shut Down. |
| Source: | TechRadar |
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 |
Thursday January 6, 2022 2:06 pm PST by Juli Clover Apple CEO Tim Cook's earnings totaled $98.7 million in base salary, stock, and other compensation, according to a statement that Apple filed with the SEC today.
Cook earned a $3 million base salary, and he was provided with stock award of $82,347,835. This stock award is RSUs that will vest over time, and it includes $44.8 million in performance-based stock awards and $37.5 million in time-based stock awards. None of this stock has vested as of yet. Cook also had more than 5 million shares vest in 2021, netting him a total of $754 million. Because these were granted in earlier years, the $754 million does not count as part of his 2021 compensation package. In addition to the $3 million salary and $82 million stock grant, Cook received $12 million as non-equity incentive plan compensation and $1,386,559 in "Other" compensation. Other compensation includes a $23,077 vacation payout, $630,630 in security expenses, and $712,488 in personal air travel. Apple requires Cook to use a private airplane for security reasons. In 2020, Cook earned a total of $14.8 million, not counting stock awards that vested during that time period. Cook's net worth has climbed to more than $1 billion since 2020, and it may soon exceed that based on the stock awards he's recently been provided with. Other Apple executives such as Luca Maestri, Kate Adams, Jeff Williams, and Deirdre O'Brien received compensation ranging from $26 million to $27 million. |
| Source: | MacRumors | I don't believe anyone is worth this much pay. |
| Source: | svsu.edu | Possibly the most detrimental effect of large CEO incentive packages is the emphasis on short-term profits without regard to long-term strategy. Incentive plans reward short-term goals, reduce the focus on long-term goals, and diminish investment in future products. CEO compensation also reduces the money available for corporate research and development, employee training, and market research (A Decade of Executive Excess, 1999). As already illustrated, many CEOs have taken significant payouts that are a large percentage of company revenue, and some have reaped enormous personal benefit even when the company has suffered a loss. |
| Leavitt Communications |
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Messages could still send your contacts read receipts even if you disabled them
An apparent bug in Apple's Messages app in iOS 15 could be sending read receipts to your contacts, even if you've disabled them universally or for specific people. Read receipts are a feature that lets the recipient of an iMessage know that you've read or seen their message. Many users choose to turn them off to avoid leaving their contacts "left on read." But a new report suggests that there could be a problem with the option to disable them in iOS 15. According to MacWorld, users have reported their devices sending read receipts even if the feature is disabled. While the bug has "cropped up seemingly briefly" in past software updates, the publication notes that it has seen "a spate of reports with iOS 15." AppleInsider was unable to produce the bug, so it does not seem particularly widespread. It appears that a simple reboot of an iPhone or iPad could fix the issue temporarily. It's likely that Apple will provide a patch in a future version of iOS 15. Users can universally enable or disable read receipts in the Settings app by heading to Messages > Send Read Receipts. They can also enable or disable read receipts individually by clicking on an individual contact in the Contacts app, hitting Info, and adjusting the toggle next to Send Read Receipts. |
| Source: | Apple Insider |
| Inside Towers Newsletter |
Under the Hood at CES 2022: A 5G Chipset
To find out the future, follow the chips. Behind the exciting announcements of future automobiles coming out of the Consumer Electronics Show 2022 in Las Vegas you will find the latest 5G chipsets. Connectivity is key to the CASE megatrend, which includes the other pillars: Autonomous, Shared, Electric. And advancements in Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X), in Release 16, will end up on the automobile assembly line by 2025, according to Automotive World. “Standards around 5G are evolving quickly,” Automotive World reported. “Experts say the automotive space is poised to receive a new wave of advanced functionality.” Automotive World notes that C-V2X systems can prevent an accident from happening because of its ability to act quickly. For example, taking control of a semi-autonomous vehicle in case of a medical emergency or controlling a driverless semi-truck in a complex traffic situation. In cooperation with HERE Technologies, TomTom and the transport authorities in six European countries, Daimler, BMW, Ford and Volvo are testing how information about acutely hazardous situations can be passed on using Car-to-X technology. The test phase is scheduled to last twelve months, starting in the Netherlands. Qualcomm Inc. recently agreed to provide 5G chips to Volvo, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., and Renault SA, according to Reuters and Zacks Investment Research. But the impact will be felt sooner than 2025. Volvo will include Qualcomm’s ”Snapdragon Cockpit” chips in the production of its electric SUV this year. Honda will use Qualcomm automotive chips for vehicles in 2023. Qualcomm is reportedly the only chipset vendor with 5G system level solutions spanning both sub-6 and millimeter-wave bands and one of the largest RF front-end suppliers with design wins across all premium-tier smartphone customers. It is one of the largest manufacturers of wireless chipsets based on baseband technology,” NASDAQ reported. Last November, BMW and Qualcomm re-upped their relationship with an agreement to use the Snapdragon Ride™ Platform in BMW Group’s next generation of advanced driver-assistance systems and automated driving platforms. By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
REMINDER: Form 855 HAC Compliance Certification Due
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This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. |
January
Jan. 14 – Deadline to file applications to participate in the Rip and Replace Reimbursement Program.
