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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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Service Monitors and Frequency Standards for Sale
(Images are typical units, not actual photos of items offered for sale here.)
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| Leavitt Communications |
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Wednesday January 11, 2023 11:43 am PST by Joe Rossignol Apple is testing a new version of the Mac Pro running macOS 13.3, according to a tweet shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today.
Given that macOS 12.3 was released in March 2022 and macOS 11.3 was released in April 2021, it's likely that macOS 13.3 will be released in the spring as well. This timeframe could set the stage for Apple to introduce the Mac Pro at a spring event, shortly before releasing macOS 13.3 with support for the computer. The new Mac Pro is expected to feature Apple's new M2 Ultra chip, but a higher-end "M2 Extreme" chip was reportedly canceled. Earlier this week, Gurman said the new Mac Pro will have the same design as the 2019 model, but lack user-upgradeable RAM. In an October edition of his newsletter, Gurman said the long-awaited 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips would also be tied to macOS 13.3, suggesting that the notebooks could be announced this spring as well. Gurman has previously claimed that a new Mac mini is in the works with M2 and M2 Pro chip options, but he hasn't commented on the Mac mini recently. It's certainly possible that it gets announced alongside the new Mac Pro and MacBook Pro models. In the meantime, Apple continues to sell Intel-based Mac Pro and Mac mini configurations. Apple has not released any new Macs since the MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July. |
| Source: | Mac Rumors |
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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| 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 |
| 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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wirelessplannerron@gmail.com  |
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Amazon’s New Home Internet Service Is One Step Closer to Becoming a Reality
Back in 2019, Amazon announced plans to launch a home Internet service. This service would run off low-earth orbit satellites. This is very similar to SpaceX’s Starlink service, which is already available in many parts of the world. In October, Amazon announced their Project Kuiper would launch more than 3,000 satellites into low-earth orbit to offer this home Internet service. To do this, Amazon has announced plans to build the required satellites in Kirkland, Washington. Amazon has also secured a deal with ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin to launch these satellites into space starting in early 2023. With this deal, Amazon hopes to launch multiple prototypes into space to test the system before mass production starts. Amazon is facing a deadline as the FCC has given it until mid-2026 to have 1,600 satellites in space or face losing its FCC approval for the project. These satellites will offer far better home Internet compared to older satellite home Internet service. With faster speeds and lower latency, Amazon is hoping to become a major player in the world of home Internet at a time when home Internet is becoming more critical than ever. So what should you expect? SpaceX’s Starlink is likely a good example. A recent report from Ookla.com says Starlink is averaging about 90.55 Mbps down and 9.33 Mbps up with a latency of 43. This is a crazy jump in Internet speed for millions of Americans living in rural areas that struggle to get home Internet. So, as more satellites have been launched, the speed has increased. The same is likely to happen with Amazon’s home Internet. As more people use it Amazon will have to continue to offer more satellites to handle the demand. This could be huge news for cord cutters if Amazon is able to follow through on their plans. Studies have shown that as more options for home Internet come, online pricing has come down, and data caps have gone away. For now, though, we have to wait as we are likely still years away from these networks becoming fully built out. |
| Source: | Cord Cutters News |
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 |
RIP HDMI Alt Mode, we hardly knew yeAfter failing to release any cables or adapters, HDMI Alt Mode is dead.SCHARON HARDING - 1/12/2023, 1:07 PM
