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Wishing a safe and happy weekend for all readers of The Wireless Messaging News.

There may some typos in this issue. I was trying to watch the presidential inauguration while doing the final editing today.

And that's why there is no editorial here as well.

I hope to hear from more readers with opinions on the health and wellbeing of the Paging Industry.

Wayne County, Illinois

Emergency Radio Communications Wireless Messaging Critical Messaging Two-way Radio Technology Telemetry Science Paging Wi-Fi

Wireless Messaging

This doesn't mean that nothing is ever published here that mentions a political party—it just means that the editorial policy of this newsletter is to remain neutral on all political issues. We don't take sides.

A new issue of the Wireless Messaging Newsletter is posted on the web each week. A notification goes out by e-mail to subscribers on most Fridays around noon central US time. The notification message has a link to the actual newsletter on the web. That way it doesn’t fill up your incoming e-mail account.

There is no charge for subscription and there are no membership restrictions. Readers are a very select group of wireless industry professionals, and include the senior managers of many of the world’s major Paging and Wireless Messaging companies. There is an even mix of operations managers, marketing people, and engineers — so I try to include items of interest to all three groups. It’s all about staying up-to-date with business trends and technology.

I regularly get readers’ comments, so this newsletter has become a community forum for the Paging, and Wireless Messaging communities. You are welcome to contribute your ideas and opinions. Unless otherwise requested, all correspondence addressed to me is subject to publication in the newsletter and on my web site. I am very careful to protect the anonymity of those who request it.

I spend the whole week searching the Internet for news that I think may be of interest to you — so you won’t have to. This newsletter is an aggregator — a service that aggregates news from other news sources. You can help our community by sharing any interesting news that you find.

Editorial Opinion pieces present only the opinions of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any of advertisers or supporters. This newsletter is independent of any trade association.

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FCC Reports 8 States, Puerto Rico Divert 9-1-1 Fees During 2015

By Sandra Wendelken, Editor
Radio Resource Media Group
Friday, January 13, 2017

An annual FCC report identifies eight states and Puerto Rico as diverting a portion of collected 9-1-1 fees for non-9-1-1 related purposes in 2015. Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Washington, and West Virginia used a portion of their 9-1-1/E9-1-1 funds to support non-9-1-1-related public-safety programs. Illinois, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico used a portion of their 9-1-1/E9-1-1 funds for either non-public-safety or unspecified uses.

The total amount of 911/E911 funds diverted by all reporting jurisdictions in calendar year 2015 was $220.3 million or about 8.4 percent of total 9-1-1 fees collected. Eight states diverted 9-1-1 fees during 2014.

The data is part of the commission’s eighth annual report to Congress on state collection and distribution of 9-1-1 and enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) fees and charges. The report covers the collection and distribution of 9-1-1 and E9-1-1 fees and charges for the calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2015, and was submitted to Congress Dec. 30, 2016.

The report also contains more detailed state-by-state information than prior annual reports. The additional information includes the number and type of 9-1-1 calls, the number of public-safety answering points (PSAPs) and telecommunicators, expenditure of funds for next-generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) services, deployment of emergency services IP networks (ESInets) and text-to-911 service, establishment of programs to support PSAP cybersecurity, and the extent of state-level oversight and auditing of collection and use of 9-1-1 fees.

Forty-nine states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands responded to this year’s expanded data request.

Thirty-six states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico reported spending 9-1-1/E9-1-1 funds on NG 9-1-1 programs in calendar year 2015. The total amount of reported NG 9-1-1 expenditures from 9-1-1/E9-1-1 fees was $164.8 million or about 6.26 percent of total 9-1-1/E9-1-1 fees collected. Thirteen states, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands reported not spending any money on NG 9-1-1.

Thirteen states and Puerto Rico reported having deployed statewide ESInets. Fifteen states reported having regional ESInets within the state, and 10 states reported local-level ESInets.

Forty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico reported on deployment of text to 9-1-1. Collectively, respondents reported 553 PSAPs as being text capable by the end of 2015 and projected that an additional 844 PSAPs would be text capable by the end of 2016.

Thirty-eight states, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands reported that they spent no 9-1-1 funds in 2015 on 9-1-1–related cybersecurity programs for PSAPs. Nine states and the District of Columbia reported cybersecurity-related expenditures.

The report finds that almost every reporting jurisdiction collects 9-1-1 fees from in-state subscribers, but many states lack authority to audit service providers to verify that the collected fees accurately reflect the number of in-state subscribers served by the provider. Eight states conducted audits in 2015.

The commission submits the report to Congress annually pursuant to the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008 (NET 911 Act), which requires the FCC to report whether 9-1-1 fees and charges collected by the states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Indian territories are being used for any purpose other than to support 9-1-1 E9-1-1 services. The FCC said its information collection does not include federal agencies or departments operating PSAPs or having 9-1-1 responsibilities.