Jan. 14 – Reply comments on FM Directional Antenna NPRM are due.
Jan. 18 – Reply comments on TRS Fund Compensation for IP Relay are due.
Jan 31 – Comments on SIP Code Usage for Call Blocking are due.
Jan. 31 – Annual Hearing Aid Compatibility Report is due.
Jan. 31 – FCC Form 555 (Annual Lifeline ETC Certification Form) is due.
February
Feb. 1 – FCC Form 499-Q (Quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet) is due.
Feb. 1 – FCC Form 502 (Number Utilization and Forecast Report) is due.
Feb. 1 – Live 911 Call Data Reports from Non-Nationwide Providers are due.
Feb. 14 – Reply comments on SIP Code Usage for Call Blocking are due.
Feb. 17 – Reply comments are due on Report on the Future of USF.
March
Mar. 1 – Copyright Statement of Account Form for cable companies is due.
Mar. 1 – Annual CPNI Certification is due.
Mar. 1 – FCC Form 477 (Local Competition & Broadband Reporting) is due.
Mar. 1 – Annual HUBB Deployment Report is due.
Mar. 17 – Comments are due on Report on the Future of USF.
Mar. 31 – FCC Form 525 (Delayed Phasedown CETC Line Counts) is due.
Mar. 31 – FCC Form 508 (ICLS Projected Annual Common Line Requirement) is due.
Mar. 31 – FCC Form 507 (Universal Service Line Count – CAF BLS) is due.
Mar. 31 – COVID Lifeline waivers set to expire.
| BloostonLaw Private Users Update | Vol. 21, No. 12 | December 2021 |
On December 7, the Senate voted 68-31 Tuesday to confirm Acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel to a five-year term as Chairwoman of the FCC. Politico reported that Rosenworcel received support from senators of both parties, including Roger Wicker (R-MI) who is a member of the Commerce Committee. Politico also reported that, “Republicans voting against Rosenworcel included Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota.”
The Senate has yet to confirm President Biden’s other Commission appointee, Gigi Sohn. Multiple news outlets have noted that Ms. Sohn’s long-standing advocacy for net-neutrality and past criticism of the media will likely make for serious Republican opposition.
“It is a tremendous honor to be confirmed and designated as the first permanent Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission,” said Rosenworcel in a statement. “I would like to thank President Biden for the opportunity. People across the country count on the FCC to support the connections they need for work, learning, healthcare, and access to the information we require to make decisions about our lives, our communities, and our country. I look forward to working with the Administration, my colleagues on the Commission and FCC staff, members of Congress, and the public to make the promise of modern communications a reality for everyone, everywhere.”
BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and John Prendergast.
In response to Motions for Extension of Time filed by the National Sheriff’s Association and the Land Mobile Communications Council, the FCC has extended the deadline to file reply comments by 14 days
As we previously reported in our October 2021 Private User Update, the FCC is seeking comment on the best way to establish a framework for the nationwide public safety set aside in the 4.9 GHz band that will spur technical innovation, create a more innovative equipment market, lower equipment costs, and promote interoperable communications. The Further Notice explores options to public safety use of the band, including protecting public safety users from harmful interference, collecting more granular licensing data that is consistent and reliable about what spectrum is available and where and how it is being used, and adopting technical standards to promote interoperability. The Further Notice also seeks comment on ways to encourage use of new technologies, including 5G, and dynamic spectrum access systems to facilitate coexistence between public safety and non-public safety uses of the band. Finally, the FCC seeks comment on a range of technical issues, eligibility issues, and other measures intended to increase use of the band.
Blooston Law Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
The FCC decommissioned and permanently discontinued use of its in-house online electronic payment system for regulatory and other fees and replaced it with a new payment module that is located within the Commission’s Registration System (CORES). In making this change, the FCC stated that the new system was necessary due to recent changes within its financial system and that the change would “balance the FCC’s efforts to make payment options simple and efficient to use with the need for heightened security measures.” As a result, the FCC will only accept funds through its new CORES payment module, which can be reached either at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do using an existing FCC Username account, or through CORES’ FRN access page at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/paymentFrnLogin.do. Additionally, the existing URL used to access Fee Filer, https://apps.fcc.gov/FeeFiler/login.cfm, will temporarily redirect users to the FCC’s new payment system.
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
AT&T, CenturyLink (now Lumen Technologies), Intrado and Verizon have all agreed to enter into consent decrees which will require settlement payments and the implementation of compliance plans in order to ensure adherence to the FCC 911 rules. All told, the combined settlement payments total more than $6 million. The settlements arise as a result of 911 outages on May 7, 2020 and September 28, 2020.
