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| Wireless News Aggregation |
| Friday — November 20, 2015 — Issue No. 684 |
Dear Friends of Wireless Messaging, Welcome back to The Wireless Messaging News. I regularly go “off topic” to keep things interesting in this newsletter. First a little background on one of my experiences with terrorism.
So naturally I have been following closely the events in Paris last week. I have come across an article written by a young lady from Illinois who is in Paris teaching school, and who was very near the locations where this horrific acts of terrorism occurred. I don't know her personally, but she is related to a close friend of mine. She gave me permission to reproduce her article in this issue, so you will find it in THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK section near the end of the newsletter. I particularly like this report because it comes from a young lady who is very smart, and who is not connected with—or influenced by—one of the big news networks. I hope you enjoy it. Now on to the news and views.
| Wayne County, Illinois
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. Back To Paging
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Today's Formative Internet of Things Is Probably Doomed, Say Computer ScientistsWritten by MICHAEL BYRNE To build the Internet of Things we have to first know how, exactly, it's defined, which also means understanding where it came from and what it encompasses in its current, still-primordial state. Such a wide-angle perspective is the goal of a team of South Korean computer scientists, who ask in a recent paper in the International Journal of Web and Grid Services, "Really, what is the internet of things?" It's not so much that there's a lack of answers to the question so much as there is an overabundance. This seems to be the thrust of the group's report, anyway. “Despite the hype about the IoT, there appears to be confusion about what the IoT really is, i.e. whether the IoT is 'anything new,' and how it works, i.e. how it is put together,” the write. “In a sense, the IoT is not really new. All the components of the IoT have been around for some time: the Internet, smart embedded devices, sensors of various types and communication technologies that connect devices. There have been numerous services where devices collect data from sensors, and transmit it to other devices or central servers ( e.g. capsule endoscopy, RFID receiver), and where applications actuate and manage remote devices ( e.g. telematics, vacuum-cleaning robots).” Indeed, the bare idea of connecting machines to each other in a network is not especially new. The first “thing” or device connected to the internet is often taken to be a Coke machine at Carnegie Melon University. It could tell its masters (computer science grad students) whether or not it was empty and whether or not each individual bottle was warm of cold. So, we had a thing connected to the internet even before we had personal computers (mostly), but the South Koreans make an interesting point that the IoT is more so a matter of scale. Thousands or even millions of machine-only IP addresses added to the internet is one thing, but the 30 billion devices forecast to comprise the IoT by 2020 means that the IoT is really just the internet itself, as human users will be increasingly dwarfed by Coke machines, thermostats, cars, and smart-meters, among billions of other things.
Beyond offering a rough Wikipedia-ish sketch of the IoT — the high-level view of how it's implemented, what it means for specific industries, etc. — the group points out that managing all of this hardware and data will require a vast new industry and will come with a few fairly gnarly challenges. Devices need to be cheaper, more energy efficient, more secure, and easier to program. Meanwhile, accommodating all of these new IP addresses will require global adoption of the IPv6 internet protocol, e.g. the thing that allows traffic to be routed across the internet according to a uniform communications scheme. Hence, the paper offers a rather bleak outlook on the contemporary, formative internet of things. Namely, we can probably expect most of it to go the way of that Coke machine. “Although many IoT applications have come to the market, the big challenge is to develop IoT applications and business models that will fill the unmet needs and wants of users and will make a lot of money for the providers,” the authors conclude. “Many of the current applications are just testing the market. Although many are getting some attention from the trade press and early adopting users, we think most of them will not be successful in their current form, as it has always been the case when a new paradigm or new application possibilities open up.” |
| Source: | Motherboard | (Thanks to Peter Barnett) |
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Can BlackBerry make a comeback? T-Mobile CEO thinks soT-Mobile CEO John Legere and COO Mike Sievert share their thoughts on the wireless world via a word association game.