If you're using a USB-C port to connect a computer to a display, you're most likely using DisplayPort Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), and due to non-existent adoption, we can pretty much guarantee you're not using HDMI Alt Mode. According to the HDMI Licensing Administrator (HDMI LA), you never will because the feature is dead. HDMI Alt Mode allows HDMI video signals to travel from a USB-C port to an HDMI host, like a TV. It's similar to DisplayPort Alt Mode, which lets you connect DisplayPort displays to USB-C ports. NotebookCheck spoke with HDMI LA, which is responsible for licensing the HDMI Forum's HDMI specs, at CES 2023 in Las Vegas last week and learned that there won't be any certified adapters supporting HDMI Alt Mode over USB. "According to HDMI LA, there are simply no more uses for Alt Mode," the publication reported on Wednesday. "One of the reasons is that companies like Apple have begun putting HDMI ports on their products again. HDMI Alt Mode also no longer offers any advantages. As a result, the specification will not receive any further updates." A losing battleThe HDMI announcement comes as USB-C relentlessly dominates various consumer gadgets. Makers of thin-and-light laptops like the Dell XPS 13 and more experimental designs like foldable PCs are increasingly running out of room for anything but slim, space-saving USB-C. There are plenty of products, from laptops to smartphones, that solely rely on USB-C (and wireless tech) for all accessories and even for receiving power. That means there are plenty of people finding themselves connecting displays via USB... they're just using DisplayPort's Alt Mode to do it instead. Released in 2014, DisplayPort Alt Mode already had a head start on HDMI Alt Mode, which the HDMI Forum announced in 2016. The technology can even support HDMI 2.0. HDMI Alt Mode feels out of date, since it maxes out at HDMI 1.4b. The HDMI LA's page about HDMI Alt Mode addresses the lack of HDMI 2.0 support, pointing out that the HDMI Forum is responsible for HDMI specs and hasn't made any public statements about HDMI Alt Mode supporting HDMI 2.0b. It makes no mention of newer HDMI specs. HDMI over Alt Mode supported HDMI features like Audio Return Channel, HDMI Ethernet Channel, Consumer Electronic Control, Deep Color, and x.v.Color. The HDMI Forum saw it being used to connect PCs, tablets, and phones to displays like TVs, monitors, and projectors. But it ultimately couldn't compete with DisplayPort's Alt Mode, which can support HDMI displays with higher refresh rates (4K at 60 fps uncompressed versus 30 fps, for example). The latest version of DisplayPort Alt Mode can also support 24-bit color, while HDMI's take is limited to 8-bit. The latest USB standard, USB4, doesn't even support HDMI Alt Mode.
These higher specs help explain why so many products, from USB-C ports on laptops to countless HDMI-to-USB-C adapters and cables, have opted for DisplayPort Alt Mode. In fact, the HDMI LA admitted to NotebookCheck that it doesn't know of any HDMI to USB-C adapter that uses HDMI Alt Mode. NotebookCheck also spoke with people "familiar with the certification process" at the USB Implementers Forum, who said that they also don't know of any HDMI Alt Mode adapters. In a way, this makes things easier. As noted by NotebookCheck, the death of HDMI Alt Mode means you can be sure that an HDMI adapter will work with your system, so long as it has a USB-C port supporting DisplayPort Alt Mode. Currently, there is a certification program for HDMI to USB-C cables, and one is in the works for USB-C to HDMI adapters to help people buy the correct adapter for their HDMI ports. DisplayPort-based HDMI to USB adapters get "base certification," but this isn't obvious to consumers, NotebookCheck noted. Delivering power over HDMIThe HDMI Forum has given up its take on Alt Mode but not on power delivery. HDMI ports can already deliver the small amount of power needed for the connection, and in 2022 HDMI Cable Power came out. An optional feature of the HDMI 2.1a spec, HDMI Cable Power supports up to 1.5 W of power delivery. That's not much, though, considering that USB-C supports up to 240 W power delivery. In its short time, HDMI Cable Power hasn't seen much saturation yet and is mostly used to enable extra-long HDMI cables. HDMI LA was reportedly cautious about advancements to HDMI Cable Power but said the feature would get an update. Interestingly, "There are now plans to further increase the amount of power provided," NotebookCheck reported. Importantly, HDMI LA said this is in very early development and only in the "discussion phase" currently. But if we allow ourselves a moment to imagine, greater power delivery could allow HDMI ports to power things like Fire TV Sticks and other accessories in a few years. In the more distant future, we could dream of powering a laptop that's connected to the living room TV via HDMI. But with boosting power delivery only being a talking point now and HDMI Alt Mode disappearing, we won't get our hopes too high regarding potential HDMI features.
