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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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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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Fayette County 911 Board commits nearly $623K to radio, paging upgradesBy CHRIS BALDUS editor@oelweindailyregister.com Despite trepidation on multiple fronts, the Fayette County 911 Service Board voted 10-3 Monday evening to put $622,878 toward a radio dispatch system upgrade championed by the Board of Supervisors. The supervisors at their morning meeting asked the 911 Service Board to make that specific contribution amount toward the county transition to a Motorola-based radio system developed by the state. The estimated cost of upgrades to join the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System as well as separately replacing the county-wide emergency responder paging systems is about $4.74 million, according to figures provided by consulting firm MCM, which the two boards hired in partnership. Toward that total, the Board of Supervisors previously committed to spend $2.85 million of the $3.8 million in federal funds allocated to the county through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Supervisor Marty Stanbrough, however, said at the 911 meeting that his board will put the full allocation toward the project. The supervisors, who have voiced opposition to increasing property taxes to fund the project, are also counting on at least $100,000 in United State Department of Agriculture grant money that has not yet been awarded. That money would be used to help buy some portable radios for the local department at a cost of between roughly $3,900 and $4,900 a unit. The bottom line project price of the project, assuming $3.8 million from the supervisors, currently exceeds the total estimated funding by $221,785, according to the consultant’s figures. However, that price estimate also includes a 5% contingency built in for unexpected costs. Oelwein Police Chief Jeremy Logan, representing the city at the 911 Service Board, voted against committing the $622,878, because the ISICS system radios failed recent functionality tests at sites within the city, the full scope of recurring costs are unknown, and the paging system price tag is unknown. “I can’t vote yes on something that we don’t know what the actual costs could be,” he said, adding that those seem to be heading “so far beyond the 911 Board’s revenue. That’s where my concern is that we are setting up future boards for failure.” The plan presented Monday also leaves Oelwein out when it comes to county funding of portable radios for firefighters and first responders. The consultant did not allocate any for Oelwein because the city already has radios that will connect to the new system, but those are aging, Logan said. “A lot of the fire radios are eight to 10 years old and are going to have to be replaced,” he said. “There’s no plan to do that.” St. Lucas and Fairbank’s 911 Service Board joined Oelwein in voting no. “Without knowing that cost and what the recurring costs are going to be and the fact that Oelwein was excluded from any of this, I could not vote yes.” At Logan’s suggestion, the 911 Service Board asked a Motorola representative who joined the meeting by speaker phone whether the company could extend the current pricing for a month so its questions could be answered. He answered that was not possible. More information about the costs for a new paging system are expected this week. |
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| Leavitt Communications |
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Lyon Co. approves funding for radio updatesJUN 22, 2022 DEB GAU Staff Writer MARSHALL — Emergency responders across Lyon County rely on 911 dispatch to alert them when they’re needed. But under the county’s current radio paging system, area firefighters say they aren’t getting all the messages they should. “It has literally come down to a life safety issue,” said Tracy Fire Chief Dale Johnson III, addressing Lyon County Commissioners on Tuesday. Firefighters from Tracy, Marshall, Lynd, Cottonwood and Balaton all spoke in support of an upgrade to the county paging system, which would allow pages to go out over multiple radio towers at the same time. A simulcast paging system would both improve radio reception for responders, and save precious time in an emergency, Lyon County Sheriff Eric Wallen said. Commissioners approved up to $260,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding to update the paging system. In Lyon County, there are a total of six radio towers used for contacting fire and emergency medical services, Wallen said. Towers are located in Cottonwood, Minneota, Marshall, Russell, Balaton and Tracy. Under the county’s current system, pages can only be sent out to one tower at a time. In an emergency, dispatchers often have to send multiple pages to call for responders, which is time-consuming and leaves more room for error, Wallen said. Having to send so many separate pages can also overload the system — something that happened during the severe storms that tore through the county in May. “We couldn’t get (weather) spotters called out because there was too much radio traffic,” Johnson said. In parts of the county, the current paging system has problems with reception, firefighters said. “The signal is a big issue for us in Lynd,” said Fire Chief Dillon Schultz. Brent Kesteloot of the Cottonwood Fire Department said sometimes firefighters don’t receive pages when they should. “It’s become a bigger and bigger issue,” he said. Wallen obtained a quote for a new simulcast paging system from West Central Communications of Willmar. The system would allow pages to go out over all six radio towers at the same time so there wouldn’t need to be so much repetition, he said. The simulcast system would also give Lyon County responders more reliable coverage, said David Sisser of West Central Communications. Commissioners voted to grant up to $260,000 in funding for the paging system request. |