T-Mobile CEO John Legere doesn't believe struggling smartphone maker BlackBerry is down for the count. “On a comeback,” Legere said last week when asked his thoughts on BlackBerry. The words of support, rare at a time when many are skeptical about BlackBerry's prospects, represent a remarkable turnaround between two companies that severed ties during a spat in 2014. The pair started to make up earlier this year when T-Mobile customers were given the chance to buy a BlackBerry Classic in May. BlackBerry, which has seen its smartphone sales plunge over the last several years, this month released the Priv , its first smartphone powered by Google's Android software . AT&T is the first US carrier to sell the device. “While we don't carry the Priv right now, we may have something to report soon,” a T-Mobile spokeswoman said. "We are definitely talking with BlackBerry." BlackBerry is pleased with the support. “I'm energized about our renewed relationship with T-Mobile and I'm excited about what 2016 will bring we continue to move forward together,” BlackBerry CEO John Chen said Sunday in an e-mail. Legere's response about BlackBerry was the most insightful answer to come out of a word association game that he and Chief Operating Officer Mike Sievert played with CNET last week. Legere held back his well-known sarcasm in most of his responses, instead letting his lieutenant take on the role of heavy. His response on Verizon? “Red.” His suggestion for Sprint? “School bus.” That's a far cry from the first time Legere played the word association game with CNET in September 2014 when he said AT&T “sucks” and Verizon was “worse.” Sievert, however, was the candid one this time. In this latest round, he called AT&T “greedy” and said Sprint was “in a tough spot.” AT&T declined to comment. Sprint couldn't be reached for comment. On Net neutrality, the principle of equal treatment of Internet traffic, Legere responded “supportive.” That response comes in the context of critics who assert that T-Mobile is hurting Net neutrality with its unlimited-streaming program Binge On , which kicked in Sunday. Sievert answered “lots” in response to “spectrum,” the radio frequencies critical to carrying YouTube videos, phone calls and text messages through the air. T-Mobile plans to participate in next year's government auction of spectrum, which could eventually boost its coverage. While all of the carriers are busy finishing the deployment of their 4G networks, some are looking ahead to 5G . When asked about the next-generation wireless technology, Sievert said “2020.” On a lighter note, Legere is a well-known comic book fan. (He's previously said he believes he's Batman.) But Sievert apparently is not. He was stumped by Green Lantern. Sievert's response of “superhero” prompted Legere to quip, “You suck at this.” Legere revealed his abiding loyalties when asked about Superman. “He gets killed by Batman,” Legere said. |
| Source: | c|net |
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November 17, 2015 09:30 ET Critical Alert Announces New Smartphone Application for Secure, HIPAA-Compliant Text Messaging and PagingPowerful, Flexible System Provides Full Pager Functionality on Smartphones, Tablets & Windows Desktop
JACKSONVILLE, FL—(Marketwired — November 17, 2015) — Critical Alert Systems , a leading provider of nurse call and messaging solutions for hospitals and health systems, today announced its new Critical Alert Secure Texting (CAST) and paging app designed to work with smartphones. The CAST system enables two-way, encrypted, HIPAA-compliant communications between Web-enabled iPhones, iPads, Android phones and tablets, as well as computers running Windows 7 or 8. CAST can operate as a fully functional stand-alone system or in conjunction with existing operator consoles, messaging software, or paging systems. It is scheduled for availability in early-to-mid Q1 2016. “Healthcare organizations of all sizes have rapidly adopted smartphones and tablets to help improve patient care and communications between internal staff and external partners,” said Dan Shaw, Senior Vice President of Messaging Operations for Critical Alert Systems. “CAST provides a flexible, economical and easy-to-deploy secure communications solution for both text messages and paging.” CAST allows clinicians and caregivers to instantly share critical patient data in the field when removed from traditional clinical applications and locations. While smartphones have revolutionized the ease by which we communicate in a healthcare setting, they have increased the challenges and risks to maintaining the security of Protected Health Information (PHI) and with meeting complex regulatory requirements. From an IT perspective, CAST enables secure, compliant messaging without placing additional burden or resource requirements on the IT staff and communications infrastructure. Follow Critical Alert Systems on LinkedIn , Twitter , and YouTube . In addition to text messages, CAST can securely send and receive images, video, and even voice memos. Pages can be directed to a user's smartphone or tablet, reducing the need to carry an extra communications device or respond to unnecessary clinical interruptions. World Class Cloud Hosting Provider CAST is easily deployed as a cloud-enabled application where administrative access, control, and patient data is maintained in a secure, HIPAA-compliant data center owned and operated by Online Tech, one of the industry's most trusted and experienced hosting providers. Online Tech data centers meet the highest standards for reliability and security with certification for HIPAA, SOC2, PCI DSS, and Safe Harbor Audits. Key CAST Features: Security, Compliance & Administration
