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Welcome Back Wishing a safe and happy weekend for all readers of The Wireless Messaging News. Surfside Beach Fire strengthens communication with digital pagersBy Staci Inez Published: April 28, 2017, 1:43 pm SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WBTW) — The Surfside Beach Fire Department is on track to improve its communication with dispatchers to be able to respond to calls more quickly and know what to expect upon arrival. Horry County is creating a new paging system and recently required the Surfside Beach Fire Department to upgrade its current pagers to new, digital pagers. With help from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, the Surfside Beach Fire Department received a grant for about $8,000 to purchase the equipment. “We’ve got these men and women who have dedicated their lives to protect ours and we want to be sure they have the best tools to make that happen,” said Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Director Robin Peters. With the new pagers, firefighters will be able to read on a screen what type of call they are responding to. Previously, they were only able to listen to the type of call, so if they didn’t hear information like an address, they would be slowed down by asking dispatch to repeat it. “We no longer have to be able to hear the pager; all we have to do is read it and we can tell what type of a call it is,” said Surfside Beach Fire Chief Kevin Otte. “It helps us to realize what type of equipment we will need to respond and how many personnel we may need to respond as well.” The department will have 45 new pagers, and Chief Otte said they are expecting to begin using them within the next two months. [source] Now on to more 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. Subscribe IT'S FREE * required field If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter just fill in the blanks in the form above, and then click on the “Subscribe” button. There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. It’s all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology.
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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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A ProblemThe Motorola Nucleus II Paging Base Station is a great paging transmitter. The Nucleus I, however, had some problems. One of the best features of this product was its modular construction. Most of the Nucleus' component parts were in plug-in modules that were field replaceable making maintenance much easier. One issue was (and still is) that two of the modules had to always be kept together. They are called the “matched pair.” Motorola used some tricks to keep people in the field from trying to match unmatched pairs, and force them to send SCM and Exciter modules back to the factory for calibrating them with precision laboratory equipment. The serial numbers have to match in the Nucleus programing software or you can't transmit . Specifically the 4-level alignment ID parameter contained in the SCM has to match the Exciter ID parameter.Even if someone could modify the programing software to “fudge” these parameters, that would not let them use unmatched modules effectively without recalibrating them to exact factory specifications. So now that there is no longer a Motorola factory laboratory to send them to, what do we do? I hope someone can help us resolve this serious problem for users of the Nucleus paging transmitter. Please let me know if you can help. [ click here ] [Thanks to Tom Harger Chief Engineer at Contact Wireless for the correction above in red.]
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Spok Reports 2017 First Quarter Operating Results; Software Bookings and Backlog Increase, Wireless Trends ImproveBoard Declares Regular Quarterly Dividend, Authorizes $10 Million Stock Repurchase Program April 26, 2017 04:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time SPRINGFIELD, Va.—(BUSINESS WIRE)— Spok Holdings, Inc. global leader in healthcare communications, today announced operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. In addition, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.125 per share, payable on June 23, 2017 to stockholders of record on May 23, 2017. 2017 First-Quarter Results:In the 2017 first quarter, consolidated revenue was $41.4 million, compared to $45.4 million in the first quarter of 2016 and $44.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Software revenue was $15.6 million in the first quarter of 2017, compared to $17.2 million in the first quarter of 2016. Wireless revenue totaled $25.8 million in the first quarter, compared to $26.5 million in the prior quarter and $28.2 million in the prior-year quarter. Net income for the first quarter of 2017 was $0.9 million, or $0.04 per share, compared to $3.4 million, or $0.17 per share, in the first quarter of 2016. First quarter EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and accretion) totaled $4.6 million, or 11.1 percent of revenue, down from $7.9 million, or 17.8 percent of revenue, in the prior quarter, and $9.1 million, or 20.1 percent of revenue, in the first quarter of 2016. Other key results and highlights for the first quarter of 2017 included:
Management Commentary:“We are encouraged with our performance in the first quarter of 2017 and believe that it provides a solid base for the remainder of the year,” said Vincent D. Kelly, chief executive officer. “We posted the largest first quarter software bookings result in our history and saw strong year-over-year performance in a number of other key operating measures, including average deal size, number of new logo deals, backlog levels, as well as wireless subscriber retention. We achieved these results, as we increased our investment in our business by enhancing and upgrading our product development team and tools, as well as our sales infrastructure and management. As we have previously outlined, while these investments will lower our margins over the next several years, we believe this effort will yield significant future benefits in the form of our improved, integrated communication platform, Spok Care Connect®, as well as higher future bookings levels, and ultimately margins, supported by our enhanced and upgraded sales team. Overall, we continued to operate profitably, enhance our product offerings, and operate as a debt-free company. We also executed against our capital allocation strategy, by continuing to make key strategic investments in our business while returning cash to our stockholders during the quarter in the form of dividends.” Commenting on software results, Kelly said: “We were particularly pleased with the strong software bookings levels, as we posted the largest first quarter results in our company’s history.” Kelly also attributed a more than 99 percent renewal rate on software maintenance contracts as a key driver of software revenue levels. Similar to Spok’s wireless revenue stream, software maintenance revenue is a largely recurring revenue stream that provides the Company with a more stable revenue base. Kelly said first quarter bookings of $19.8 million included record highs for both operations and maintenance, while the software backlog of $40.6 million at March 31 st was up more than 10 percent from the prior year quarter. “We will continue to focus on generating activity through the remainder of the year and are encouraged as bookings included sales to both new and current customers, with existing customers adding products and applications to expand their portfolio of communications solutions. Customer demand remained strongest for upgrades to call center solutions, healthcare applications to increase patient safety, and improved nursing workflows.” Kelly added: “We continue to see growing demand for our software solutions for smartphone communications, secure texting, emergency management, and clinical alerting.” Kelly noted that in addition to the Company’s quarterly financial performance, progress was made in several other areas, including product development, sales strategy and key strategic partnership agreements. “Spok continues to build an industry-leading reputation, and is generating sales momentum at the conferences we attend,” commented Kelly. “During the quarter, we generated tremendous activity from tradeshows and positioned Spok as a thought-leader in our industry. At the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) conference, our chief nursing officer hosted a focus group to discuss nursing challenges in the current healthcare environment. We also continue to benefit from the leads generated at the 2017 HIMSS Annual Conference that we attended in late February. Our sales teams intend to carry the momentum generated at these conferences and tradeshows throughout 2017. The combination of Spok’s strong team, solid financial base and industry-leading products and services, positions us to capture the opportunity in our chosen markets and stimulate sustainable growth.” The Company posted solid results for its wireless products and services in the first quarter. Gross pager placements of 28,000 and gross disconnects of 48,000 were in-line with the year-earlier quarter. “As a result, annual net pager losses declined to an historical low of 5.4 percent, on a twelve-month trailing basis, and were 1.8 percent in the first quarter, in-line with the prior-year quarter,” continued Kelly. “Overall, wireless sales efforts continued to focus primarily on our core market segments of Healthcare, Government and Large Enterprise, which represented approximately 92.3 percent of our subscriber base and 90.5 percent of our paging revenue at quarter end. Healthcare comprised 79.7 percent of our subscriber base, and continued to be our best performing market segment with the highest rate of gross placements and lowest rate of unit disconnects.” Spok returned capital to stockholders, totaling $7.7 million, in the first quarter of 2017. During the period, the Company paid $2.6 million in regular quarterly dividends and $5.1 million in the special dividend that was declared in December 2016 and paid in January 2017. Kelly added, “Throughout 2017, we will remain focused on returning value to our shareholders through our capital allocation strategy, which includes dividends and key strategic investments in our products and business that will create sustainable growth. We continue to evaluate our capital allocation strategy on a quarterly basis and will communicate our plans to you with respect to dividends, potential share repurchases and other uses of capital.” Stock Repurchase Authorization:The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $10 million of the Company’s common stock through 2017 on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. “Spok’s management team and Board of Directors firmly believe in our long-term growth prospects,” said Kelly. “We intend to utilize our healthy balance sheet and the ability to generate operating cash flow to fund the new repurchase program, which we believe will create further value for our stockholders.” The timing and the amount of any repurchases of common stock will be determined by Spok’s board based on its evaluation of market conditions and other factors. Repurchases of common stock will be made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which would permit common stock to be repurchased when the Company might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws. The repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Any repurchased common stock will be available for use in connection with the Company's stock plans and for other corporate purposes. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Transition:Late in the first quarter, Spok announced that Michael W. Wallace had joined the Company as its new CFO. He succeeded Shawn E. Endsley in that position, who has continued with the company in the role of Chief Accounting Officer. Wallace brings with him a proven ability to manage the finance function in a rapidly growing and changing environment and implementing strategies for improving revenue and profitability. “I am excited to welcome Mike to Spok’s management team, where he has already had an immediate impact as we continue our transition from a telecom-based wireless company to a software provider that delivers industry-leading unified healthcare communications solutions,” said Kelly. “We are particularly impressed with Mike’s deep experience in medical diagnostic services, software development, digital/interactive marketing and regulatory compliance.” Business Outlook:Commenting on the Company’s previously provided financial guidance for 2017, Wallace noted: “We are pleased that quarterly results were consistent with our expectations and we are maintaining the 2017 guidance range that we provided last quarter.” With regard to financial guidance for 2017, Wallace reiterated that the Company expects total revenue to range from $161 million to $177 million, operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and accretion) to range from $153 million to $159 million, and capital expenditures to range from $8 million to $12 million. 2017 First-Quarter Call and Replay:The Company plans to host a conference call for investors to discuss its 2017 first quarter results at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 27, 2017. Dial-in numbers for the call are 719-325-2126 or 800-210-9006. The pass code for the call is 6321677. A replay of the call will be available from 1:00 p.m. ET on April 27, 2017 until 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 11, 2017. To listen to the replay, please register at http://tinyurl.com/spokQ1earningsreplay . Please cut and paste this address into your browser, enter the registration information, and you will be given access to the replay. About Spok Spok Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPOK), headquartered in Springfield, Va., is proud to be the global leader in healthcare communications. We deliver clinical information to care teams when and where it matters most to improve patient outcomes. Top hospitals rely on the Spok Care Connect® platform to enhance workflows for clinicians, support administrative compliance, and provide a better experience for patients. Our customers send over 100 million messages each month through their Spok ® solutions. When seconds count, count on Spok. For more information, visit spok.com or follow @spoktweets on Twitter. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act: Statements contained herein or in prior press releases which are not historical fact, such as statements regarding Spok’s future operating and financial performance, are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Spok’s actual results to be materially different from the future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expectations include, but are not limited to, declining demand for paging products and services, continued demand for our software products and services, our ability to develop additional software solutions for our customers and manage our development as a global organization, the ability to manage operating expenses, future capital needs, competitive pricing pressures, competition from both traditional paging services and other wireless communications services, competition from other competition from other software providers, government regulation, reliance upon third-party providers for certain equipment and services, as well as other risks described from time to time in our periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although Spok believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be attained. Spok disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements. [Financial Tables at source.] |
Source: | BusinessWire |
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2.4GHz is a headache for Wi-Fi users, and it’s here to stayWLAN experts share tips on how to deal with 2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz Wi-Fi By Jon Gold SENIOR WRITER, NETWORK WORLD