| Source: | Marshall Independent |
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
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Outstanding Service Earns Award of ExcellenceBy GetNews Published June 21, 2022 Tel-Us Call Center, Inc. wins coveted ATSI Award of Excellence Tel-Us Call Center, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA has been honored with the exclusive ATSI 2022 Award of Excellence for the 13th year. This award is presented annually by the Association of TeleServices International (ATSI), the industry’s Trade Association for providers of telecommunications and call center services including telephone answering and message delivery across North America and the UK. Tel-Us Call Center, Inc. was presented with the award at ATSI’s 2022 conference in Denver, CO. Independent judges are contracted by ATSI to evaluate message services over a six month period. The scoring criteria includes:
“For the past 26 years, The ATSI Award of Excellence has been a vital part of our industry. Continually evaluating our members’ service levels they are providing to their clients is an essential business tool. We’ve had members that have participated in the program for decades and look forward to winning their awards each year. This is a testament to the dedication to excellence that their teams embody and ATSI is proud to be a part of this program!” says ATSI President Tifani Leal. The award started 26 years ago as a means to improve the overall quality of the call center industry by setting expectations and measurements to ensure a successful call handling experience. Now a thirteen-time winner Tel-Us Call Center, Inc. earned the DiamondPlus Award. ATSI extends its congratulations to the staff of Tel-Us Call Center, Inc. on their proven quality service to their customers. About ATSIThe Association of TeleServices International was founded in 1942 as a national Trade Association representing live answering services. ATSI now encompasses companies across North America and the UK offering specialized and enhanced operator based services including: call centers, contact centers, inbound telemarketing (order entry), paging, voice messaging, emergency dispatch, fax, and Internet services among others. For more information, please visit https://www.tel-us.com Media Contact |
| Source: | Digital Journal |
| PRISM IPX Systems |
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Thousands of Users Worldwide Depend on Prism IPXOur Customers Trust Us To Make Sure That Their Messages Get Delivered
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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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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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wirelessplannerron@gmail.com  |
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House Subcommittee Approves Bill Allocating $40M for Next-Generation Warning SystemFriday, June 17, 2022 The House Appropriations Committee approved a draft fiscal year 2023 Homeland Security funding bill that would allocate $40 million in funding modernize public broadcasting next-generation emergency warning systems. The bill has been approved by the committee and moved onto the full house for approval. If approved by the full house, the $40 million would be allocated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modernize the system. “Public safety and civil defense have become increasingly important missions for public television,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations. “Public broadcasting stations reach 99% of the American population, and are the only local media in many communities, making our work in alert and warning critical to the safety of people and communities throughout the country. Public television’s digital infrastructure currently provides the backbone for emergency alert, public safety, first responder, and homeland security services in many states and communities, including many local stations that serve as their states’ primary Emergency Alert Service (EAS) hub for severe weather and AMBER alerts.” Butler said that public television stations are also partnering with FEMA to improve the capabilities of the warning system. “In addition, public television has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system that enables cell subscribers to receive geo-targeted text messages in the event of an emergency, reaching them wherever they are in times of crisis, even if the Internet is disrupted,” he said. “Between March of 2020 and January of 2022, over 13,000 WEAs were sent to millions of mobile devices using the WEA system. More than 600 of these included COVID-19 alerts. This program will help ensure that public broadcasting stations’ infrastructure is modern and reliable so that stations can continue to play an essential role in civil defense and homeland security while also enhancing their ability to provide alert, warning and interoperable communications and incorporate emerging technology in those life-saving activities.” |
| Source: | Radio Resource Media Group |
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 |
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 |
June 21, 2022 VIA ELECTRONIC FILING
Dear Ms. Dortch:
Respectfully submitted, National Wireless Communications Council
2 Id.
For Immediate Release June 22, 2022 Contact: Andrea Cumpston NWCC Supports APCO/EEI 6 GHz InitiativesHerndon, VA — The National Wireless Communications Council (NWCC) has supported the Joint Petition for Rulemaking and Request for Stay filed by representatives of public safety and utility licensees in the 6 GHz band, including APCO International and the Edison Electric Institute. In an ex parte filed June 21, 2022, NWCC agreed with the request for new rules for 6 GHz low-power indoor (LPI) devices, further testing of standard-power devices, and an immediate temporary stay on any equipment certifications of these devices, including the marketing, sale, and importation of 6 GHz LPI devices that have already been certified by the Commission. The Joint Petition also provided information on the record regarding the results of real-world testing of commercially available 6 GHz devices that calls into question assumptions in the 6 GHz Report and Order regarding the threat of interference to fixed incumbents, including public safety, utilities, and numerous other entities, from both LPI and standard power devices. NWCC requested expedited action by the Commission on the pending Stay Request and Joint Petition. About NWCC |
| Source: | NWCC |
| Leavitt Communications |
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Intel-Mac models can't upgrade to macOS Ventura:
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| Source: | AppleInsider |
| Inside Towers Newsletter |
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| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
REMINDER: Form 481 Filing System Now Open; July 1 Filing Deadline Temporarily WaivedAs we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC has issued a limited waiver of the July 1 deadline for ETCs to file and certify Form 481 while it awaits Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) approval for the annual data collection by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The FCC will announce new filing deadline in a subsequent public notice. However, we note that the filing system is currently open, and we encourage carriers to proceed with filing as normal because it is not clear when the temporary waiver will end and how long carriers will have to file once it does. According to USAC, the Form 481 may be prepared in the system at this time, but carriers will not be able to certify the Form 481 filing until the form and instructions receive PRA approval. The certify button and bulk certify options will be disabled until PRA approval is granted. BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesComments on Enhanced A-CAM NPRM Due July 18On June 16, the FCC published in the Federal Register its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on the proposal by the ACAM Broadband Coalition (Coalition) for A-CAM recipients to implement 100/20 Mbps broadband service in exchange for extended and modified support, known as the Enhanced A-CAM proposal. Comments are due July 18, and reply comments are due August 1. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the Coalition’s proposal would extend both A-CAM I and A-CAM II by (i) requiring deployment of 100/20 Mbps service to 90% of locations in eligible census blocks, as determined by the FCC’s upcoming Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric (with the remaining 10% to be 25/3), but (ii) increasing monthly support for participating A-CAM carriers to the higher of 80% of a company’s model-estimated costs or $300 per location. The proposal adds six years of support for most A-CAM I and A-CAM II carriers (eight years of additional support in the case of A-CAM I carriers that did not accept Revised A-CAM I support in 2019), and would use the following milestones: 100/20 Mbps broadband service to at least 30% of eligible locations by the end of the second year after the program begins, and with an additional 10% for each subsequent year. The Coalition proposes to add census blocks that were ineligible for A-CAM I because they were FTTP-served by the incumbent or an affiliate, and census blocks that were excluded from A-CAM I because they were served by an unsubsidized competitor with at least 10/1 Mbps service. The NPRM notes that the FCC plans to initiate a separate proceeding to review the deployment obligations and funding levels for Connect America Fund — Broadband Loop Support (“CAF-BLS”) recipients, and to bring the deployment obligations and timeframes for such carriers into closer alignment with the Enhanced ACAM mechanism. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. Chairwoman Rosenworcel Circulates Wireless Resilience RulesOn June 15, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel circulated among the Commissioners new draft rules to improve the reliability and resiliency of wireless networks during emergencies. According to a Press Release, the draft rules would require facilities-based wireless providers to enter into mutual aid arrangements that enable them to request, or receive a request, for assistance during emergencies. The rules would also require that facilities-based wireless providers enter into bilateral roaming agreements in advance of disasters to help the public communicate. In addition, the rules would expand the triggers for activation of these provisions, and provide for critical testing and reporting on wireless roaming implementation during disasters. The Press Release further indicates that the draft rules are the result of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted in September of last year. If adopted by a vote of the full Commission, the rules would help reduce wireless phone