The FCC requested public comment on the report and the information provided by states and other reporting entities. Comments are due Feb. 13, and reply comments are due March 15.

Source:

Radio Resource Media Group

Be sure your infrastructure is up and running with the ProTek Flex Site Monitor from PageTek.

ProTek Flex—reliable, adaptable, expandable, affordable—and no surprises.

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OMNI Messaging Server

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• TAP, COMP2, Scope, WaveWare, SNPP, PET and SIP Input Protocols
• PIN Based Routing to Multiple Remote Paging Systems
• 2W, 5W Radio Paging

MARS (Mobile Alert Response System)

• Combines Paging Protocol Monitoring and Wireless Sensor Monitoring (Inovonics and Bluetooth LE)
• Improves Mobile Response Team Productivity using Smartphone App
• Low-Latency Alerts using Pagers, Smartphones, Corridor Lights, Digital Displays and Annunciation Panels
• Automated E-mail Based Alert Response and System Status Reports
• Linux Based Embedded System with Ethernet and USB Ports
• Browser Based Configuration

STG (SIP to TAP Gateway)

• Monitors SIP protocol (engineered for Rauland Responder V nurse call)
• Outputs TAP protocol to Ethernet and Serial Port Paging Systems
• Linux Based Embedded System
• Browser Based Configuration

A Problem

The 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]

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Please see our web site for exciting solutions designed specifically for the Wireless Industry. We also maintain a diagnostic lab and provide important repair and replacement parts services for Motorola and Glenayre equipment. Call or e-mail us for more information.

Microsoft to make Windows 10 upgrades free for more Windows 10 subscription plan users

Microsoft is enabling Windows users who buy Windows 10 Enterprise as a subscription service from its cloud partners to upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.1 for free.

By Mary Jo Foley for All About Microsoft | January 19, 2017 — 17:34 GMT (09:34 PST) | Topic: Windows 10

Microsoft is enabling Windows users who buy Windows subscription plans like Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1 for free.

"Customers subscribed to Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 as well as Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5, can now upgrade their Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs and devices to Windows 10 without the need to purchase separate upgrade licenses," said Microsoft officials in a January 19 blog post detailing the new option.

Here's a quick refresher on some of the terms above.

Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 are two new subscription plans for Windows Enterprise that Microsoft introduced last summer. They are largely aimed at small/mid-size business users. Windows 10 Enterprise E3 costs $84 per user per year, or $7 per user per month; E5 costs $168, or $14 per user per month. Both plans are available directly from Microsoft through its volume licensing program and through its CSP partners.

Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5 are additional subscription plans that include Windows 10 Enterprise, Office 365, and the Enterprise Mobility + Security suite.

Microsoft is hawking the new ability to get a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1 to Windows 10 through these programs as targeted at customers who have yet to purchase a new Windows 10 device or "who missed out on the free upgrade to Windows 10 campaign.

(Don't forget: Microsoft still does quietly offer the option to get Windows 10 for free using Windows 7 and 8 product keys, even though the free upgrade offer officially ended on July 29, 2016.)

"The Windows 10 upgrade licenses issued via this new offer are perpetual and associated with specific devices. "This means the license will not expire or be revoked if the customer chooses to end their Windows cloud subscription in the CSP program," Microsoft blog post says.

The perpetual licenses are for those moving from the Pro versions of Win 7/8.1 to Windows 10 Pro, with a simplified update capability to go from there to Enterprise.

The new upgrade option is rolling out now and tenant admins with Windows subscriptions in CSP should see these new options in the Office 365 Admin centers over the next 48 hours, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft seems to be trying to drive more business to its CSP partners as of late. Recently the company announced that Azure and Azure Pay-as-You-Go will be available to new customers through CSPs and not directly from Microsoft via the Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MSPA).

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Thursday January 19, 2017 5:32 am PST by Mitchel Broussard

Apple's new line of iPad models might not launch "until the second half of 2017," according to sources in the upstream supply chain speaking with DigiTimes. The new 9.7-inch iPad is predicted to enter mass production sometime in Q1 2017, while the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad models will begin production in Q2 of this year. All of the new iPads are described as still being in the "planning" phase.

Although it was expected for Apple to announce and launch the new iPads during the Spring, the new report claims that "these tablets may not be announced or even released" until sometime in the second half of 2017. In December, "lower-than-expected" yield rates for the 10-nanometer manufacturing process was rumored to be a potential factor in a delayed launch for the new iPads.

Apple reportedly is planning three new tablets for 2017, a 9.7-inch iPad with a friendly price range, a 10.5-inch iPad, and an upgraded 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The products are still in planning, with the 9.7-inch model expected to enter mass production in the first quarter, and the other two in the second, according to sources from the related upstream supply chain.