Current-generation Wi-Fi technology lives in the 5GHz band. Almost all of the major innovation in wireless standards takes place in the relatively untroubled frequencies around 5GHz (and well above), where there’s little radio competition and the living is easy. But wireless LAN users can’t just stay comfortable in the 5GHz realm – the older 2.4GHz frequency bands are a necessary part of most wireless implementations, and they’re rarely a favorite of the people who have to build and operate Wi-Fi networks. LIVING WITH 2.4GHZ WLANS There are several reasons for that, according to author and WLAN expert Keith Parsons. For one thing, older Wi-Fi devices are forced to share a much more limited number of channels in and around the 2.4GHz bands. Part of the reason that 2.4GHz Wi-Fi spectrum is so crowded is that manufacturers continue to make endpoints that depend on it, instead of switching to 5GHz, Parsons tells Network World. “Perhaps not in smartphones or tablets, but many Chromebooks are 2.4GHz only, even today,” he says. Adrian McCaskill, a wireless architect for World Wide Technology, says that the effect of frequency overcrowding is to limit the amount of air time individual devices have to send and receive data. “The 2.4GHz spectrum is really noisy compared to 5GHz in general,” he says. “So devices have to wait longer times to get access to the medium. And if you have to support even one legacy 2.4GHz (802.11b ) client it slows down the entire 2.4 environment for all devices. It's definitely a balancing act.” Some users take the direct approach to the 802.11b problem, like University of Michigan principal systems security development engineer Walt Reynolds. “We offer the coverage for those who still have devices that need it,” he said, “but we do disable the [802.11]b rates to eliminate those rates slowing down users’ connections.” Another reason for 2.4GHz-related headaches is a simple lack of space – in the 5GHz ranges, there’s 500MHz of usable spectrum, but just 80MHz for 2.4GHz. What’s more, the fact that the frequency is lower means that its signals propagate farther. While effective range is nice, this also means that it’s much easier for 2.4GHz access points to interfere with one another. 2.4GHz devices not only share that limited amount of spectrum with each other, but with a host of other radio technologies that can potentially interfere with signals. Everything from Bluetooth to old-style cordless phones to wireless cameras and all sorts of embedded devices use the frequency bands around 2.4GHz. That’s not necessarily the exclusive fault of the device makers, according to Farpoint Group principal and Network World contributor Craig Mathias. Embedded wireless devices — particularly in fields like medicine — can be very tough to upgrade or replace. “The government can also take a very long time approving new devices and new radios in regulated applications, so many users are just stuck,” he says. According to Mathias, there’s nothing inherently wrong with 2.4GHz — the real issue is that the outdated 802.11g standard that still has to be used in some settings is garbage. Future Wi-Fi standards should change that, however. “[802.11ax] should work just fine in the 2.4GHz bands and may finally be the nail in the coffin of .11g that we all so richly need and deserve,” he says. OFFERING WLAN ADVICE Working successfully with 2.4GHz isn’t simple, but Parsons says that architecting for 5GHz first can help both frequency ranges.
“Backfill with just enough 2.4GHz to make those devices meet their requirements,” he advises. “The only devices that should be on the 2.4GHz network are those that cannot do 5GHz.” Mathias adds that minimizing the use of outdated wireless tech is the best idea for a smoothly functioning environment. “In general, we recommend to clients that they eliminate the use of all Wi-Fi technologies before .11n (including .11g), but such is not always easy,” he says. “11n in the 2.4 bands works just fine … and there's really no reason not to use it.” This story, "2.4GHz is a headache for Wi-Fi users, and it’s here to stay" was originally published by Network World. |
Source: | TechConnect |
RF Demand Solutions |
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Leavitt Communications |
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Swissphone |
Disaster-Proven Paging for Public SafetyPaging system designs in the United States typically use a voice radio-style infrastructure. These systems are primarily designed for outdoor mobile coverage with modest indoor coverage. Before Narrowbanding, coverage wasn’t good, but what they have now is not acceptable! The high power, high tower approach also makes the system vulnerable. If one base station fails, a large area loses their paging service immediately! Almost every technology went from analog to digital except fire paging. So it’s time to think about digital paging! The Disaster-Proven Paging Solution (DiCal) from Swissphone offers improved coverage, higher reliability and flexibility beyond anything that traditional analog or digital paging systems can provide. Swissphone is the No. 1 supplier for digital paging solutions worldwide. The Swiss company has built paging networks for public safety organizations all over the world. Swissphone has more than 1 million pagers in the field running for years and years due to their renowned high quality. DiCal is the digital paging system developed and manufactured by Swissphone. It is designed to meet the specific needs of public safety organizations. Fire and EMS rely on these types of networks to improve incident response time. DiCal systems are designed and engineered to provide maximum indoor paging coverage across an entire county. In a disaster situation, when one or several connections in a simulcast solution are disrupted or interrupted, the radio network automatically switches to fall back operating mode. Full functionality is preserved at all times. This new system is the next level of what we know as “Simulcast Paging” here in the U.S.