outages for the public and support faster service restoration after hurricanes, wildfires, and other disasters. As we reported at the time, the NPRM sought comment on whether elements of the Wireless Network Resiliency Cooperative Framework (Framework) — a voluntary agreement developed by the wireless industry in 2016 to provide mutual aid in the event of a disaster — could be improved to enhance the reliability of communication networks. Proposed improvements to the Framework included expanding the circumstances under which the Framework is activated; expanding the scope of Framework participants; improving the participants’ commitment to roaming during disasters; and increasing local preparedness and consumer readiness. The FCC also asked what additional or revised measures are warranted to address gaps in promoting resiliency, such as including provisions regarding the placement of back-up systems, such as Cells on Light Trucks; whether the Framework should include requirements for restoration or prioritization of text-to-911 capability in areas where the PSAP is text-capable; and whether the Framework should include provisions that address backhaul redundancy and resiliency. Importantly, the FCC also sought comment on whether it should require wireless providers to submit reports to the FCC detailing implementation of the voluntary Framework in real time or in the aftermath of a disaster. The text of the draft rules has not yet been made available. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. Law and RegulationFEMA Says No Nationwide EAS Test in 2022A nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) has been a near-annual tradition since the system first went online in 2011. But Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff has said it will not conduct a nationwide EAS test in 2022. This means that our clients who are EAS Participants (i.e., those that operate analog radio and television stations, wired and wireless cable television systems, digital broadcast systems, digital television broadcast stations, Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service, digital cable and digital audio broadcasting systems, and wireline video systems) will not have test participation and EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) obligations this August and into September. “It will not happen this year,” said a FEMA official at the NAB show back in April. “We are planning to do that in the early part of 2023.” Reports say that FEMA is working to develop a new survey system that would allow the agency to better monitor the results of the national test of the Wireless Alert System (WEA), which is expected to be tested alongside EAS next year. The survey would be a “crowdsource” poll asking the public about whether they heard or saw the alerts. The information would then be shared with MVPD providers and the wireless industry to improve alert and warning capabilities for all. FEMA is reportedly working on the regulatory approval process with the Department of Homeland Security as well as obtaining OMB approval for the new information collection. 2022 will be the second year of the last three without a nationwide EAS test. FEMA postponed the 2020 test out of fears the it would create undue burdens for an industry coping with the pandemic. The 2021 test (last August) relied on broadcast-based architecture with a daisy-chain of stations spreading the message from 76 Primary Entry Point stations. The FCC’s final report of the 2021 test says it involved 25,644 EAS Participants across the U.S. and results showed the test message reached 89.3% of participants, about a 1% increase from the 2019 test. There were fewer technical complications experienced by Primary Entry Point stations, and roughly half as many complications with receipt and retransmissions as 2019. BloostonLaw Contacts: Cary Mitchell. Broadband Data Task Force Announces BDC Webinar; Issues Enforcement AdvisoryOn June 15, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that its Broadband Data Task Force will hold a live, virtual webinar on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, starting at 2:00 PM EDT to preview the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) system for filers who will submit broadband availability data in the inaugural BDC filing window beginning on June 30, 2022. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, facilities-based service providers are required to file granular data in the BDC system on where they make mass-market Internet access service available as of June 30, 2022. Such data must be submitted into the BDC system no later than September 1, 2022. Indeed, the FCC also released a Public Notice and Enforcement Advisory reminding all facilities-based service providers of fixed or mobile broadband Internet access service of their duty to timely file complete and accurate data in the BDC on a biannual basis. A copy of the advisory is available here. According to the Public Notice, the June 29, 2022 webinar will familiarize filers with how to navigate the BDC system and how to submit their data once the window opens. The webinar will be streamed live at both www.fcc.gov/live and on the Commission’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/c/FCC beginning at 2:00 PM EDT. Carriers with questions about the BDC may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. IndustryDISH and T-Mo Expand Network Services PartnershipDISH Network and T-Mobile yesterday agreed to new terms related to their Master Network Services Agreement (MSNA). The arrangement will see DISH paying lower network usage rates to T-Mobile but commits DISH to paying T-Mobile $3.5 billion over the course of the MSNA. The seven-year MSNA was first