However, these tablets may not be announced or even released in the market until the second half of 2017, the sources said.

In DigiTimes' report, the sources mentioned a 10.5-inch iPad, which is a size that was recently well-explained by Studio Neat designer Dan Provost as a logical choice for the middle-tier iPad. While multiple rumors placed the new iPad — believed to be an iPad Pro — somewhere in the 10-inch range, everything from a 10.1-inch to a 10.9-inch model has been reported.

According to the supply chain sources, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro is a contender to replace the price tier of the existing 9.7-inch iPad Pro, while the new 9.7-inch version will be introduced at an even lower cost to become an entry-level device, "mainly targeting the education sector."

As previously reported, DigiTimes' sources today reiterated that the higher-end 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models will include an A10X processor. No mention was made of the 9.7-inch model and its processor, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year predicted that the "low-cost" iPad would likely adopt a lower-end A9X processor.

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is being positioned as a flagship model of the iPad line, believed to feature an edge-to-edge display without a home button, but retain a small portion of the top bezel in order to provide space for the front-facing FaceTime camera.

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[This article doesn't agree with the preceding one, but the dates are different.]

Apple Inc. Planning New iPad Launches in 1st Half of 2017

Apple's iPad business could get a much-needed boost from a bevy of interesting new products slated to launch in the first half of 2017.

Ashraf Eassa (TMFChipFool)
Jan 20, 2017 at 11:23AM

According to a pre-publication note in DigiTimes, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is preparing to launch three new iPad models in the first half of 2017. The note, which doesn't include too many details, says that in the first quarter of 2017 — this quarter — Apple will begin producing what it refers to as a "9.7-inch iPad with a friendly price range."

Then, in the second quarter, Apple is expected to begin producing two flagship products: an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a 10.5-inch iPad. The note doesn't refer to it as an "iPad Pro," curiously enough.

Apple's iPad business has been struggling for quite some time, with multiple years of unit declines. To put things in perspective, Apple shipped nearly 68 million iPads in its fiscal 2014; that figure plunged to 54.9 million in fiscal 2015 and then to 45.6 million in fiscal 2016.

Revenue, too, has struggled as well, with iPad-related revenues dropping from $30.3 billion in 2014 to $23.2 billion in 2015, and then again to $20.6 billion in 2016.

Apple obviously isn't going to give up on this product line, so its best course of action is to continue to invest in building excellent products to try to stimulate demand -- or, more pessimistically, stem the rate of demand declines.

Let's take a closer look at what we should expect from these new iPad models, and what they could mean for Apple's iPad business.

The cheaper 9.7-inch iPad
Today's 9.7-inch iPad offerings consist of the discounted iPad Air 2 and the pricier 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The latter has a faster processor than the former (A9X vs A8X), superior wide-color True Tone display, improved cameras, support for the Apple Pencil, and support for Apple's smart keyboard.

IMAGE SOURCE: APPLE.

Previously, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the cheaper 9.7-inch iPad will incorporate an Apple A9 chip manufactured by Samsung (NASDAQOTH: SSNLF). The use of the A9 chip in the low-cost 9.7-inch model, rather than the A9X that's currently featured inside the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, should make the device cheaper to manufacture.

Additionally, by using the A9 in the cheaper model, Apple will be able to market a larger performance delta between the low-cost 9.7-inch iPad and the pricier 10.5-inch iPad and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

It will be interesting to see how else Apple de-features the cheaper 9.7-inch iPad to both save costs and encourage upsell to the 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch models. Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support seem likely candidates for the chopping block here.

In terms of impact on Apple's iPad business, it's generally a good thing to deliver more value for the money with new products at a regular clip, but this doesn't seem likely to be a game changer for the iPad business.

The newer 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch models
The more interesting products will almost certainly be the higher-end 10.5-inch iPad and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. These should include faster A10X processors, potentially upgraded display technology, and — in the case of the 10.5-inch model — a newer design or form factor.

The current 12.9-inch iPad Pro launched in November 2015, so it's getting quite long in the tooth – regular device improvements are generally needed to catalyze demand. The good news is that if Apple can deliver a worthwhile refresh, it should be able to boost demand for its jumbo-sized iPad model.

IMAGE SOURCE: APPLE.

The real star of the show, though, is likely to be the 10.5-inch model. It's been a long time since Apple has fundamentally changed the look and feel of its iPad models, but that looks set to change with this product.

For one thing, Apple is moving from a 9.7-inch display to a 10.5-inch display, an interesting change. Beyond that, the device is rumored to have very thin bezels, in sharp contrast to the very large ones found on the current 9.7-inch iPad Air/iPad Pro models.

The device may have a significantly improved aesthetic, which could help jump-start customer interest.

