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Welcome Back To The Wireless |
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This Week's Wireless 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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Inside Twitter as ‘mass exodus’ of staffers throws platform’s future into uncertaintyBy Oliver Darcy, CNN Business Updated 10:35 AM EST, Fri November 18, 2022 New York CNN Business — Death is in the air on Twitter. On the platform Thursday evening, where #RIPTwitter was the top trend worldwide, users wrote what they feared might be their last posts, offering apprehensive goodbyes and listing the other (more stable) social media platforms where they can still be found. They were reacting to the dire news emanating from inside Twitter. Scores of remaining employees at the social media company on Thursday appeared to reject owner Elon Musk’s ultimatum to work “extremely hardcore,” throwing the communications platform into utter disarray and raising serious questions about how much longer it will survive. The death of Twitter would have weighty consequences, given how integral the platform is to global communications. The platform has often been compared to a digital town square. World leaders use Twitter to communicate, journalists use Twitter to newsgather, dissidents in repressive countries use Twitter to organize, celebrities and major brands use Twitter to make important announcements, and the public often uses Twitter to monitor all of it in real-time. If the platform were to die off, or become unusable because of instability issues, no single space would immediately replace it and communications could become fractured across multiple social media websites, leading to a seismic disruption and slowdown in the flow of information. Inside the company’s Slack, a mass resignation effectively occurred after Musk’s 5pm deadline for employees to arrive at a decision passed. Hundreds of staffers appear to have called it quits, accepting Musk’s offer to exit in exchange for three months of severance. Employees flooded the “#social-watercooler” channel with the salute emoji, indicating that they had chosen not to sign Musk’s pledge. A similar series of events unfolded in the Slack channel earlier this month as Musk eliminated roughly 50% of the company’s then 7,500-person workforce. A former Twitter executive, who recently exited the company, described the situation as a “mass exodus.” Asked about the situation, the former executive said, “Elon is finding out that he can’t bully top senior talent. They have lots of options and won’t put up with his antics.” “They will struggle just to keep the lights on,” the former executive added. That assessment was universally shared by the other half dozen current and former employees on Thursday. It was already bad enough after Musk executed mass layoffs at the company earlier this month. So bad that Twitter asked some of the people it had let go to come back just days later. The state-of-play has only become more dire since then. In fact, Twitter management was in panic mode hours before the deadline passed, people familiar with the matter said, explaining that senior leaders were “scrambling” to convince talent to stay at the company. Musk himself seemed to finally realize the grim state of affairs, sending an all-staff email relaxing his previously uncompromising anti-remote work position. “Regarding remote work, all that is required for approval is that your manager takes responsibility for ensuring that you are making an excellent contribution,” Musk said in the e-mail. It didn’t appear to do much good. Two employees who had decided to reject Musk’s ultimatum on Thursday were quite clear in why they were doing so. “I don’t want to stick around to build a product that’s being poisoned from the inside and out,” one said, adding later that he felt good about making a decision “in line with what I stand for.” A recently laid off employee who remains in touch with former coworkers said, “People don’t want to sacrifice their mental health and family lives to make the richest man in the world richer.” And Twitter seemed to grasp the mess on its hands Thursday evening, sending an e-mail to staff notifying them it has once again shuttered all of its offices and suspended employee badge access, presumably to protect its systems and data. Twitter’s already decimated communications department didn’t respond to requests for comment. But Musk nodded to the situation in a tweet. “How do you make a small fortune in social media?” Musk asked. “Start out with a large one.”