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| Source: | arsTECHNICA |
| Leavitt Communications |
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| Inside Towers Newsletter |
Ericsson Makes Provision to Resolve Breach with DoJEricsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has made a payment provision of $220 million in relation to a potential resolution with the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding previously announced, non-criminal, alleged breaches under its 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement. Ericsson has not reached a resolution with the DOJ regarding these alleged breaches and discussions are ongoing. In a 2019 resolution, the Swedish telecom OEM agreed to pay more than $1 billion to resolve the U.S. government’s investigation into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act concerning tens of millions of dollars in improper payments, including a $520 million criminal penalty. However, in October 2021 and March 2022, the DOJ notified Ericsson that it failed to provide documents in a timely manner and did not adequately report information relating to a 2019 Iraq-related internal investigation. Ericsson believes the $220 million charge, which will be booked in the company’s fourth quarter 2022 financial results, will cover the financial penalty associated with any potential breach resolution. |
| Source: | Inside Towers newsletter | Courtesy of the editor of Inside Towers, Jim Fryer. Inside Towers is a daily newsletter by subscription. |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
Blooston On the RoadWe hope our clients and their families had an enjoyable holiday season and that 2023 brings opportunity and success to you all. In future issues, we will cover some milestone accomplishments for the close of the last year and the opening of 2023. Pictured here is Ben Dickens with a Venture Communications Cooperative tree donated by the company to the South Dakota Capitol, which was decorated with over a hundred of such trees donated by South Dakotans. BloostonLaw partners Dickens and Taillefer had just prevailed in an argument against a major wireless carrier before the South Dakota PUC. Photo credit: Randy Houdek HeadlinesFCC Announces Tentative Agenda for January Open MeetingOn January 5, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing the tentative agenda for its upcoming Open Meeting, currently scheduled for January 26. At the meeting, the FCC will tentatively consider:
Each summary above contains a link to the draft text of each item expected to be considered at this Open Meeting. However, it is possible that changes will be made before the Meeting. One-page cover sheets prepared by the FCC are included in the public drafts to help provide an additional summary. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and John Prendergast. Annual HUBB Filing Due March 1On December 21, 2022, USAC issued a reminder that carriers participating in modernized Connect America Fund (CAF) programs with defined broadband buildout obligations have until March 1, 2022 to file deployment data with USAC's High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal showing where they built out mass-market, high-speed Internet service in calendar year 2022. Carriers that have no locations to upload must certify this fact in the HUBB portal. BloostonLaw attorneys have successfully assisted clients in uploading and certifying their HUBB location data, and are available to assist. Specifically, Carriers participating in the following funds have until March 1, 2023 to file data for all locations deployed with CAF support in 2022, or certify that they have “no locations to upload”:
Carriers with 2022 deployment milestones must also complete milestone certifications as part of the annual HUBB filing – including separate milestone certifications for separate deployment obligations by speed tier – and will face verification reviews tied to those milestones. Carriers that miss milestones face increased reporting obligations and potential loss of support. Carriers that did not deploy any locations in 2022 must still log into the HUBB and certify “no locations to upload” by March 1, 2023. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. FCC Approves NPRM on New Data Breach Reporting Requirements for CPNIAfter languishing without action for almost a year, the FCC last week launched a proceeding to strengthen the FCC’s rules for notifying customers and federal law enforcement of breaches of customer proprietary network information (CPNI). In a unanimous 4-0 vote, the FCC approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said was sorely overdue, as the current rules are more than 15 years old. Comments on the item will be due 30 days following publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register, with reply comments due 30 days thereafter. The item was first circulated in January of 2022 and proposes several updates to current FCC rules addressing telecommunications carriers’ breach notification requirements. These include:
The FCC adopted its initial data breach rule to address the problem of “pretexting,” the practice of pretending to be a particular customer or other authorized person in order to obtain access to that customer’s call detail or other private communications records. However, it has become clear that breaches of customer information in many contexts have become more sophisticated and are increasing in scale far beyond pretexting in general. The proposed amendments are designed to help protect consumers from the ever-growing harms of breaches of personal information. All telecommunications carriers and interconnected VOIP providers are required to file an annual CPNI compliance certification by March 1, along with a statement explaining how the company’s operating procedures ensure compliance with the FCC’s CPNI rules. BloostonLaw is prepared to help our clients meet this requirement, which we expect will be strictly enforced, by assisting with preparation of their certification filing; reviewing the filing to make sure that the required showings are made; filing the certification with the FCC, and obtaining a proof-of-filing copy for your records. Clients interested in obtaining BloostonLaw's CPNI compliance manual should contact the firm. BloostonLaw Contact: Cary Mitchell. Robocall Certifications by Gateway Providers are Due January 11As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, gateway providers have until January 11, 2023 to submit certifications, including robocall mitigation plans, to the Robocall Mitigation Database (Database). Based on this deadline, intermediate providers and voice service providers will be prohibited from accepting traffic from gateway providers not listed in the Database beginning April 11, 2023. Specifically, gateway providers must file robocall mitigation plans meeting the following requirements as part of a certification submitted to the Database stating whether they have fully, partially, or not implemented STIR/SHAKEN on the IP portions of their networks. Specifically, mitigation plans must include:
The FCC has defined “gateway provider” to mean “a U.S.-based intermediate provider that receives a call directly from a foreign originating provider or foreign intermediate provider at its U.S.-based facilities before transmitting the call downstream to another U.S.-based provider.” Carriers with questions about this requirement may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contact: Sal Taillefer. Law and RegulationForm 477 Filing No Longer Required; Data to be Submitted in BDC on March 1On December 16, a summary of the FCC’s Order formally sunsetting the Form 477 data collection was published in the Federal Register on December 16, 2022, and is now effective. As a result, subject entities will no longer file Form 477. However, subject entities must continue to submit Form 477 broadband and voice telephone subscription data through the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) system going forward. The FCC Form 477 system will not accept data as of December 31, 2022 and beyond. The BDC filing window for submitting broadband availability and other data as of December 31, 2022 is currently open. Facilities-based broadband service providers may begin to file in the BDC system data that reflects where they made mass-market broadband Internet access service available as of December 31, 2022. Such data must be submitted no later than March 1, 2023. Entities that choose to submit verified availability data in this filing window, such as authenticated state, local, and Tribal governmental entities who are primarily responsible for mapping or tracking broadband coverage in their jurisdictions, must also submit their availability data as of December 31, 2022 no later than March 1, 2023. Providers with questions about the BDC filing system may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. President Biden Renominates Sohn for FCCOn January 3, the White House issued a press release listing nominee by President Biden for various positions, which included the renomination of Gigi Sohn to serve on the FCC. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, Sohn was originally nominated in October of 2021 alongside now-Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. In a statement on Sohn’s renomination, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said:
BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and John Prendergast. Comments on Broadband Label FNPRM Due January 17On December 16, a summary of the Broadband Labels Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) was published in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments are due on or before January 17, 2023, and reply comments are due on or before February 14, 2023. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, in November the FCC released an FNPRM seeking comment on ways it can enhance the newly-adopted broadband consumer label. Specifically, in the Broadband Labels FNPRM, the FCC seeks comment on issues related to more comprehensive pricing information, bundled plans, label accessibility, performance characteristics, service reliability, cybersecurity, network management and privacy issues, the availability of labels in multiple languages, and whether the labels should be interactive or otherwise formatted differently. In the Report and Order accompanying the Broadband Labels FNPRM, the FCC adopted the following requirements:
Providers interested in filing comments may contact the firm for more information. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Cary Mitchell and Sal Taillefer. FCC Proposes $300 Million Fine for Auto Warranty Scam RobocallOn December 21, 2022, the FCC proposed a $299,997,000 fine against an auto warranty scam robocall campaign. According to a Press Release, this is the largest robocall operation the FCC has ever investigated. The operation, reportedly run by Roy Cox, Jr. and Michael Aaron Jones, made billions of apparently illegal robocalls via their Sumco Panama company, other domestic and foreign entities, and a host of international cohorts located in Panama and Hungary (Cox/Jones Enterprise). These robocalls apparently violated federal anti-robocalling and spoofing laws. This robocall scheme made more than 5 billion robocalls to more than half a billion phone numbers during a three-month span in 2021, using pre-recorded voice calls to press consumers to speak to a “warranty specialist” about extending or reinstating their car’s warranty. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC took initial action against the operation by issuing the FCC’s first-ever “K4 Notice” and “N2 Order” – actions that directed all U.S.