Additionally, if Apple includes the "faster display technology" Bloomberg mentioned last year, then this could really transform the user experience, as high refresh-rate displays make things so much smoother.

Apple's iPad business could get a nice boost in the second quarter from these new products. Additionally, the buzz that these products may potentially generate could help keep people interested in Apple ahead of the launch of its next-generation iPhone models in the fall.

Specialists in sales and service of equipment from these leading manufacturers, as well as other two-way radio and paging products:

	Motorola SOLUTIONS
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THE IPHONE X-FILES iPhone 8 rumours suggest gadget will be named iPhone X to mark its 10th anniversary

This year's model is set to be the biggest iPhone update in a decade, so expect BIG changes

BY JASPER HAMILL 20th January 2017, 10:28 am

APPLE is rumoured to be planning to call its next smartphone the iPhone X in a huge break from its usual naming traditions.

Up until now, every new iPhone has been given a reasonably logical name, although Apple did slip the odd ‘s’ after some model numbers.

This year’s iPhone is set to be a BIG release

But a new piece of iGossip has suggested the fruity firm will break from tradition in the name of its new iPhone to mark the fact that Steve Jobs announced the first Apple smartphone 10 years ago.

In a briefing note seen by Tech Radar, analyst Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company said his supply chain sources has predicated a name change for the new mobile.

“It’s a name that makes some sense, simultaneously highlighting the phone’s high status and giving a nod to it being the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, with X, of course, being the Roman numeral for 10,” the website wrote.

He also said the iPhone would feature wireless charging and an advanced wrap around screen, which are both rumours we have heard before.

Although Apple has not — and will not — confirm any design decisions until the iPhone is released later this year, industry experts think its likely to name its next model 'X'.

On Forbes, tech expert Ewan Spence wrote: "Although the world is expecting the iPhone 8 to be announced alongside updates to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus handsets, Apple could be ready to drop the '8' from the brand and go with something straight out of a 1950s science fiction caper."

However, many tech pickers believe Apple is planning to simply call its device the iPhone in a bit to "reboot" the brand.

Spence added: "My gut feel is that iPhone 'X' is a code name and the decision has yet to be made (or if it has been compartmentalised to such a degree that only a handful of marketing staff know the real name). In my mind the answer is simple: just call it 'iPhone'."

Disaster-Proven Paging for Public Safety

Paging 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

• It’s much faster to send individual and stacked pages digitally than with analog voice.
• If you want better indoor coverage, you put sites closer together at lower heights.
• A self-healing system that also remains reliable in various disaster situations.
• Place base station where you need them, without the usage of an expensive backhaul network.
• Protect victim confidentiality and prevent unauthorized use of public safety communications, with integrated encryption service.

Pager

• Reliable message reception, thanks to the best sensitivity in the industry.
• Ruggedized and waterproof, IP67 and 6 1/2-feet drop test-certified products.
• Battery autonomy of up to three months, with a standard AA battery.
• Bluetooth enables the new s.QUAD pager to respond back to the dispatch center or fire chief.

Dispatching:

• Two-way CAD interfaces will make dispatching much easier.
• The new s.ONE solution enables the dispatcher or fire chiefs to view the availability of relief forces.
• A graphical screen shows how many of the dispatched team members have responded to the call.

Swissphone provides a proven solution at an affordable cost. Do you want to learn more?
Visit: www.swissphone.com or call 800-596-1914.

Friday, January 20, 2017	Volume 5 | Issue 14

Carriers Beef Up Networks for Super Bowl With Permanent Upgrades

Wireless devices have become as much a part of the experience as the action on the field, and with the NFL Super Bowl coming to NRG Stadium in Houston in two weeks, carriers are making temporary and permanent network improvements to deliver quality service to fans.

AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have all implanted temporary cell towers located near NRG Stadium and other Super Bowl-related events, reports Houston Public Media.

“We worked with the NFL and the Super Bowl host committee to find areas that are going to be an issue—where they’re going to hold an event and they’re expecting so many people there, then we have to increase our capacity,” Frank Jackowski, an area manager for AT&T, told Houston Public Media.

Carriers are also making permanent improvements to their networks in the Houston area in preparation for the event. AT&T, for instance, has $35 million in permanent upgrades in the Houston area.

Wireless Communication Solutions

USB Paging Encoder

• Single channel up to eight zones
• Connects to Linux computer via USB
• Programmable timeouts and batch sizes
• Supports 2-tone, 5/6-tone, POCSAG 512/1200/2400, GOLAY
• Supports Tone Only, Voice, Numeric, and Alphanumeric
• PURC or direct connect
• Pictured version mounts in 5.25" drive bay
• Other mounting options available
• Available as a daughter board for our embedded Internet Paging Terminal (IPT)

Paging Data Receiver (PDR)

• Frequency agile—only one receiver to stock
• USB or RS-232 interface
• Two contact closures
• End-user programmable w/o requiring special hardware
• 16 capcodes
• POCSAG
• Eight contact closure version also available
• Product customization available

Other products

Please see our web site for other products including Internet Messaging Gateways, Unified Messaging Servers, test equipment, and Paging Terminals.