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About Critical Alert Paging Critical Alert Systems has thousands of customers and over 3 decades of experience in developing powerful paging systems and solutions and in providing excellent customer service in the communications industry. Because of its unique frequency, signal strength, and reliable infrastructure, Paging systems are still the fastest and most reliable technology for critical communications, especially in the event of a natural disaster or other types of emergencies. Watch Paging Video: About Critical Alert Systems Critical Alert Systems offers the most advanced, easy-to-use, reliable and secure Nurse Call solution on the market. Our suite of software, hardware products and integrated partner offerings help hospitals drive down costs while improving their quality of care. Our focus on clinical productivity, innovative use of technology and patient safety leads to quieter, more efficient units, improved outcomes for patients and better utilization of nursing resources. For more information, please visit: www.nursecall.com . Critical Alert is a trademark of Critical Alert Systems. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. |
| Source: | MarketWired |
| STI Engineering |
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Walmart is selling $10 Android phonesWalmart has a pair of LG Android phones on sale for a shockingly low price. by Ron Amadeo — Nov 16, 2015 12:40pm CST
What a difference a year makes. This time last year, we were blown away by the fact that you could get a smartphone for $35 . Sure, you were stuck running Firefox OS, but it was amazing to get a functional pocket computer for that much money. Walmart's latest smartphone selection makes that $35 Firefox phone look positively expensive, though: America's biggest retailer is now selling an Android phone for ten bucks. Two phones, actually—the LG “Sunrise” L15G and LG “Lucky” LG16 are GSM and CDMA versions of the same basic $10 TracFone prepaid phone. They have a 3.8-inch 480×320 LCD, a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 200 SoC, a 3MP rear camera, a 1540 mAh battery, and 4GB of storage with “up to 1.15 GB” of usable space. The RAM isn't listed on LG's spec sheet . We're going to guess it's more than “zero gigabytes,” but not much more. The devices have microSD slots and even come with a 4GB SD card. You get Wi-Fi B, G, and N, along with Bluetooth 4.0. There's no NFC, 4G, or front-facing camera. The phones run Android 4.4, a two-year-old version of Android, along with LG's Android skin and access to Google Play. The phones will be grossly insecure, but at least Google Play is rather good at bringing new features to old versions of Android . It shouldn't be too bad for $10. The $10 price is a sale price, and Amazon lists the MSRP as $60. The device will be locked to Tracfone service, so we suspect there is some subsidizing going on here. There is no contract, though, so you could pick up a (supposedly) completely functional, working Android device for $10. |
| Source: | ARS Technica |
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FCC Delays Incentive Auction Filing DeadlinesFCC Delays Incentive Auction Filing Deadlines Forward Auction Applications Now Due by 6 pm on February 9th Due to the FCC’s revision of data/prices for the reverse auction, the FCC is delaying both its forward and reverse auction application filing windows for the broadcast incentive auction. The new short-form deadline for clients who wish to participate in forward auction bidding for 600 MHz PEA licenses is 6:00 pm on February 9, 2016. The FCC Incentive Auction Task Force late yesterday issued revised baseline data and prices for the reverse auction ( i.e., identifying the coverage area and population served of each TV station to be protected in the repacking process) correcting information for what the Task Force characterizes as “a small number of stations.” As a result, the Task Force has issued revised reverse auction opening bid prices that have been recalculated to reflect the corrected baseline and constraint files. Forward auction upfront payments and minimum opening bids have not been changed . To give broadcasters at least 60 days after the release of the recalculated prices to evaluate whether to participate in the reverse auction, the Task Force is pushing back the Form 177 filing window for reverse auction applicants. The revised filing window for broadcasters will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on December 8, 2015 , and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 12, 2016 . The broadcasters’ filing window was previously scheduled to open on December 1, 2015, and close on December 18, 2015. Thus, in addition to being postponed by a week, the broadcasters’ filing window has also been extended by a couple of weeks. Moving the reverse auction filing window also impacts the short-form filing window for the forward auction of 600 MHz licenses. The new Form 175 filing window for our clients will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on January 26, 2016 , and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2016. This application window was originally scheduled to open on January 14, 2016, and close on January 28, 2016. Thus, the incentive auction filing deadline for our clients has been pushed back by twelve days but it remains a two week application window. Forward Auction Applications Now Due by 6 pm on February 9th. Due to the FCC’s revision of data/prices for the reverse auction, the FCC is delaying both its forward and reverse auction application filing windows for the broadcast incentive auction. The new short-form deadline for clients who wish to participate in forward auction bidding for 600 MHz PEA licenses is 6:00 pm on February 9, 2016. The FCC Incentive Auction Task Force late yesterday issued revised baseline data and prices for the reverse auction ( i.e., identifying the coverage area and population served of each TV station to be protected in the repacking process) correcting information for what the Task Force