entered in July of 2020 so there are five years remaining on the agreement. "We are pleased to have reached new terms with T-Mobile that provide DISH with the ability to be more competitive and to meet our customers' evolving needs," said John Swieringa, president and COO, DISH Wireless. "DISH's 5G network now covers more than 20 percent of the U.S. population, and this amendment gives our customers enhanced access to nationwide coverage and in-market roaming while we continue to deploy our own 5G network." "T-Mobile is building a national, Ultra Capacity 5G network with unprecedented capacity, which has put us in a unique position to support partners like DISH," said Mike Katz, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile. "While DISH customers will benefit from our network, this deal also locks in a multi-billion dollar revenue commitment for our business. It's a win-win." Relations between DISH and T-Mobile have often been tepid. As part of the Sprint/T-Mobile merger in April 2020, DISH acquired Sprint's Boost Mobile customers. Those customers used the post-merger T-Mobile’s CDMA network. However, T-Mobile threw a wrench in DISH’s plans in early 2021, saying that it planned to shut down the CDMA network on January 1, 2022. The companies reached an agreement last February that allowed T-Mobile to retire the CDMA network as of March 31, 2022. The revised MSNA reportedly provides additional marketing support to DISH and replacement devices for its Boost CDMA customers. T-Mobile has also agreed to transfer to DISH all Boost-branded resale customers of former Sprint affiliates Shentel and Swiftel, as well as Boost customers that were part of a California low-income program. According to the companies, the new MSNA terms will not be effective unless approved by the DOJ before August 14, 2022. Verizon and AT&T Agree to Delay Some 5G Deployment Due to FAA ConcernsThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Friday that Verizon and AT&T have voluntarily agreed to delay some near-airport C-Band 5G deployments until mid-2023 as airlines work to retrofit planes to guard against interference. Airline CEOs last January had warned of an impending aviation crisis that could have grounded many flights due to potential interference with radio altimeters. Under pressure from the White House, AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay their C-Band deployments through July 5. The FAA has been urging airlines to speed up their equipment retrofits, but airlines have questioned the feasibility of meeting even a July 2023 deadline. "Given that the FAA has not even approved solutions nor have manufacturers manufactured these products for most of this fleet, it is not at all clear that carriers can meet what appears to be an arbitrary deadline," said a spokesperson for Airlines for America, a trade group representing American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and others. Verizon said Friday the new agreement will allow it to "lift the voluntary limitations on our 5G network deployment around airports in a staged approach over the coming months meaning even more consumers and businesses will benefit from the tremendous capabilities of 5G technology." AT&T said with the FAA it had "developed a more tailored approach to controlling signal strength around runways that allows us to activate more towers and increase signal strength." The FAA believes that filters and replacement units for the mainline commercial fleet should be available on a schedule that would permit the work to be largely completed by July 2023. After that time, the wireless companies expect to operate their networks in urban areas with minimal restrictions. Court of Appeals Upholds Stripping of AWS-3 Bid Credits from DISH and its Auction PartnersDISH keeps knocking at the door, trying to get the court to reinstate $3.3 billion in small business bidding credits from Auction 97 (2014-15), but the DC Circuit sided with the FCC. Again. DISH had $3.3 billion reasons to continue filing appeals. It lost a DC Circuit appeal in 2017, with the court upholding the FCC’s conclusion that DISH exercised de facto control over DE bidders SNR Wireless and Northstar Wireless. But it ruled that the FCC didn’t give them adequate notice that they wouldn’t have an opportunity to cure their long-form application if the DISH relationship disqualified them from bid credit eligibility. Back to the drawing board. In 2020, the FCC ruled that SNR and Northstar were still ineligible for bid credits, because they remained under de facto control of DISH. The latest appeal had argued that the FCC violated the court’s remand order by refusing to enter a back-and-forth negotiation with SNR and Northstar over how to secure their de facto independence from DISH. But the DC Circuit disagreed:
SNR declined to comment, and Northstar did not respond to a request for comment. The FCC also declined to comment. A DISH spokesperson said, “We are disappointed in the court's decision and are evaluating our legal options. Throughout this seven-year process, we believe that DISH, SNR and Northstar have been treated differently than other strategic partners and DEs that participated in the same AWS-3 auction, as well as previous auctions, and that the FCC failed to provide fair notice of its decision-making. Ultimately, wireless competition has suffered as a result.” Rather than pay the FCC for the value of their nullified bid credits, Northstar and SNR strategically defaulted on 197 licenses — equal to the bidding credit amount — and they paid in full for other licenses they wanted to keep (the controversial “pick and choose” default). DISH was also required to pay $515 million in fines. With the court’s latest ruling, experts believe that DISH may finally call it quits on its appeals. Once subsequent winning bids are established for the relevant spectrum, the Commission will determine the parties final payment obligation. If an additional payment is required, a further order will assess such payment. BloostonLaw Contact: Cary Mitchell Deadlines[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. 