Contact

Hark Technologies 717 Old Trolley Rd Ste 6 #163 Summerville, SC 29485

Tel: 843-821-6888

Fax: 843-821-6894

E-mail: sales@harktech.com CLICK

Web: http://www.harktech.com CLICK

SEE WEB FOR COMPLETE LIST:

www.preferredwireless.com/equipment

Rick McMichael
Preferred Wireless, Inc.
Telephone: 888-429-4171
(If you are calling from outside of the USA, please use: 314-575-8425)
rickm@preferredwireless.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: I couldn't resist posting this off-topic news about “El Chapo” . . . we got him!

U.S. Prosecutors Offer Glimpse of Case Against Mexican Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’

By ALAN FEUER and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM
JAN. 20, 2017
The New York Times

Joaquín Guzmán Loera arrived at MacArthur Airport on Long Island on Thursday night. via Reuters

Hours after arriving by plane from Mexico, Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the drug lord known as El Chapo, was expected to appear in Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Friday to face charges of overseeing a narcotics empire that ran for decades, spanned much of North America and was protected by an army of assassins with a military-grade arsenal who, prosecutors said, did not hesitate to kill on his behalf.

While most Americans were turned toward Washington and the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as president, prosecutors in the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn held a news conference on Friday morning detailing the charges against Mr. Guzmán, who was flown out of Mexico on Thursday afternoon and arrived that night at MacArthur Airport on Long Island.

Shortly after the plane touched down, videos emerged of a heavily armed motorcade transporting Mr. Guzmán to a New York federal jail.

By Friday morning, prosecutors had released a memorandum laying out their arguments for keeping Mr. Guzmán in custody, noting his vast wealth, his penchant for violence and his habit of escaping Mexican prisons — most notably, the Altiplano prison, a maximum-security facility where he lived in isolation and under 24-hour surveillance, but nonetheless escaped after his associates dug a tunnel from a home a mile away directly into his shower.

The government’s detention memo also gave an early glimpse of the case against Mr. Guzmán.

It said that prosecutors planned to call several witnesses who would testify about the staggering scope of Mr. Guzmán’s criminal enterprise: including its multi-ton shipments of drugs in planes and submersibles and its numerous killings of witnesses, law enforcement agents, public officials and rival cartel members.

The memo also said that the government had a vast array of physical evidence, including seized drug stashes and electronic surveillance recordings.

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The 26-page memorandum of law — supplemented with photographs of mountains of seized drugs and the planes, boats and submersibles used to smuggle them — read like a history of the modern narcotics business. Prosecutors contend that Mr. Guzmán transformed the drug trade, deploying savagery, a virtual army and the corrupting force of the unchecked profits of his business.

The document tracks his progression from the 1980s, as a smuggler who transported Colombian cocaine to the United States and returned the profits to traffickers there so efficiently that he earned the nickname El Rápido, through the ’90s, when he began consolidating his control in Mexico.

In the first decade of this century, Colombian traffickers faced increased enforcement of extradition laws at home, and thus greater threat of prosecution in the United States. They therefore ceded certain elements of the distribution networks in the United States to Mexican cartels, according to the memo. As Mr. Guzmán’s operations grew, prosecutors say, they became increasingly sophisticated.

Mr. Guzmán also established a complex communications network to allow him to speak covertly with his growing empire without detection by law enforcement, according to the memo. This included “the use of encrypted networks, multiple insulating layers of go-betweens and ever-changing methods of communicating with his workers.”

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.

REMINDER: Enhanced Transparency Rules Effective January 17

January 17 marked the effective date of the FCC’s enhanced transparency rules, originally adopted in the 2015 Open Internet Order. As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the small carrier exemption from these requirements expired in December of 2016. Congress is currently considering legislation to make the exemption permanent, and the incoming Trump administration has made clear the Open Internet Order is in its crosshairs. A number of parties have also filed requests for stay of the requirements. Nevertheless, the rules are effective unless and until official action is taken.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer.

Headlines

Some of Broadband Privacy Order In Effect – For Now

The FCC’s Broadband Privacy Order (WC Docket No. 16-106) became effective on January 3, 2017. However, the data security portion of the Order (FCC Rule 64.2005) does not become effective until March 2, 2017, whereas most of the other substantive provisions of the Order — including those regarding customer notices (Rule 64.2003), customer approvals such as opt-out and opt-in (Rule 64.2004) and data breach notifications (Rule 64.2006) — are subject to an Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) approval process that is still at the preliminary FCC comment stage and has not yet been commenced at OMB.