characterizes as “a small number of stations. As a result, the Task Force has issued revised reverse auction opening bid prices that have been recalculated to reflect the corrected baseline and constraint files. Forward auction upfront payments and minimum opening bids have not been changed. To give broadcasters at least 60 days after the release of the recalculated prices to evaluate whether to participate in the reverse auction, the Task Force is pushing back the Form 177 filing window for reverse auction applicants. The revised filing window for broadcasters will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on December 8, 2015, and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 12, 2016. The broadcasters’ filing window was previously scheduled to open on December 1, 2015, and close on December 18, 2015. Thus, in addition to being postponed by a week, the broadcasters’ filing window has also been extended by a couple of weeks. Moving the reverse auction filing window also impacts the short-form filing window for the forward auction of 600 MHz licenses. The new Form 175 filing window for our clients will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on January 26, 2016, and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2016. This application window was originally scheduled to open on January 14, 2016, and close on January 28, 2016. Thus, the incentive auction filing deadline for our clients has been pushed back by twelve days but it remains a two week application window. |
| Source: | Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP 2120 L Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 659-0830 Office (202) 828-5568 Fax http://www.bloostonlaw.com |
| BloostonLaw Newsletter |
Selected portions of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, and/or the BloostonLaw Private Users Update — newsletters from the Law Offices of Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP — are reproduced in this section with the firm’s permission.
Reverse Auction Application Workshop Rescheduled for Dec. 8On November 13, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that that the pre-auction process tutorial for the reverse auction will be available November 20, 2015, and the reverse auction application process workshop will be held on December 8, 2015. As previously announced, the auction will begin on March 29, 2016, which is the deadline for reverse auction applicants to commit to an initial bid option. HeadlinesCourt Sides with ILECs in Disputes over Access Charges for IntraMTA Wireless CallsThe US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, granted the LECs' motion to dismiss the complaints filed by IXCs alleging that the LECs improperly billed access charges for intraMTA wireless traffic. The court found that the filed rate doctrine bars plaintiffs’ federal-law claims and plaintiffs have failed to plead plausible state claims. On the federal claims, the court found that the LECs are entitled to rely on the filed rate doctrine because it is lawful under federal law to charge IXCs access fees for access services that the LECs provide to enable the IXCs to exchange interstate wireless intraMTA calls. The court based its ruling on Section 251(g) of the Communications Act that preserves interstate compensation arrangements, including access charges, until those arrangements are “explicitly superseded by regulations prescribed by the FCC.” According to the court, "[t]he question is whether the FCC has by regulation explicitly superseded the pre-February 8, 1996 statutory baseline that governs how access fees are charged for access services that LECs provide IXCs to enable them to exchange interstate wireless intraMTA calls. And the answer is, it has not." The court distinguished the various cases cited by the IXCs and found that none of the FCC orders, including the Transformation Order, met this standard. Thus, the court dismissed the plaintiffs’ federal-law claims with prejudice. With respect to their state law claims, the court concluded that plaintiffs failed to plead facially plausible state-law claims on which relief can be granted. According to the court, "[t]o the extent plaintiffs challenge defendants’ filed state tariffs on the basis that federal law prohibits access charges, the court has already concluded above that such charges are permissible under federal law. To the extent plaintiffs intend to challenge defendants’ filed state tariffs on the basis that they are prohibited under state law, plaintiffs have not plausibly pleaded any state laws that prohibit these charges." Finally, the court states "to the extent plaintiffs argue that the state tariffs themselves do not allow access charges for intrastate intraMTA calls, they have not plausibly pleaded that defendants’ charges for these types of calls violate the filed state tariffs." However, as to the state claims, the court will permit plaintiffs to re-plead their state-law claims to cure these deficiencies. According to the court, within 28 days of the date the memorandum opinion and order is filed, plaintiffs may file amended complaints that re-plead their state-law claims. Finally, the court denied a request by AT&T to refer the matter to the FCC, finding that there are no substantial issues for the FCC to decide because "the authority in place in 1996 for LECs to charge access fees for such services has not been explicitly superseded by FCC regulation." The issue of the treatment of intraMTA wireless traffic, however, is before the FCC in a pending Petition for Declaratory Ruling. FCC Delays Incentive Auction Deadlines; Forward Applications Now Due February 9thThe Incentive Auction Task Force last Friday released a revised version of Appendix I of the Auction 1000 Application Procedures Public Notice, the coverage area and population served of each television station to be protected in the repacking process. In light of