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| Source: | CNN |
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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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 |
| Readers of the Newsletter who are Ham Radio Operators |
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| Source: | Amateur Radio callsigns of readers. Please click here to add yours. |
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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| Telephone: 631-786-9359 | |
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com  |
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THEY COULD BECOME EVEN MORE UBIQUITOUS, SOMEHOW — Study: AirPods Pro are this close to being full-fledged hearing aidsApple's social isolation sticks are useful for low to moderate hearing loss.KEVIN PURDY - 11/17/2022, 12:41 PM
A study in the journal iScience suggests that, in some noise situations, AirPods, particularly the Pro model, can work just as well as far pricier prescription-only models. AirPods are not sold or approved by the Food and Drug Administration as devices for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. But with cheaper, over-the-counter hearing aids now available at common retailers, there's a renewed interest in non-medical companies moving into the space to help people who don't need expert care—including from Apple itself. Researchers from the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan's National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and other entities conducted what they believe is the first comparison of smartphone-oriented earphones with medically prescribed hearing aids. The study had a very small sample size of 21 people between 26 and 60 years old and was conducted in a lab setting with a single source of sound. Still, the results are intriguing, especially considering how many people already have access to iPhones, AirPods, and their audio-enhancing features. The researchers tested AirPods with their Live Listen feature activated against five standards for a personal sound amplification product (PSAP) under ANSI CTA 2051-2017:
AirPods 2 only met two of the standards, bandwidth and THD, while AirPods Pro met all of them except EIN, registering 37 decibel sound pressure levels (dB SPL), when the standard calls for 32 or less. A study co-author told The Wall Street Journal that passing the EIN threshold could make it harder for people to distinguish softer sounds and speech. The AirPods were tested against a $1,500 Bernafon MD1 and a $10,000 OTICON Opn 1. In quiet settings, AirPods Pro helped people hear as well as the Bernafon and nearly as well as the OTICON. The AirPods 2 performed the worst but still helped people hear a human voice better than without using any device. In a noisier environment, AirPods Pro's active noise cancellation brought their performance within range of the OTICON device, but only if the noises came from the sides (as you might expect for earbuds). Neither AirPod performed very well when noise came from the front while trying to listen elsewhere. Not noted in the report are a couple of distinctions between AirPods and more typical hearing aids. One is battery life, as the Bluetooth-based AirPods use an iPhone connection to hear environmental sounds and prioritize size over longevity. Another is repairability, another low or non-existent priority for the AirPods line. Apple has long welcomed hearing aids to pair with iPhones, giving them a range of features and controls in its Made for iPhone (MFi) program. It has also pushed the hearing assistance features of its own audio hardware with Live Listen and Conversation Boost (which, pertinent to the study, improves mic pickup from people in front of you). A Wall Street Journal report from 2021 suggested Apple was considering positioning AirPods as hearing devices, something that's more feasible with the recent over-the-counter change to hearing aid regulations.
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| Source: | arsTECHNICA |
Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, 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 |
A navigation system has been created that is more accurate than GPSThe new alternative positioning system could achieve an accuracy of 10 centimeters.Brittney Grimes Created: Nov 17, 2022 08:01 PM EST
Researchers have created an alternative positioning system that is more accurate and robust than GPS. The team discovered that the alternative positioning system is more accurate within urban settings. The prototype that demonstrated this new mobile network infrastructure was able to achieve an accuracy of 10 centimeters. The results from the study were published in the journal Nature. The novel system uses mobile telecommunication rather than satellitesThe researchers from Delft University of Technology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and VSL developed an alternative positioning system that uses mobile telecommunication rather than satellites, which could potentially make it more accurate and reliable than GPS. “We realized that with a few cutting-edge innovations, the telecommunication network could be transformed into a very accurate alternative positioning system that is independent of GPS,” said Jeroen Koelemeij of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The team succeeded in developing a system that can provide connectivity similar to mobile and Wi-Fi networks. It also has accurate positioning and time distribution. The new system can be used in a wide range of applications, including automated vehicles and next generation mobile communication systems. Improving the accuracy with the new systemThe research team realized that weak radio signals relying on satellites can make GPS inaccurate. If the radio signals are reflected or blocked by buildings, then they can no longer send over accurate positioning and information. “This can make GPS unreliable in urban settings, for instance,” said Christiaan Tiberius of Delft University of Technology and coordinator of the project. He mentioned another big issue involving the future of autonomous vehicles, which cannot function off of unpredictable GPS positioning. “Also, citizens and our authorities actually depend on GPS for many location-based applications and navigation devices. Furthermore, so far we had no back-up system,” Tiberius continued. The new system can act as an optional system, or maybe in the future, a potential novel replacement for GPS. SuperGPSCurrently, many people use GPS (United States) and Galileo (European Union) for navigation, but utilizing satellite systems could prove to be faulty at times. The new project started by the researchers is called SuperGPS, and its goal is to create an alternative positioning system using the mobile telecommunication network instead of satellites. The study has shown it to be more accurate than GPS. Innovative methodThe research team created a process that would connect the mobile network to an accurate atomic clock, so it can broadcast times messages for positioning, similar to GPS satellites. The connections are made through the current fiber-optic network. The team had already been researching various techniques to distribute national time produced by the atomic clocks to users throughout the telecommunication network. “With these techniques we can turn the network into a nationwide distributed atomic clock – with many new applications such as very accurate positioning through mobile networks” said Erik Dierikx of VSL.