More significantly, many portions of the Order are likely to be eliminated or substantially modified on reconsideration by the new Republican-controlled FCC. As clients may remember, the Order was adopted prior to the 2016 election on October 27, 2016 with the support of the then three Democrat Commissioners (Wheeler, Clyburn and Rosenworcel) and over the dissents of the two Republican Commissioners (Pai and O’Rielly). It was grounded in major part upon the 2015 Open Internet Order that re-classified broadband as a telecommunications service, that was adopted by the same 3-2 Democrat majority and that continues to be opposed not only by Commissioners Pai and O’Rielly, but also by substantial portions of the Senate, House of Representatives and incoming Trump Administration. The Broadband Privacy Order is particularly vulnerable because at least eleven petitions for reconsideration have already been filed, and these will be resolved later this year by a FCC in which Commissioners Pai and O’Rielly will control a 2-1 or 3-2 majority. Trade associations and other entities are currently preparing motions for stay of some or all of the new broadband privacy rules. Finally, there has been speculation that the Trump Administration would like to see the FCC’s consumer protection efforts — such as the broadband privacy and existing voice CPNI rules — transferred to the Federal Trade Commission.

Because some of the broadband privacy rules will be effective for a while or survive reconsideration, a brief summary follows. Note, in particular, that one of the FCC’s primary goals was to harmonize the existing CPNI rules and the new broadband privacy rules so that a common set of rules applies to both. Hence, in many cases, the existing CPNI rules are modified and integrated into a common set of voice and broadband privacy and data security rules. The largest change in the new FCC Rules is comprised of the expansion of the scope of privacy protections. Rather than who called the customer, who the customer called, times and durations of calls and services taken, etc., the protected “customer proprietary information (customer PI)” now includes: (a) individually identifiable customer proprietary network information (“CPNI”) such as broadband and voice service plans, geo-location, Media Access Control addresses and other device locators, Internet Protocol addresses and domain name information, traffic statistics, port information, application headers, application usage, application payloads, and customer premises equipment and device information; (b) personally identifiable information (“PII”) such as name, Social Security number, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, government-issued identifiers (e.g., driver’s license number), phone numbers, Media Access Control addresses and other device locators, Internet Protocol addresses, and persistent online or unique advertising identifiers; and (c) content of communications including any part of the substance, purport or meaning of a communication.

The Order also established a strict test for use of customer data from which individual customer identification has been allegedly scrubbed. Specifically, in order to use “de-identified” customer data, a carrier must: (a) determine that the information is not reasonably linkable to an individual or device; (b) publicly commit to maintain and use the data in a non-individually identifiable fashion and to not attempt to re-identify the data; and (c) contractually prohibit any entity to which it discloses or permits access to the de-identified data from attempting to re-identify the data.

Service providers must provide clear and conspicuous notice (in language that is comprehensible and not misleading) about the confidential information they collect, how they use it, under what circumstances they share it, and the rights of customers to opt in to, or opt out of, the use or sharing of their confidential information. There is no prescribed format or specified content for these privacy notices, but they must be provided at the “point of sale” prior to purchase of the service and must remain persistently available and easily accessible on websites, applications, or functional equivalents. The FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee will develop a model privacy notice that will serve as a safe harbor. Service providers also will be required to give customers advance notice of material changes in privacy policies.

Opt-in approval (customer has to formally approve) will be required for the use and sharing of sensitive customer PI (such as financial, health, geo-location and call detail information; information regarding children, content of communications; and website browsing and application usage history) and for material retroactive changes to carrier privacy policies. Opt-out approval (customer deemed to approve if not objecting) will be required for the use and sharing of non-sensitive customer PI.

Take-it-or-leave-it offerings of service contingent on surrendering privacy rights are prohibited. Offers of service at lower rates in exchange for the right to use customer confidential information are subject to heightened disclosure and affirmative consent requirements.

Broadband providers and other telecommunications carriers are required to take “reasonable measures” to secure customer PI. The FCC did not mandate specific measures, but rather required the adoption of security practices “appropriately calibrated” to the nature and scope of a carrier’s activities, the sensitivity of the underlying data, the size of the provider, and technical feasibility.

Broadband providers and other telecommunications carriers must notify affected customers and designated federal agencies of data breaches unless they are able to “reasonably determine” that a data breach poses no reasonable risk of harm to the affected customers. If a data breach affects 5,000 or more customers, the provider must notify the FCC, FBI and Secret Service within seven (7) business days after it reasonably determines that a breach has occurred, and must notify these three agencies at least three (3) days before it notifies the affected customers. If a data breach affects less than 5,000 customers, the provider must notify the FCC and affected customers without unreasonable delay, and at least within thirty (30) days after it reasonably determines that a breach has occurred.