the FCC’s revision of data/prices for the reverse auction, the FCC is delaying both its forward and reverse auction application filing windows for the broadcast incentive auction. The new short-form deadline for clients who wish to participate in forward auction bidding for 600 MHz PEA licenses is 6:00 pm on February 9, 2016. The revised baseline data and prices for the reverse auction (i.e., identifying the coverage area and population served of each TV station to be protected in the repacking process) corrects information for what the Task Force characterizes as “a small number of stations” and have led the Task Force to revise reverse auction opening bid prices for these stations. Forward auction upfront payments and minimum opening bids are not impacted by this change. To give broadcasters at least 60 days after the release of the recalculated prices to evaluate whether to participate in the reverse auction, the Task Force is delaying the Form 177 filing window for reverse auction applicants. The revised filing window for broadcasters will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on December 8, 2015, and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 12, 2016. The broadcasters’ filing window was previously scheduled to open on December 1, 2015, and close on December 18, 2015. Thus, in addition to being postponed by a week, the broadcasters’ filing window has also been extended by a couple of weeks. Because the proceedings are interrelated, moving the reverse auction filing window also impacts the short-form filing window for the forward auction of 600 MHz licenses. The new Form 175 filing window for our clients will open at 12:00 noon Eastern Time on January 26, 2016, and close at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 9, 2016. This application window was originally scheduled to open on January 14, 2016, and close on January 28, 2016. Thus, the incentive auction filing deadline for our clients has been pushed back by twelve days but it remains a two week application window. Copies of the FCC documents are linked below. Public Notice DA 15-1296 — https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-1296A1.pdf Updated DTV Baseline Data — https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-1296A2.pdf Revised Opening Bid Prices for Broadcasters — https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-15-1296A3.pdf FCC and FTC Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Consumer ProtectionOn November 16, the FCC announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to “further the agencies’ ongoing cooperation on consumer protection matters.” The memorandum outlines how the FCC and FTC will coordinate consumer protection efforts, including the methods by which the agencies will coordinate and share information and recognizes the agencies’ expertise in their respective jurisdictions. In addition, the memorandum recognizes the two agencies’ complementary authorities with regard to practices by common carriers. Specific prescriptions include:
The memorandum further indicates that the agencies will engage in joint enforcement actions where appropriate. FCC Releases Data on Broadband DeploymentOn November 10, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau announced that it has made available data on fixed and mobile broadband deployment as of December 31, 2014 that was collected through FCC Form 477. The data is available on the Commission’s Broadband Deployment Data – FCC Form 477 webpage at www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/broadband-deployment-data-fcc-form-477 . Users can download data on the census blocks where providers report offering fixed broadband services to at least part of the block. Coverage area maps showing mobile broadband network deployment for each combination of provider and network technology are also available for download. The Bureau has also provided an explanation of the modifications made to the data prior to its release and a description of the fields in the fixed broadband deployment data. This information is available on the Explanations of the Broadband Deployment Data webpage at www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/explanation-broadband-deployment-data . Unless otherwise noted there, the Bureau has released the data as filed. Law & RegulationFCC November Open Meeting Agenda ReleasedOn November 13, the FCC announced the official agenda for its November 18 Open Meeting, which is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. At the meeting, the FCC will consider:
As always, audio/video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC Live web page at www.fcc.gov/live . CGB Seeks Comment on Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Automated Text Message ConsentOn November 12, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau issued a public notice seeking comment on a petition for expedited clarification or, in the alternative, declaratory ruling filed by SUMOTEXT Corporation (Sumotext). Comments are due December 18, and reply comments are due January 8. In its Petition, Sumotext asks the FCC to confirm that when a company receives a text message from a consumer asking to receive more than one text message from the company, the disclosure requirements under the Commission’s rules are satisfied by a combination of: (1) the company's call-to-action ("CTA'') advertisement; (2) the content of the inbound text message request the consumer sent to the company; and (3) the content of the company's opt-in confirmation message reply to the consumer. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) requires prior express written consent for telemarketing calls, including text messages, that utilize an automatic telephone dialing system (autodialer) or an artificial or prerecorded voice. Under those rules, “prior express written consent” was defined as including a clear and conspicuous disclosure that the person signing the agreement authorized the other party to deliver telemarketing calls using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice and that the person is not required to provide such consent as a condition of purchasing any property, goods, or services. According to Sumotext, “the Commission should grant [its] petition to simply ensure that businesses will have a clear means to prove, through tangible electronic records, that all of the terms, conditions, and disclosures associated with a consumer’s prior express written consent to receive marketing messages under the TCPA were actually provided to the consumer who requested the content.” House Approves FCC Process Reform ActOn November 16, the House of Representatives approved legislation to increase transparency, efficiency, and accountability at the Federal Communications Commission. H.R. 2583, the FCC Process Reform Act of 2015, authored by Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), passed the House by a voice vote according to a press release issued today. The bill requires the FCC to:
The bill also makes changes to the Government in the Sunshine Act to allow more than two commissioners to meet privately when certain safeguards for transparency are met, and requires a report on actions the Commission can take to improve the participation of small businesses in FCC proceedings, publication on the FCC’s website of the status of a quarterly progress report, and publication of any internal policies established or changed by the chairman. “This bill is the product of a multi-year, bipartisan legislative process, bringing us to a place where we can at least begin to create a framework for more transparent and predictable rulemakings at the FCC,” said Walden. “By requiring the FCC to be more transparent in its rulemakings, and adopt procedures that create certainty, this legislation helps promote jobs, investment, and innovation in Michigan and across the country,” added full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). IndustryFCC Authorizes $16 Million in Rural Broadband Experiments FundingOn November 12, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing the authorization of $16,138,691.71 is rural broadband experiment funding for winning bids submitted by Skybeam, LLC (Skybeam), Daktel Communications, LLC (Daktel), Federated Telephone Cooperative (Federated), and Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative (Paul Bunyan). According to the Public Notice, the authorized funding will bring new broadband to 2,451 census blocks in five states. Federated and Paul Bunyan will receive disbarments in 120 equal monthly installments over the ten-year support term per the standard program distribution, while Skybeam and Daktel elected to receive 30 percent of the total support upfront in exchange for meeting accelerated deployment obligations DeadlinesJANUARY 15: HAC REPORTING DEADLINE. The next Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) reporting deadline for digital commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers (including carriers that provide service using AWS-1 spectrum and resellers of cellular, broadband PCS and/or AWS services) is Friday, January 15, 2016. Non-Tier I service providers must offer to consumers at least 50 percent of the handset models per air interface, or a minimum of ten handset models per air interface, that meet or exceed the M3 rating, and at least one-third of the handset models per air interface, or a minimum of ten handset models per air interface, that meet or exceed the T3 rating. Month-to-month handset offering information provided in annual reports must be current through the end of 2015. With many of our clients adjusting their handset offerings and making new devices available to customers throughout the year, it is very easy for even the most diligent carriers to stumble unknowingly into a non-compliance situation, resulting in fines starting at $15,000 for each HAC-enabled handset they are deficient. Following the T-Mobile USA Notice of Apparent Liability (FCC 12-39), the Commission’s enforcement policy calls for multiplying the $15,000 per-handset fine by the number of months of the deficiency, creating the potential for very steep fines. It is therefore crucial that our clients pay close attention to their HAC regulatory compliance, and monthly checks are strongly recommended. In this regard, we have prepared a HAC reporting template to assist our clients in keeping track of their HAC handset offerings, and other regulatory compliance efforts. ALL SERVICE PROVIDERS SUBJECT TO THE COMMISSION’S HAC RULES — INCLUDING COMPANIES THAT QUALIFY FOR THE DE MINIMIS EXCEPTION — MUST PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL HAC REPORTING. To the extent that your company is a provider of broadband PCS, cellular and/or interconnected SMR services, if you are a CMRS reseller and/or if you have plans to provide CMRS using newly licensed (or partitioned) AWS or 700 MHz spectrum, you and your company will need to be familiar with the Commission’s revised rules. 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. 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. Calendar At-A-Glance November December January February |
| This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. For additional information, please contact Hal Mordkofsky at 202-828-5520 or halmor@bloostonlaw.com . |
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Wireless Network Planners www.wirelessplanners.com
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Speech by Marchese Guglielmo Marconi
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| Source: | SoundCloud/com |
| LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