-based voice service providers to cease carrying specified traffic related to the auto warranty scam robocalls. The Press Release indicates that this action resulted in a massive, 99% drop in the volume of such calls since June, according to RoboKiller. Since at least 2018, the Cox/Jones Enterprise ran a complex robocall sales lead generation scheme, which was designed to sell vehicle service contracts that were deceptively marketed as car warranties. The FCC Enforcement Bureau’s investigation found that the Cox/Jones Enterprise apparently placed approximately 5,187,677,000 calls to 550,138,650 wireless and residential phones from January to March 2021, using 1,051,461 unique caller ID numbers – enough calls to have called each person in the United States 15 times during just those three months. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. FCC Reaches $950k Settlement with Verizon for Environmental and Historic Preservation FailuresVerizon Wireless has entered into a $950,000 Consent Decree with the FCC to settle an Enforcement Bureau (EB) investigation into whether the company constructed wireless facilities in five states without complying with the FCC’s environmental and historic preservation rules. The work involved deploying small cell antennas starting in June of 2020. As part of the settlement, Verizon has admitted it violated the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) by prematurely constructing wireless facilities before completing the required environmental or historical reviews in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Verizon also admitted it built wireless facilities without onsite monitoring as requested by affected Native American tribes. Under the FCC’s Environmental Rules, applicants and licensees are required to assess whether certain proposed facilities may significantly affect the environment, and if necessary, to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) prior to construction. Among other circumstances, EAs are required when proposed facilities (i) may affect districts, sites, buildings, structures, or objects that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, (ii) may affect Native American religious sites; or (iii) will involve significant change in surface features. It is also necessary to research potential impacts on wildlife, flood plains, RF radiation levels and other environmental considerations. In almost all cases, it is necessary to reach out to the relevant State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs). In Verizon’s case, the Company self-reported to the Wireless Bureau concerns regarding its compliance with the FCC’s environmental rules for certain wireless facility construction projects in Pennsylvania. A subsequent EB investigation revealed that the company had commenced and/or completed construction of facilities in three states without completing the required Section 106 Review and Tribal notification processes. The investigation also showed that Verizon failed to meet requests by SHPO and Tribal representatives to have tribal onsite monitoring during all ground disturbance activity for wireless construction projects in Arizona and Tennessee. At least some of the noncompliant construction was caused by miscommunication between Verizon and its third -party contractors, and others were caused by a single Verizon employee who reviewed and managed project sites but who lacked NEPA/NHPA expertise. This should serve as a reminder to our clients that licensees are responsible for the regulatory compliance of their third-party contractors, and that the reduced size of small cell facilities does not necessarily mean that they are exempt from environmental and historic preservation review, as a US Court of Appeal revoked an FCC-created exemption for small cells in 2019. Clients should contact us before initiating construction if there is any question about whether an antenna siting project may qualify for streamlined treatment. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast, Richard Rubino, and Cary Mitchell IndustryFCC Releases Biannual Marketplace ReportOn December 30, the FCC published its biannual Communications Marketplace Report, which assesses generally the state of competition across the broader communications marketplace. The law requires the FCC to evaluate competition to deliver voice, video, audio, and data services among providers of telecommunications, providers of commercial mobile service, multichannel video programming distributors, broadcast stations, providers of satellite communications, Internet service providers (ISPs), and other providers of communications services. As part of its evaluation, the FCC must consider all forms of competition, including “the effect of intermodal competition, facilities-based competition, and competition from new and emergent communications services.” The FCC also must assess whether laws, regulations, regulatory practices, or marketplace practices pose a barrier to competitive entry into the communications marketplace or to the competitive expansion of existing providers of communications service. Highlights from the report include the following findings:
A copy of the full report can be found here. DeadlinesJANUARY 31: 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 Tuesday, January 31, 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 are still obligated to file a partial-year HAC compliance certifications if they provided mobile wireless service and sold wireless handsets at any time during the year. BloostonLaw has prepared a 2023 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. FEBRUARY 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 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 499-A that is due April 1. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. FEBRUARY 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 February 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 are required to include their FCC Registration Number (FRN). 