Finally, it appears that the Annual CPNI Certification required to be filed by voice and paging service carriers has been terminated. We believe that certifications will not be required by March 1, 2017 for calendar year 2016, but cannot yet give 100% certain advice due to the patchwork of effective dates, OMB approvals, a changing FCC, petitions for reconsideration and potential stay requests. We will try to get the FCC to issue a clarifying Public Notice, and will let clients know as soon as possible.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, Mary Sisak, and Sal Taillefer.

Initial Indoor E911 Location Accuracy Reports due February 3

On January 18, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) issued a Public Notice providing guidance for Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers to file periodic E911 location accuracy live call data reports as required by Section 20.18(i)(3)(ii) of the FCC’s rules. The first filing under this rule is due February 3, 2017.

Specifically, non-nationwide providers must report the aggregate live 911 call data collected in one or more of the Test Cities (Atlanta, Chicago, Denver/Front Range, Manhattan Borough, Philadelphia, and San Francisco and their surrounding geographic areas) or the largest county in their footprint, depending on the area served by the provider. Each CMRS provider’s initial live 911 call data report, due February 3, 2017, must include 911 call data for the prior calendar quarter, i.e., October-December 2016.

CMRS providers must break out live call data for each Test City or relevant service area in each of the four representative morphologies – dense urban, urban, suburban and rural — depending on the footprint of their service areas:

• Dense Urban areas are defined as “typically downtown environments in larger urbanized cities where high rises and skyscrapers on sides of 1 to 3 lane streets are observed. Urban canyons are commonly encountered. Very high cell site concentration is also observed. Cell site radii are generally under half a mile.”
• Urban areas are defined as those with “[h]igh population density where multi-story apartment and office buildings are observed. Some buildings as high as 10 – 15 stories situated on 2 to 4 lane roads outline the environment. High site concentration due to capacity requirements and higher signal penetration margins are encountered. Cell radii are typically in the 0.5 – 1 mile range.”
• Suburban areas are those with “[m]edium] population density with 1-2 story residential homes, occasional 2-3 story buildings and multi-level shopping centers. Area is typically covered by a few cell sites. Cell site radii are typically in the 1-2 mile range.”
• Rural areas are “[g]eographical area[s] with low population density and much open or forested space. Majority of area is covered by one cell site. Cell radii are generally more than 2 miles. Cell deployments along sparsely populated highways which have sites 4 or more miles apart belong in this category.”

For each reported Test City/service area and morphology, all CMRS providers must include the following data in their reports:

• The positioning source method or methods used for each live 911 call. The positioning source method may be based on either geodetic coordinate information or dispatchable location. The performance of positioning source methods is first determined based on performance of the technology in the test bed. The test bed performance of each positioning source method will determine the degree to which that method can be counted towards the required location accuracy thresholds each time that positioning source method is used.
• Live call data for all providers shall provide granular data on a per-technology basis accumulated and so identified for: (1) each of the four ATIS ESIF morphologies (dense urban, urban, suburban, and rural); (2) on a reasonable community level basis; or (3) by census block. Pursuant to Section 20.18(i)(3)(ii)(C) of the FCC’s rules, this data will be used for “evaluation and not for compliance purposes.”
• Nationwide CMRS providers using positioning source methods based on dispatchable location should also identify that method as one of the technologies used.
• If a CMRS provider excludes any category of 911 calls from its compilation of live 911 call data, it must identify the excluded category and the number of calls excluded under that category. Exclusion information should be reported in the “Exclusions” block in the Live Call Data Reporting Template described below.

Following their initial filing of aggregate live 911 call data on February 3, 2017, non-nationwide CMRS providers must provide the aggregate reports every 6 months. The specific aggregation areas for live call data reporting by non-nationwide carriers are as follows:

• Non-nationwide CMRS providers that operate in only one of the six Test Cities must report live 911 call data from that city or portion thereof that they cover.
• Non-nationwide CMRS providers that operate in more than one of the six Test Cities must report live 911 call data from half of the Test City regions they cover, as selected by the provider.
• Non-nationwide CMRS providers that do not provide coverage in any of the six Test Cities can satisfy the requirement of reporting aggregate live 911 call location data by collecting and reporting data based on the largest county within their footprints.
• In addition, where a non-nationwide CMRS provider serves more than one of the ATIS ESIF morphologies (dense urban, urban, suburban, rural), it must include a sufficient number of representative counties to cover each morphology.

BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Cary Mitchell.