Hello Brad. . . Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Dan Small and have been in the wireless industry since 1975 (2 years after HP marketed the first consumer pocket calculator and 9 years before the first US Cellular network!). From 1975 to 1983 I worked for Tom Cook at his Interstate Radio Telephone venture in San Francisco, then from 1983 to 1989 at the merged IRT — Gencom. When Gencom sold to Pacific Telesis, I stayed with Pac Tel Paging, then onto AirTouch and Verizon Wireless Messaging and finally to American Messaging when Verizon sold off paging. Through these years, I was a Field Service Supervisor, Associate Director, Regional Engineer, Network Director and Sr. Engineer. I celebrated my 40 th anniversary at American Messaging in April and they laid me off in May. Additionally, I have served as the Western Region Disaster Communications Coordinator for the American National Red Cross and Communications Coordinator for the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Services in San Francisco, CA plus have operated a business specializing in custom 2 Way radio systems and telephony. I am currently trying to go it on my own doing consulting, project management system design and service specializing in “older” technologies such as analog and async data, SCADA, low speed data and paging. I have followed your newsletter for some time and see you have formed an advisory board. As I seem to have time on my hands since I’m no longer on call 24/7/365, I would be happy to assist in any way that I can. I’m always willing to share my vast knowledge of the industry and put in my two cents where it’s appropriate. Please feel free to contact me if you see the need!! Dan Daniel M. Small |
| UNTIL NEXT WEEK |
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| THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK |
“There are moments that the words don’t reach— November 13th in Paris”16/11/2015 First, let me say that we are fine. We were very close to the events in central Paris, but we are okay, as are our friends in Paris, thankfully. Now, I cannot believe that the last time I wrote was after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January. I cannot believe that I have only written this year following a major terrorist attack. I cannot believe that I can legitimately type that sentence, but alas, here we are, and I can’t not write about it. It’s strange because while this feels similar to January, it also feels altogether different. A moment where life got very real, very quickly. I felt that familiar, heavy feeling from January, but the scale and targets (not a satirical newspaper) made it so much more. Not that that makes it any better, mind you, but it does make it different . . . at least to me, it feels different. Our night started as we went to a bar to celebrate our friend’s birthday. We gave him his presents, we had some drinks, spoke some French, and it was all fun. About an hour and a half after we got to the bar, word started to spread that there was something going on in the city. It seemed random at first: there may have been a shooting near Oberkampf . (We were 10 minutes walking distance from there.) Then someone said something about bombs at the Stade de France, but Germany-France friendly was on TV, and they were still playing, so that couldn’t be true. It was strange. Information came in like that, slowly, at first. Someone would get a text message or check the news and say something, but it was slowly spread around the crowd. People were still drinking and having fun. Eventually, the news came faster, and then, all at once. The bar switched the channel to the news. Everyone was glued to their phones for a while, calling or texting someone they knew. Chelsea and I realized just how close we were to the Bataclan, and we called our parents to tell them we were okay. It still hadn’t quite hit anyone there just how bad it was until the bar employees locked us in. We were 10/15 minutes walking distance from the cafés and the Bataclan and some of these guys were in a car attacking places at random. So it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that they closed the metal curtains (rideaux) over the windows and doors locking everyone in for safety. And even if we could leave, the area was locked down. No cars, no metro lines were running. So we waited. We waited and waited, hearing more and more terrible news, feeling helpless . We sent messages to friends to check if they were safe. The worst part of the night (for us) was when we heard that a friend of ours was at the Stade de France and he hadn’t checked in with his girlfriend. We immediately offered to go to their place and wait with her (when we could), but he finally called back. There hadn’t been good signal because of the immense amount of people. He was close to one explosion, but he was fine. Relief. I’m not sure I have ever felt such relief before in my life. Finally, they unlocked the metal curtains. We could leave. But, with no metro or cars allowed near our location, we had to walk home. Only 20 minutes walk, but that was not an easy 20 minutes. When we got home, we continued to check in on everyone. People we knew were at Le Carillon earlier that day. They were okay. We were home. We were okay. So many others do not get to say that. So many do not get to go home and be safe because of some assholes who think that they are furthering their cause by killing innocents. Those who throw venom Because of some warped image of something claimed to be Islam. It’s not Islam. It’s radicalism and it’s terrorism. Terrorism. For the second time this year, I’m reflecting on an attack on a city that I live in. Terrorism. It’s not something easily understood. It’s something that is in your face. 10 minutes from our friend’s birthday celebration. 