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 Sal Taillefer. FEBRUARY 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. MARCH 1: COPYRIGHT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FORM FOR CABLE COMPANIES. This form, plus royalty payment for the second half of last year, is due March 1. The form covers the period July 1 to December 31, and is due to be mailed directly to cable TV operators by the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. BloostonLaw Contact: Sal Taillefer MARCH 1: CPNI ANNUAL CERTIFICATION. Carriers should modify (as necessary) and complete their “Annual Certification of CPNI Compliance” for this year. The certification must be filed with the FCC by March 1. Note that the annual certification should include the following three required Exhibits: (a) a detailed Statement Explaining How the Company’s Operating Procedures Ensure Compliance with The FCC’S CPNI Rules to reflect the Company’s policies and information; (b) a Statement of Actions Taken Against Data Brokers; and (c) a Summary of Customer Complaints Regarding Unauthorized Release of CPNI. A company officer with personal knowledge that the company has established operating procedures adequate to ensure compliance with the rules must execute the Certification, place a copy of the Certification and accompanying Exhibits in the Company’s CPNI Compliance Records, and file the certification with the FCC in the correct fashion. Our clients can forward the original to BloostonLaw in time for the firm to make the filing with the FCC by March 1, if desired. BloostonLaw is prepared to help our clients meet this requirement, which we expect will be strictly enforced, by assisting with preparation of their certification filing; reviewing the filing to make sure that the required showings are made; filing the certification with the FCC, and obtaining a proof-of-filing copy for your records. Clients interested in obtaining BloostonLaw's CPNI compliance manual should contact the firm for more information. Note: If you file the CPNI certification, you must also file the FCC Form 499-A Telecom Reporting Worksheet by April 1. BloostonLaw contacts: Cary Mitchell. MARCH 1: HUBB LOCATION DATA FILING AND CERTIFICATION. Carriers participating in modernized Connect America Fund (CAF) programs with defined broadband buildout obligations have until March 1 of each year to file deployment data with USAC's High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal showing where they built out mass-market, high-speed Internet service in the previous calendar year. Carriers that have no locations to upload must certify this fact in the HUBB. Affected programs include: CAF Phase II Model; Alternative Connect America Cost Model (Original A-CAM) and Revised ACAM; ACAM II; Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS); Rural Broadband Experiments (RBE); Alaska Plan (other than carriers with individualized performance plans that only require them to maintain service at existing levels); CAF Phase II Auction; and Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Carriers with 2022 deployment milestones must also complete milestone certifications as part of the annual HUBB filing and will face verification reviews tied to those milestones. Carriers subject to defined deployment milestones must notify the FCC and USAC, and relevant state, U.S. Territory or Tribal governments if applicable, within 10 business days after the applicable deadline if they have failed to meet a milestone. Carriers that miss milestones face increased reporting obligations and potential loss of support. BloostonLaw attorneys have successfully assisted clients in uploading and certifying their HUBB location data, as well as obtain petitions for waiver of the FCC’s rules where necessary. BloostonLaw Contact: Sal Taillefer.
Calendar At-a-GlanceJanuary February March Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, & 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 |
On behalf of the Blooston Rural Carriers, we have prepared suggested comments on the Broadband Labeling FNPRM (FCC 22-86). The comments focus on reducing the cost of compliance for smaller service providers and not imposing requirements that reduce small carriers’ speed and flexibility when responding to a competitive marketplace. In brief, we recommend that no additional information about service pricing to be disclosed at the point of sale beyond the base monthly “retail” price for standalone broadband service (i.e., nothing more than what is required by current labeling rules); that small carriers be allowed discretion to market their services in whatever secondary languages they deem most appropriate and responsive to their customer needs, and that providers not be required to disclose information about network security practices at the point of sale. It is important that small and rural carriers are heard in this proceeding so that broadband labeling requirements are not expanded in ways that impose undue costs or are anticompetitive. For this reason, we are limiting the cost of participation in this effort to $175 per company. If you wish to support, please respond by reply email by Tuesday, January 17 or contact Cary Mitchell at 202-828-5538 with any questions. Please let us know if you experience any problems opening the attached file. To insure continued receipt of information from our firm via email, please have your IT Team "White List" our e-mail address newsletter@bloostonlaw.com Please note that we have moved into a new suite within our building. Our new suite is now Suite 825.
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Jan 11, 2023 |
| Source: | YouTube |
| THIS WEEK'S MUSIC VIDEO |
“Here Comes the Sun”The Petersens (LIVE) There has been an uproar on YouTube demanding Julianne sing lead on a song and we are so excited to feature her on this Beatles classic “Here Comes the Sun,” written by George Harrison. Enjoy! |
| Source: | YouTube |
 Best regards,  Newsletter Editor 73 DE K9IQY Licensed since 1957 |
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