Swissphone offers high-quality pagers, very robust and waterproof. Swissphone offers the best sensitivity in the industry, and battery autonomy of up to three months. First responder may choose between a smart s.QUAD pager, which is able to connect with a smartphone and the Hurricane DUO pager, the only digital pager who offers text-to-voice functionality. Bluetooth technology makes it possible to connect the s.QUAD with a compatible smartphone, and ultimately with various s.ONE software solutions from Swissphone. Thanks to Bluetooth pairing, the s.QUAD combines the reliability of an independent paging system with the benefits of commercial cellular network. Dispatched team members can respond back to the call, directly from the pager. The alert message is sent to the pager via paging and cellular at the same time. This hybrid solution makes the alert faster and more secure. Paging ensures alerting even if the commercial network fails or is overloaded. Swissphone sets new standards in paging: Paging Network
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Leavitt Communications |
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Pai Opts For Classifying Broadband From Commercial to Private ServiceAs he said he would, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai had the Commission release a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Open Internet yesterday. If passed, the changes proposed by the Chairman would include re-instating the classification of all internet access services, including both fixed and broadband, as information services. That means they’d revert back to being treated as private, rather than commercial services, an FCC official explained to reporters. In 2015, the internet access services were re-defined as common carrier services, Inside Towers reported. The Chairman said this week the change stifled broadband investment and deployment, especially in low-income urban and rural areas. The Small Business Administration considers the majority of the some 1,368 wireless telecom carriers to be small because most of them employ less than 1,000 people, according to the NPRM, citing U.S. Census Bureau data from 2012. Pai said smaller ISPs told the agency the re-classification introduced regulatory uncertainty into the broadband rollout, making it harder for them to get funding. The FCC also proposes to return authority of policing the privacy practices of ISPs to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC goes after companies for committing “unfair and deceptive trade practices,” according to an FCC official speaking on background. An example would be sharing a consumer’s sensitive information. The FTC “has strong enforcement authorities regardless of what the FCC does.” The current rules on the books would be enforced until any change is passed. The modifications were controversial before and remain so; the FCC received some four million comments on the issue before the last change in 2015; an agency official acknowledged that given the history of this issue, “it’s highly likely no matter what we do that this will end up in court,” meaning on appeal. Pai intends to brief members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee on his plans and seek guidance from lawmakers today. Meanwhile, the public is invited to comment on the issue; those are due by July 17, to WC Docket 17-108. |
Source: | Inside Towers |
Wireless Communication Solutions USB Paging Encoder
Paging Data Receiver (PDR)
Other products Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.
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BloostonLaw Newsletter |
Selected portions [sometimes more—sometimes less] 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 of The Wireless Messaging News with the firm’s permission. Contact information is included at the end of the newsletter.
REMINDER: STUDY AREA BOUNDARY RECERTIFICATION DUE MAY 26In addition to the obligation to submit updated information when study area boundaries change, all ILECs are required to recertify their study area boundary data every two years. The recertification is due this year by May 26, 2017. Where the state commission filed the study area boundary data for an ILEC, the state commission should submit the recertification. However, where the state commission did not submit data for the ILEC and the ILEC submitted the study area boundary data, then the ILEC should submit the recertification by May 26, 2017. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. HeadlinesFCC Adopts Business Data Service Order in Price Cap Areas, Final Text Not Yet AvailableAt its April 20 Open Meeting, the FCC adopted an Order “moderniz[ing] regulation in significant portions of the [Business Data Service] market” in price cap areas. While the final text of the Order is not yet available, a Press Release indicates that key findings and resulting changes include the following:
On April 19, the European Union’s Delegation to the United States of America wrote a letter to the FCC expressing concern with the draft Order. According to the letter, the Order may be harmful for consumers and competition and will contribute to “imbalance in BDS regulatory practices that already exists between the U.S. and the EU and other nations.” The Delegation asked the FCC to re-examine the conclusions of the draft Order, particularly with regard to how competition is defined and whether competition has indeed been realized in the BDS market. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. FCC Adopts NPRM/NOI on Pole Attachment, Copper Retirement, and State Law PreemptionOn April 21, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Notice of Inquiry, and Request for Comment on “a number of actions designed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks and services by removing barriers to infrastructure investment.” Comment deadlines have not yet been established. Several important topics addressed in the voluminous document are highlighted below. Pole Attachment. The FCC is seeking comment on ways to reduce pole attachment costs and speed access to utility poles. Proposals include:
Copper Retirement. The FCC proposes a number of revisions to Part 51 network change disclosure rules and seeks comment on streamlining and/or eliminating provisions of the more generally applicable network change notification rules. Proposals include:
Section 214 Discontinuance. The FCC proposed a number of targeted measures to shorten timeframes and eliminate process encumbrances that are part of the discontinuance process. Proposals include:
State Laws Inhibiting Broadband Deployment. The FCC also sought comment on how it could adopt rules that would help decrease State-sponsored impediments to broadband deployment. Such rules would be aimed at:
Other Matters. The FCC also sought comment on:
BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. FCC Grants Petition for Reconsideration of USF Construction LimitsOn April 26, the FCC released its Order on Reconsideration granting the petition for reconsideration filed by NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA) of the average per-location, per-project construction limitation on universal service support provided for in the Rate of Return Reform Order. According to the Order on Reconsideration, “amending the rule … will encourage carriers to plan cost-effective broadband deployment projects that include higher-cost locations, while maintaining adequate incentives for the efficient use of universal service funds.” Specifically, the “Maximum Average Per-Location Construction Project Limitation” rule will now disallow only the portion of a project’s expenses that exceed the average per-location threshold. Previously, the rule precluded carriers from seeking universal service support for all capital expenses associated with any construction project with average per-location costs above the limit. For example, under the old rule, , if a carrier subject to a $10,000 average per-location limitation developed a project costing $105,000 to serve 10 locations ( i.e., with an average cost per-location served of $10,500), the cost of the entire project would be disallowed. Under the revised rule, the carrier would report $100,000 ( i.e., $10,000 per location) for universal service support purposes and exclude $5,000 (i.e., the amount in excess of $10,000 per location). BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. FCC Adopts Order on Wireless Broadband DeploymentOn April 21, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry “commenc[ing] an examination of the regulatory impediments to wireless network infrastructure investment and deployment, and how it may remove or reduce such impediments consistent with the law and the public interest, in order to promote the rapid deployment of advanced wireless broadband service to all Americans.” Comment deadlines have not yet been established. Streamlining State and Local Review. In this section, the FCC attempts to address the process for reviewing and deciding wireless facility deployment applications conducted by State and local regulatory agencies. Proposals include: (i) a “deemed granted” remedy in which a non-Spectrum Act siting application would be “deemed granted” if a State or local agency responsible for land-use decisions fails to act on it by the applicable shot clock deadline and (ii) adopting different time frames for review of facility deployments not covered by the Spectrum Act. The FCC also seeks comment on whether some localities are continuing to impose moratoria or other restrictions on the filing or processing of wireless siting applications, including refusing to accept applications due to resource constraints or due to the pendency of state or local legislation on siting issues, or insisting that applicants agree to tolling arrangements. Reexamining NHPA and NEPA Review. In this section, the FCC takes a “comprehensive fresh look” at the rules and procedures implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) as they relate to the implementation of Title III of the Act in the context of wireless infrastructure deployment. Topics include:
Implementation of Sections 253(a) and 332(c)(7). Section 253(a) says that “[n]o State or local statute or regulation, or other State or local legal requirement, may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the ability of any entity to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service.” Section 332(c)(7) generally preserves State and local governments’ “authority . . . over decisions regarding the placement, construction, and modification of personal wireless service facilities,” but provides that their “regulation of [such activities] . . . shall not prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the provision of personal wireless services.” The FCC seeks comment on the scope of these statutory provisions and any new or updated guidance or determinations the FCC should provide pursuant to its authority under those provisions, including through the issuance of a Declaratory Ruling. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast. FCC Seeks Comment on Broadband-Enabled Health Care SolutionsOn April 24, the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking comment on “how it can help enable the adoption and accessibility of broadband-enabled health care solutions, especially in rural and other underserved areas of the country.” Comments are due May 24, and reply comments are due June 8. In seeking comment, the FCC focused on 7 objectives:
For each objective, the FCC poses several specific questions about areas in which it seeks to obtain more information. The specific questions can be found here . BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer. Law & RegulationD.C. Circuit Court Remands Lifeline Reform OrderOn April 19, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the FCC’s motion for voluntary remand of the Third Lifeline Modernization Order. The FCC will conduct further proceedings on the matter in the future. The Third Lifeline Modernization Order, released almost exactly one year ago to the day, allowed for Lifeline support for standalone fixed and mobile broadband services, as well as establishes minimum service standards for broadband and mobile voice services offered through the program. The Order also established the National Verifier, which was intended to transfer the responsibility of eligibility determination away from Lifeline providers, thereby lowering costs of conducting verification and reducing the risks of facing a verification-related enforcement action. The Order also created a streamlined federal Lifeline Broadband Provider (LBP) designation process as an alternative to the traditional ETC designation process, establishes an annual budget of $2.25 billion, and adopted other reforms to the recertification process. Chairman Pai has stated that broadband will remain a part of the lifeline program. However, he has expressed criticism over the FCC’s takeover of broadband-only lifeline designations, and it is unlikely the federal LBP designation process will remain. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Mary Sisak, and Sal Taillefer. IndustryPSHB Releases Report on 2016 EAS TestOn April 24, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHB) issued its report on the Emergency Alert System (EAS) test of September 28, 2016. According to the report, the 2016 Nationwide EAS Test demonstrated that the Internet-based distribution of alerts via Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) has “modernized the EAS and greatly improved the quality, effectiveness, and accessibility of EAS alerts.” However, the report indicates that “a range of operational and technical issues still remain that affect nationwide EAS test performance across all states:”
As a result, the PSHSB recommended that the FCC take the following measures to improve the quality of information available in emergency alerts:
Chairman Pai Announces Intent to Establish Diversity CommitteeOn April 21, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai made the following statement regarding his intent to establish a new federal advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment: “Every American should have the opportunity to participate in the communications marketplace, no matter their race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. In order to help the FCC advance that goal, I am pleased to announce that I intend to establish the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. This Committee will be charged with providing recommendations to the FCC on empowering all Americans. For example, the Committee could help the FCC promote diversity in the communications industry by assisting in the establishment of an incubator program and could identify ways to combat digital redlining. “Once the paperwork to stand up the Committee has been completed, the FCC will issue a Public Notice soliciting membership applications and providing additional details about the Committee’s work.” Commissioner Clyburn said, “I am pleased that Chairman Pai intends to establish a new federal advisory committee, known as the Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment. While no single initiative will solve the digital and opportunities divide, I believe that the formation of this Committee is the first of many steps the FCC can take to ensure all Americans have access to robust and affordable communications services. I look forward to working with the Committee to advance these important goals.” DeadlinesMAY 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 BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. MAY 26: STUDY AREA BOUNDARY RECERTIFICATION. In addition to the obligation to submit updated information when study area boundaries change, all ILECs are required to recertify their study area boundary data every two years. The recertification is due this year by May 26, 2017. Where the state commission filed the study area boundary data for an ILEC, the state commission should submit the recertification. However, where the state commission did not submit data for the ILEC and the ILEC submitted the study area boundary data, then the ILEC should submit the recertification by May 26, 2017. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. MAY 31: FCC FORM 395, EMPLOYMENT REPORT. Common carriers, including wireless carriers, with 16 or more full-time employees must file their annual Common Carrier Employment Reports (FCC Form 395) by May 31. This report tracks carrier compliance with rules requiring recruitment of minority employees. Further, the FCC requires all common carriers to report any employment discrimination complaints they received during the past year. That information is also due on May 31. The FCC encourages carriers to complete the discrimination report requirement by filling out Section V of Form 395, rather than submitting a separate report. Clients who would like assistance in filing Form 395 should contact the firm. BloostonLaw Contacts: Richard Rubino. JULY 3: FCC FORM 481 (CARRIER ANNUAL REPORTING DATA COLLECTION FORM). All eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must report the information required by Section 54.313, which includes outage, unfulfilled service request, and complaint data, broken out separately for voice and broadband services, information on the ETC’s holding company, operating companies, ETC affiliates and any branding in response to section 54.313(a)(8); its CAF-ICC certification, if applicable; its financial information, if a privately held rate-of-return carrier; and its satellite backhaul certification, if applicable. Form 481 must not only be filed with USAC, but also with the FCC and the relevant state commission and tribal authority, as appropriate. Although USAC treats the filing as confidential, filers must seek confidential treatment separately with the FCC and the relevant state commission and tribal authority if confidential treatment is desired. BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer. JULY 3: MOBILITY FUND PHASE I ANNUAL REPORT. Winning bidders in Auction 901 that are authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the Commission an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization. This year, July 1 falls on a Saturday; therefore, the report is due July 3. Each annual report must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the Commission, clearly referencing