AT&T has agreed to a payment of $460,000 to settle two investigations arising out of the September 28 outages. In the first case, AT&T apparently violated the FCC’s rules by failing to deliver 911 calls and by failing to notify Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in a timely manner. In the second case, in addition to the failure to deliver calls, AT&T also apparently failed to provide number and location information.
CenturyLink will make a payment of $3.8 million to resolve the FCC’s investigation into its failure to transmit 911 calls and its failure to notify 911 call centers during the September 28 outage.
Intrado has agreed to a $1.75 million consent decree with the FCC due to its failure to deliver 911 service and to notify PSAPs during a 911 outage as required by Section 9.4 of the FCC’s Rules.
Verizon will pay $274,000 to resolve whether it violated the FCC rules in connection with failed 911 calls during an outage on May 7, 2020.
In issuing these actions, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stated that “[t]he most important phone call you ever make may be a call to 911.” Rosenworcel continued ““Sunny day outages can be especially troubling because they occur when the public and 911 call centers least expect it. It’s vital that phone companies prevent these outages wherever possible and provide prompt and sufficient notification to 911 call centers when they do occur. I thank the Enforcement Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for their work on these investigations.”
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
The FCC has opened a new Public Safety and Homeland Security docket (Docket No. PS 21-479) and is seeking comment on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the National Association of State 911 Administrators NASNA). Comments are due January 19, 2022 and Reply Comments are due February 3, 2022.
NASNA has requested that the FCC initiate a rulemaking or notice of inquiry in order to ““[e]stablish Commission authority over originating service providers’ (OSPs) (i.e., wireless, landline, and interconnected VoIP) delivery of 911 services through IP-based emergency services networks (ESInets)”; “[a]mend 47 C.F.R §§ 9.4 and 9.5 as needed to advance the transition to and implementation of NG911 services”; and “[r]equire the cost of compliance . . . is the responsibility of the OSPs, except where cost-recovery is provided by state law or regulation.” Additionally, NASNA has requested that the FCC implement an NG911 Readiness Registry or, in the alternative, establish NG911 readiness “stages or phases” as a mechanism that can be used by state and local 911 authorities and OSPs as they transition to NG911 services. Finally, NASNA proposes that the Commission define three NG911 readiness phases, in which an ESInet is either (1) “ready to receive 911 calls from the OSPs via a Legacy Network Gateway,” (2) “ready to receive 911 calls in SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] format,” or (3) “ready to receive 911 calls in NG911 format.”
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
Pursuant to Section 701 of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, the FCC has completed its annual adjustment of its civil penalties listed in Section 1.80 of its rules. These new penalty levels will be effective to penalties assessed after the effective date of the increase, which in this case will be January 15, 2022. It is important to note that the relevant date for whether or not the increased fine level will apply is the date the penalty or fine is assessed through either a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NALF) or Consent Decree and not the date the violation occurred.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) instructed agencies such as the FCC that in order to complete the annual adjustment for 2022, the FCC would first be required to identify the applicable civil monetary penalties. Once those penalties had been identified, the FCC was then required to apply the OMB supplied 2022 adjustment multiplier (1.06222) to the applicable penalty. That figure would be rounded up or down to the nearest whole dollar amount.
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
uAvionix Corporation has entered into a consent decree in order to resolve an FCC investigation into whether it had violated the FCC’s equipment marketing rules by marketing aviation equipment to government contractors in the United States (US) prior to receipt of its equipment authorization. Under the terms of the consent decree, uAvionix admits wrongdoing, and agrees to pay a $13,000 civil penalty and implement a compliance plan.
Section 302(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act) provides in pertinent part that “[n]o person shall manufacture, import, sell, offer for sale, or ship devices or home electronic equipment and systems, or use devices, which fail to comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.” This is because the FCC needs to be able to ensure that radio transmitters and other electronic devices meet certain standards to prevent the potential for harmful interference before the products reach the market place. As a result, the FCC has adopted rules which prohibit not only the sale, but also the marketing of radio frequency devices that have not been certified or otherwise approved for use in the US.
Here, uAvionix designs, manufacturers and markets avionics equipment for unmanned and manned aviation for sale in the US as well as other parts of the world. Several of its products include automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology that broadcasts GPS-derived data from and about an aircraft through an onboard transmitter to receivers that are on the ground as well as on other aircraft. These devices were marketed by uAvionix to its customers on the uAvonix website that was accessible to customers in the US as well as around the world. This matter came to the FCC’s attention through an informal complaint. The FCC’s initial investigation revealed that uAvonix appeared to be marketing devices US based customers on its website that were not authorized for sale in the US. In response to inquiries from the FCC, uAvonix admitted that certain of its products had not received the required equipment authorizations from the FCC and that certain devices had been sold exclusively to federal government contractors rather than directly to governmental entities. This is significant because the Act and the FCC’s rules contain an exception for RF devices that are for federal government use. However, this exception does not apply to RF devices that are sold to federal government contractors even if the use is in support of a federal government contract.
BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Richard Rubino
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