25 minutes from our apartment. . . It’s in your backyard, near your place of work, terrifying. To add to the madness, this evening (Sunday the 15th) with a large crowd paying respects to those lost and those still fighting for their lives. We met up with our friend whose birthday we celebrated Friday night, and were talking about everything when EVERYONE started running. Like water on rock, people were in a full on stampede, running over others, screaming. Mothers screaming for their children. Friends trying to follow friends. Sheer panic. We ran with the crowd. I tried to keep an eye on my friend and my sister. Then, someone opened their apartment to a crowd of us. Again, we waited. We eventually kept moving to another location farther away and waited until the news came around — FAUSSE ALERTE (False Alarm). More relief. Want to know what the fausse alerte was? Firecrackers. I cannot convey my anger in proper terms. I really can’t . How are people supposed to move on and continue if people keep doing stupid s__t like this? Now I sit here in our friend’s apartment just reflecting on it all. Over 130 people were brutally massacred. 80+ are critically injured and many more are hospitalized. The numbers fluctuate and the news just gets worse. A massive manhunt is underway for an 8 th accomplice. Stories of people pretending to be dead in order to survive. People are posting frantically on Facebook and Twitter looking for their lost loved ones. They haven’t heard news from them for days. I can’t imagine not knowing. We worried about our friend for 20 minutes in that bar Friday night and that was more than enough for me. Well . . . I say I can’t imagine, but I guess I’m more afraid to. Terrorism. It’s also infuriating. That a human being could do such things. Dare to hijack a religion and destroy human lives. But out of the darkness, I suppose there is light. Slowly there is light. Everyone we know messaged us to see if we were okay. There were people we hadn’t heard from in years that asked if we were safe. (Thank you) There are people opening their doors for others in the #PorteOuverte movement. Or offering just a shoulder, an ear, or a cup of tea to random strangers. Or helping others find their loved ones. Lines of blood donors to the point that hospitals are overloaded. The people that did gather in Place de la Republique in the face of the danger and the hatred. Stories of those who held others as they died. The unity and the solidarity. The humanity. And I will admit, it is hard to balance what I feel for Paris for the hurt in the rest of the world. Mostly because I live here currently. But everywhere — Beirut, Kenya, Baghdad — the world is bleeding. It is shocking no matter where this happens. My thoughts are there too. As my sister Aubrey said — “This is a horrific tragedy, and how we choose to respond to it is a mark of our character and values.” “There are moments that the words don’t reach This is just a random smash of words, but I needed to write something. The screams of the mothers after their children may not go away very soon, but moving forward in strength is all we can do, I guess.
Here’s a photo from Place de la République. “Même pas peur” — “Not afraid”
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| Source: | Roam-Relish-Record | Reprinted with the author's permission. |
| PHOTOS OF THE WEEK |
“Peace for Paris” Sketch
Friday's terror attacks in Paris produced an avalanche of empathy online, and proved once again the power of simple images to unite people in times of crisis. From Facebook's feature allowing users to overlay profile pics with a filter of the French flag to a Charlie Hebdo cartoonist's #ParisIsAboutLife sketch, the most affecting responses were simple and visual. And none was more compelling than Jean Jullien's sketch combining the Eiffel Tower and the peace symbol—an image made in just minutes on Friday that soon rocketed around the web, becoming a symbol of hope and defiance amid the grief. It was made by 32-year-old French designer and illustrator Jean Jullien , who tells Wired that he started on the sketch within about a minute of hearing news of the attacks. (He was on holiday at the time, not in Paris.) “It was done on my lap, on a very loose sketchbook, with a brush and ink,” he says. “I didn't do any sketches. It was a reaction. The first thing that came to me was the idea of peace, that we needed peace. I was trying to look for a symbol of Paris, and obviously the Eiffel Tower was the first thing that sprang to my mind. I just connected both of them. You know, there wasn't much work process behind that. It was more an instinctive, human reaction than an illustrator's reaction.” Jullien posted the image to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook on Friday with the caption "Peace for Paris." It quickly went viral. As of Monday morning, it had been retweeted almost 60,000 times, liked 160,000 times on Instagram and liked 24,000 times on Facebook. Instagram itself shared the image on its own account, crediting the artist—in a post that has 1.4 million likes . “We need symbols to express what [we] cannot say,” Steven Heller, author of a number of books on design, told Fast Company . “Images define and describe tragedies and other monumental happenings. It is as common as graffiti for an image to emerge in response to tragedy.” Jullien has become famous from the image, although that is little solace. “As of today, and in the light of the event, I can't really have any positive thoughts,” he tells Wired. “I'm sort of almost embarrassed to be getting that much exposure as a result of such a tragic event. However, it really shows that this is how we communicate not just as humans, but as a society. It can break down barriers. Sometimes it is difficult to shed light on what is true or not, but I think people have an instinctive sense of how to use these forms of communication. In cases like this, the things that need to spread, spread. And this seems to have been a very positive use of this form of hyper-communication.” |
| Source: | AdWeek |
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