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: Sal Taillefer. AUGUST 1: FCC FORM 499-Q, TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPORTING WORKSHEET. All telecommunications common carriers that expect to contribute more than $10,000 to federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support mechanisms must file this quarterly form. The FCC has modified this form in light of its recent decision to establish interim measures for USF contribution assessments. The form contains revenue information from the prior quarter plus projections for the next quarter. Form 499-Q relates only to USF contributions. It does not relate to the cost recovery mechanisms for the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA), and the shared costs of local number portability (LNP), which are covered in the annual form (Form 499-A) that was due April 1. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. AUGUST 1: FCC FORM 502, NUMBER UTILIZATION AND FORECAST REPORT: Any wireless or wireline carrier (including paging companies) that have received number blocks—including 100, 1,000, or 10,000 number blocks—from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), a Pooling Administrator, or from another carrier, must file Form 502 by August 1. Carriers porting numbers for the purpose of transferring an established customer’s service to another service provider must also report, but the carrier receiving numbers through porting does not. Resold services should also be treated like ported numbers, meaning the carrier transferring the resold service to another carrier is required to report those numbers but the carrier receiving such numbers should not report them. Reporting carriers file utilization and forecast reports semiannually on or before February 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending December 31, and on or before August 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending June 30. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. AUGUST 1: LIVE 911 CALL DATA REPORTS — Non-Nationwide Providers that do not provide coverage in any of the Test Cities must collect and report aggregate data based on the largest county within its footprint to APCO, NENA, and NASNA on the location technologies used for live 911 calls in those areas. Clients should obtain spreadsheets with their company’s compliance data from their E911 service provider (e.g., Intrado / West). BloostonLaw Contacts: Cary Mitchell. AUGUST 29: COPYRIGHT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The Copyright Statement of Accounts form plus royalty payment for the first half of year is due to be filed August 29 at the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office by cable TV service providers. BloostonLaw Contact: Gerry Duffy.
Calendar At-a-GlanceJune July August TBD 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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| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
Sent on behalf of Chairman of the Association Dietmar Gollnick
Dear Friends, Only 7 days left until our #CMASummit22 “Safety by 2nd Infrastructure”. As you know, it will start on June 28th at 1.00 pm CET. If you haven’t registered yet, please do so by clicking https://critmsg.org/events/cmasummit22-2nd-infrastructure/. This is necessary for participation. And please feel free to share this invitation with your community. And even more than that, I also kindly ask you to share the information to whom you think it may concern to also contribute to the enlargement and also further widening of our Association. The agenda is planned as follows: 13.00 Introduction 13.05 Railways vs. airship: Not “OR” but “AND.” Collaboration of communication tools. Dietmar Gollnick. Critical Messaging Association. Berlin 13.20 Critical Communications World Vienna. Last week and the technology offer. From our members there. 13.45 Public Safety. Call to place of incidence. Communicate at place of incidence. Different needs. Different technologies. One leading service provider. Martin Theuerweckl. Project Head. Mobile Comms. Notruf Niederösterreich GmbH. Control Center Sankt Pölten 14.15 US Hospital Case Studies — Secure, Critical Communications Varty Aponosian and Adam Price. Regional Directors, Secure Messaging. American Messaging Services, LLC 14.45 Discussion round The OR or the AND? A cellular phone is commodity. What does it mean for the other wireless players? Fashion against safety and security in critical communications? 15.15 Redundant critical communications available in municipality — less insurance costs. Higher safety and security matters in terms of money. Jim Nelson. Short Info by moderator. 15.30 Freedom of service choice for critical messaging — fulfilling customer request (all tbc). 4 min opinion poll. Impuls: moderator. After: opinion exchange. 16.00 Final remarks. See you in Paris in September. Drafting impulses for Paris. Who wants to speak? Preparing next. For updates related to all our events, please follow https://critmsg.org/all-events/ Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday next week. Kind regards, Dietmar Gollnick PS: As you may know, after the summit is before the summit. And the next one will be in Paris, starting September 14th. Please remember this for your future journey planning. |
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