WT Docket No. 10-208; the Universal Service Administrator; and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate. The information and certifications required to be included in the annual report are described in Section 54.1009 of the Commission’s rules. BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer. JULY 31: FCC FORM 507, UNIVERSAL SERVICE QUARTERLY LINE COUNT UPDATE. Line count updates are required to recalculate a carrier's per line universal service support, and is filed with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). This information must be submitted on July 31 each year by all rate-of-return incumbent carriers, and on a quarterly basis if a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (CETC) has initiated service in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area and reported line count data to USAC in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area, in order for the incumbent carrier to be eligible to receive Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). This quarterly filing is due July 31 and covers lines served as of December 31, 2013. Incumbent carriers filing on a quarterly basis must also file on September 30 (for lines served as of March 31, 2014); December 30 (for lines served as of June 30, 2014), and March 31, 2015, for lines served as of September 30, 2014). BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak. JULY 31: CARRIER IDENTIFICATION CODE (CIC) REPORTS. Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Reports must be filed by the last business day of July (this year, July 31). These reports are required of all carriers who have been assigned a CIC code by NANPA. Failure to file could result in an effort by NANPA to reclaim it, although according to the Guidelines this process is initiated with a letter from NANPA regarding the apparent non-use of the CIC code. The assignee can then respond with an explanation. (Guidelines Section 6.2). The CIC Reporting Requirement is included in the CIC Assignment Guidelines, produced by ATIS. According to section 1.4 of that document: At the direction of the NANPA, the access providers and the entities who are assigned CICs will be requested to provide access and usage information to the NANPA, on a semi-annual basis to ensure effective management of the CIC resource. (Holders of codes may respond to the request at their own election). Access provider and entity reports shall be submitted to NANPA no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31, and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. It is also referenced in the NANPA Technical Requirements Document, which states at 7.18.6: CIC holders shall provide a usage report to the NANPA per the industry CIC guidelines … The NAS shall be capable of accepting CIC usage reports per guideline requirements on January 31 for the period ending December 31 and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. These reports may also be mailed and accepted by the NANPA in paper form. Finally, according to the NANPA website, if no local exchange carrier reports access or usage for a given CIC, NANPA is obliged to reclaim it. The semi-annual utilization and access reporting mechanism is described at length in the guidelines. BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy. Calendar At-A-GlanceApril May June This newsletter is not intended to provide legal advice. Those interested in more information should contact the firm. — CONTACTS —
Harold Mordkofsky, 202-828-5520,
hma@bloostonlaw.com
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Don't install the Windows 10 Creators Update on your own, Microsoft advisesWait for Windows Update to ensure your hardware works properly, Microsoft says. By Ian Paul Contributor, PCWorld | APR 26, 2017 7:03 AM PT Microsoft would prefer it if you didn't try to install the Windows 10 Creators Update yourself. Instead, the company is encouraging everyone but advanced users to wait for the Creators Update to become available via Windows Update. That means workarounds for excited users, like the Media Creation Tool or the Windows Update Assistant, are discouraged. The reason for all this hesitation, according to Microsoft, is that the company wants to iron out any issues for specific hardware configurations before making the upgrade available to affected PCs via Windows Update. Microsoft is doing this using the feedback mechanisms in Windows Insider builds, as well as general feedback from users currently running the Creators Update. Microsoft says it usually takes one of three steps when there's a problematic issue in the Creators Update:
One issue that Microsoft cites as an example is a problem with certain Broadcom bluetooth radios that are having connectivity issues. Microsoft posted some troubleshooting advice on the company's forums once the issue was identified. The company also temporarily blocked anyone else with the same radio from getting the Creators Update over Windows Update. The company plans to remove the block once a solution is found. The story behind the story: Microsoft's old school software testing team was greatly reduced a few years ago, and it's pretty clear that the Windows Insider program isn't picking up the slack in full. So it's not surprising to see Microsoft encourage patience for those who want to upgrade. The Anniversary Update also had several issues in its early days, such as Kindle devices triggering the dreaded BSOD, broken webcams, and the infamous freezing issue. Annoying, undiscovered bugs are likely the new normal for the early days of Windows feature releases. As a result, most users should get used to waiting a little longer than expected for Microsoft's latest and greatest. |
Source: | PCWorld |
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Wireless Network Planners
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THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK |
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” — Albert Einstein |
VIDEO OF THE WEEK |
To Bring The Change
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Source: | YouTube |
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