He mentioned that using the hybrid optical-wireless system could give anyone access to the national time produced. “It basically forms an extremely accurate radio clock that is good to one billionth of a second,” Dierikx continued. Radio signalsThe new system also uses radio signals with a much larger bandwidth than the software generally used. Since most buildings reflect radio signals, it can often cause confusion for the navigation device. “The large bandwidth of our system helps sorting out these confusing signal reflections, and enables higher positioning accuracy,” said Gerard Janssen of Delft University of Technology. However, the bandwidth used within radio spectrums can be expensive due to its scarcity. In order to avoid the high expense, the team uses a number of related small bandwidth radio signals that can be spread over a much larger virtual bandwidth. This process is advantageous because only a small portion of the virtual bandwidth is used, and the signals are very similar to those in mobile phones.
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| Source: | interestingengineering |
| Leavitt Communications |
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| Inside Towers Newsletter |
FCC Hears Network Resiliency Improving After StormsBy Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
Experts speaking at an FCC hearing on ways to improve wireless resiliency through better coordination with the power sector during disasters agree communication between the two groups has improved over the past few years. But they say more can be done. Liberty Mobile CEO in Puerto Rico Najo Khoury said in contrast to Hurricane Maria, which was a Category Five storm in 2017, and had a devastating wind and water impact, Hurricane Fiona was a Category One and the damage came from unprecedented rainfall. “The network did not experience significant damage from wind or rain. Nevertheless we incurred [$12 million] in increased costs due to widespread and prolonged power outages which prevented customers from using our resources,” he said. But the mobile network demonstrated resilience. More than 70 percent of its fiber is now buried and all of its sites have backup generators, enabling network resiliency to improve by “more than 20 percent,” said Khoury. Liberty Mobile was able to open its network to other carriers and other customers. Its fixed network experienced few outages during and after Maria. But the power grid in Puerto Rico remains susceptible to natural disasters, frequent power outages and issues that makes it unstable and in need of improvement, according to Khoury. He said there’s still not a process in place for communications providers to communicate effectively with the power sector, noting that Liberty’s largest system outage resulted from a cable cut. The FCC recommended greater coordination between communications providers and powercos after Hurricane Michael in 2018, specifically to prevent fiber cuts after communications restoration. Scott Aaronson, Senior Vice President of Security and Preparedness for the Edison Electric Institute, said key associations have worked together since then in the “Cross Sector Resiliency Forum.” Aaronson pointed to “tangible improvements” and noted that “stakeholders and others responsible for debris removal are integral to ensuring critical communications infrastructure is prioritized.” |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
DEADLINE ALERT: New Broadband Maps on November 18; NTIA Urges Challenges by January 13On November 10, the FCC issued a Press Release announcing that it will unveil a pre-production draft of new broadband maps on November 18. The same day, NTIA announced the timeline for the allocation of funding for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. According to NTIA, BEAD allocations should be announced by June 30, 2023. As a result, NTIA states that the period between November 18, 2022 and January 13, 2023 is the best opportunity for eligible entities to submit challenges in time for the FCC to include corrections in the final version of the map that will be used to allocate BEAD funding. BloostonLaw attorneys are available to assist service providers in the challenge process. See the full article below for more. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. HeadlinesFCC Announces First Draft of Broadband Availability Map; NTIA Urges Challenges by January 13On November 10, the FCC issued a Press Release announcing that it will unveil a pre-production draft of new broadband maps on November 18, 2022. Broadband availability will be based on data submitted by providers during the initial Broadband Data Collection filing window and will reflect services available as of June 30, 2022. When published, the draft maps will display location level information on broadband availability throughout the country and will allow people to search for their address, and review and dispute the services reported by providers at their location. The same day, NTIA announced the timeline for the allocation of funding for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. According to NTIA, BEAD allocations should be announced by June 30, 2023. As a result, NTIA states that the period between November 18, 2022 and January 13, 2023 is the best opportunity for eligible entities to submit challenges in time for the FCC to include corrections in the final version of the map that will be used to allocate BEAD funding. NTIA further indicated that it will engage in a comprehensive outreach effort to support the FCC in its efforts to ensure that every state that wishes to file a challenge can do so. This effort will include:
The challenge process for the Broadband Availability Map is the opportunity for service providers to ensure that BEAD funding is not available to overbuild their networks. BloostonLaw attorneys are available to assist in the challenge process. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. FCC Establishes Compliance Deadlines for Updated EAS Rules, including Set Top Box ReplacementOn November 10, the FCC published in the Federal Register its Report and Order (FCC 22-75) of September 30, 2022 updating its EAS rules to make alert messages more informative and easier to understand by the public, especially persons with disabilities. Specifically, those new rules (1) require EAS Participants to deliver regularly transmitted state and local alert messages in the IP-based Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) format where available, and (2) revise the required descriptions used to identify three national EAS Codes and prescribe a scripted visual message that EAS Participants must display when FEMA conducts nationwide tests of the alert system in legacy EAS format. The EAS R&O also eliminates an outdated alert code, and updates the EAS rules for clarity. We note that these requirements do not apply to Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) sent over participating CMRS networks. However, as described below, the new rules will impose a series of cable set top box upgrades/replacements for which affected clients should start the planning process. Specifically:
Compliance Dates for New EAS Rules Last week’s Federal Register publication of the EAS R&O establishes the following compliance deadlines for our firm’s clients who are EAS Participants: December 12, 2023
March 12, 2024
December 12, 2028
The FCC believes that the costs and time to implement mandatory CAP poling and prioritization will likely be relatively low, requiring software updates to EAS encoder equipment. Our clients that are EAS Participants should check with their vendors to determine what updates and/or upgrades may be needed and the timetable for implementation. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell. FCC Releases Digital Equity Report, Best Practices RecommendationsOn November 7, the FCC’s Communications Equity and Diversity Council (CEDC) approved its report, entitled “Recommendations and Best Practices to Prevent Digital Discrimination and Promote Digital Equity.” This report compiles the findings from the Council’s three working groups and offers guidance to prohibit digital discrimination in broadband deployment, adoption, and use, as well as in the contracting and grants process for funds related to forthcoming broadband infrastructure in all 50 states. The Digital Empowerment and Inclusion Working Group (“DEI Working Group”) made recommendations for model policies and best practices that can be adopted for states and localities to prevent digital discrimination by ISPs, including publicly available periodic broadband equity assessments; facilitating greater awareness and information sharing among multi-dwelling unit owners regarding tenant choice and competition; engaging in the management of public property, such as public rights-of-way; and convening regular meetings of broadband providers and other stakeholders, including community anchor institutions. Regarding the support of digital equity, the DEI Working Group made recommendations to offer low-cost broadband available to low-income households through government benefit programs, in combination with Internet service providers’ low-income programs; raise awareness about connectivity programs among eligible households; strengthen marketing and communications; streamline the application process for government benefit programs referred to above; increase support and funding for organizations such as schools, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to provide digital navigation assistance in communities they serve; and others. The Innovation and Access Working Group (“I&A Working Group) presented a series of recommendations for consideration to close the opportunity gaps for diverse, and predominantly minority- and women-owned businesses by encouraging States and localities to adopt definitions of small minority- and women-owned (SMW) businesses; designate a government-wide office to oversee supplier diversity initiatives; adopt an accountable goal of no less than 30% participation of SMW businesses in state and local infrastructure grant and contract opportunities, include auditing and in-progress reporting in the contracts/subgrants; and ensure diverse participation in task forces or committees that advise grantees on their broadband plans, including broadband supplier diversity. Finally, the Diversity and Equity Working Group (“D&E Working Group”) presented a series of recommendations for consideration by States and localities to ensure the diversity and inclusion of the range of marginalized populations in the U.S., including expanding the definition of “equal access” to facilitate greater adoption and use of high-speed broadband; and playing a more active role in promoting the relevance of high-speed broadband among certain populations. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. Law and RegulationFCC Identifies Major Source of Scam Robocalls, Authorizes Telecom Companies to Block ProviderOn November 10, the FCC announced that its Robocall Response Team has determined that upwards of 40 percent of apparent scam student loan debt robocalls generated last month originated from one voice service provider: Urth Access, LLC. Accordingly, the FCC sent a notice to the service provider that it must cease and desist carrying this apparently illegal traffic, and ordered all voice service providers to be on the lookout for this traffic. According to a Press Release, the FCC has opened a formal case and is investigating calls for possible further legal action. As we reported in last week’s edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC recently issued an Enforcement Advisory that was precipitated by a rash of suspicious student loan robocalls following recent Government announcements regarding student loan forgiveness and deferment. These calls typically state that the caller is informing the recipient that the payment suspension will end or that a petition can be filed on their behalf to get a certain amount of their loan “dismissed.” Some common campaigns purport to be from the “student loan forgiveness center” or from a state forgiveness center. The FCC reminded voice service providers of their obligation to combat illegal robocalls aggressively, and warned that the Enforcement Bureau would be vigorously enforcing rules requiring voice service providers to police this kind of traffic. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. 40 States Settle with Experian and T-Mobile Over 2015 Data BreachOn November 7, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced that Tennessee, along with a coalition of 39 other states, obtained separate settlements with Experian and T-Mobile in connection with a data breach experienced by Experian in 2015 which impacted more than 15 million individuals who submitted credit applications with T-Mobile. Under the settlements, the companies have agreed to improve their data security practices and to pay the states a combined amount of more than $16 million ($12.6 million from Experian and $2.43 million from T-Mobile). As a telecom carrier sued for the actions of its vendor, T-Mobile agreed to implement the following practices:
In September 2015, Experian reported it had experienced a data breach in which an unauthorized actor gained access to part of Experian’s network storing personal information on behalf of its client, T-Mobile. The breach involved information associated with consumers who had applied for T-Mobile postpaid services and device financing between September 2013 and September 2015, including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, identification numbers (such as driver’s license and passport numbers), and related information used in T-Mobile’s own credit assessments. According to the press release, neither Experian’s consumer credit database, nor T-Mobile’s own systems, were compromised in the breach. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, John Prendergast, and Sal Taillefer. IndustryPrecision Ag Connectivity Task Force to Meet December 2On November 8, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing the next meeting of the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States (Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force or Task Force). According to the Public Notice, the meeting will be held Friday, December 2, 2022, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST online at www.fcc.gov/live. At this meeting, the Task Force will hear presentations on topics relevant to its charges and will consider and vote on reports from its four working groups: (1) Mapping and Analyzing Connectivity on Agricultural Lands; (2) Accelerating Broadband Deployment on Unserved Agricultural Lands; (3) Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand for Precision Agriculture; and (4) Encouraging Adoption of Precision Agriculture and Availability of High-Quality Jobs on Connected Farms. This agenda may be modified at the discretion of the Task Force Chair and the Designated Federal Officer. Members of the public may submit comments to the Task Force in the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System. Comments to the Task Force should be filed in GN Docket No. 19-329. DeadlinesJANUARY 18: Form 855 HAC Compliance Certification. The next Hearing Aid Compatibility regulatory compliance certification, certifying compliance with the FCC’s HAC handset minimums as well as enhanced record retention and website posting requirements for the 2022 calendar year, will be due Monday, January 18, 2023, for all CMRS service providers (including CMRS resellers) that had operations during any portion of 2022. Companies that sold their wireless licenses during the 2022 calendar year will need to file a partial-year HAC compliance certifications if they provided mobile wireless service at any time during the year. BloostonLaw has prepared a 2022 HAC Regulatory Compliance Template to facilitate our clients’ compliance with the revised HAC rules. Contact Cary Mitchell if you would like to obtain a copy of the HAC Regulatory Compliance Template. BloostonLaw Contact: Cary Mitchell. JANUARY 31: FCC FORM 555, ANNUAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER CERTIFICATION FORM. All Lifeline Program service providers are required to file the FCC Form 555, except where the National Verifier, state Lifeline administrator, or other entity is responsible. Since January 31 falls on a weekend or holiday this year, Form 555 may be filed by February 1. The FCC Form 555 must be submitted to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) electronically via USAC’s E-File (One Portal). Carriers must also file a copy of their FCC Form 555 in the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System, Docket 14-171, and with their state regulatory commission. The form reports the results of the annual recertification process and non-usage de-enrollments. Recertification results are reported month-by-month based on the subscribers’ anniversary date. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and John Prendergast.
Calendar At-a-GlanceNovember January 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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