Trump Team Reportedly Aims to Strip FCC of Consumer Protection Powers

On January 15, Multichannel News said in an exclusive report that the incoming Trump administration is said to have signed off on an approach to “remaking the Federal Communications Commission” that includes, among other things, an effort to “restructure FCC bureaus to better reflect the convergence of the digital age as a first step, and, eventually, move functions deemed ’duplicative,’ like, say, competition and consumer protection, to other agencies, particularly the Federal Trade Commission.” Landing team members Jeff Eisenach and Rosyln Layton reportedly argued that what would remain “would be ’a more coherent and streamlined“ agency that "would more effectively serve the goals of consumers, competitors, and Congress."

Harold Feld, senior VP of consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge, told Ars Technica that this plan is "a declaration of war on the most basic principles of universal service, consumer protection, competition, and public safety that have been the bipartisan core of the Communications Act for the last 80+ years."

Not all of the landing team is on board with the proposal, however. David Morken, founder of Republic wireless and recent addition to the transition team, reportedly offered a different proposal, which included “preserving network neutrality rules, making the FCC a cabinet-level agency with increased funding, and suspending the incentive auction.” Morken recently told The Wall Street Journal that "traditional Republican telecom policy has favored incumbents who are heavily engaged in regulatory capture over innovators like us."

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

Comments on A-CAM Funding Increase Due February 13

On January 13, the FCC published its Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted on December 20, 2016 in the Federal Register. In the FNPRM, the FCC sought comment on whether to expand the A-CAM budget to provide additional funding with an associated increase in broadband deployment obligations. As a result of publication in the Federal Register, comments are officially due February 13 and reply comments are due February 27.

As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC announced in November that 216 rate-of-return companies had submitted letters electing 274 separate offers of A-CAM support in 43 states, and that model-based support and transition payments would exceed the overall 10-year budget by more than $160 million annually. In response, the FCC adopted the December 20 Order and FNPRM, in which it allocated an additional $50 million to the A-CAM, locked in the election of carriers whose offer of model-based support is less than the legacy support that they received in 2015 in order to maximize their contribution to the A-CAM budget and broadband deployment, and adjusted the offer of support for the remaining carriers in a fashion that is designed to apply a reduction in the offer to all such carriers, while preserving as much of the original offer as possible for those that are lowest deployed.

In the FNPRM, the FCC sought comment on whether to allocate additional high-cost funding to the voluntary path to the model to cover the remaining $110 million shortfall. Specifically, the FCC asked whether it should allocate enough to cover all of the excess elections or only some and, if the latter, whether and how it could prioritize funding to those with the least broadband deployment or revise the offers to an amount less than the original offer.

Companies wishing to file comments should contact the firm for more information.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

Comment Sought on Eighth Annual State Collection of 911 Charges Report

On January 13, the FCC released a Public Notice seeking comment on the Eighth Annual Report to Congress on State Collection and Distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 Fees and Charges (Report), which it submits to Congress annually on whether 911 fees and charges collected by the states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Indian territories (states and other reporting entities) are being used for any purpose other than to support 911 and Enhanced 911 (E911) services. Comments are due February 13 and reply comments are due March 15.

According to the Public Notice, the Report seeks comment on:

• Fee Diversion. The Report identifies eight states and Puerto Rico as diverting or transferring a portion of collected 911 fees and charges for non-911 related purposes in 2015. Comment is sought on the sufficiency and accuracy of the reported information, including additional information concerning the specific impact, if any, that such diversion has had on the provision of 911 service in those states. Comment is also sought on whether there have been any other instances of fee diversion by states or local jurisdictions not identified in the Report, including counties or other jurisdictions in states that have local or hybrid fee collection programs.
• NG911 Expenditures. Thirty-six states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reported spending 911/E911 funds on NG911 programs in calendar year 2015. The total amount of reported NG911 expenditures from 911/E911 fees was $164,817,664.55, or approximately 6.26 percent of total 911/E911 fees collected. Comment is sought on whether this level of expenditure of 911 fees on NG911-related programs is adequate for implementation of NG911 services and infrastructure. Thirteen states, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands reported not spending any money on NG911. Comment is also sought on the impact of this failure to prepare for impending communications sector IP technology transition, including the impact on commercial providers and on consumers and communities. Comment is encouraged from providers, communities, and consumers on the impact to them should Federal PSAPs or 911 facilities not transition to NG911 in a timely manner.
• Cybersecurity Expenditures. Thirty-eight states, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands reported that they spent no 911 funds in 2015 on 911–related cybersecurity programs for PSAPs. Nine states and the District of Columbia stated that they had made cybersecurity-related expenditures. Comment is sought on whether 911 fees are being used effectively by state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to implement cybersecurity best practices within PSAPs, as well as adherence to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework.
• Oversight and Auditing. Comment is sought on the role of oversight and auditing in ensuring that collected 911 fees are used according to state and local requirements. Comment is also sought on whether additional efforts are needed to ensure that state and local entities have the authority to monitor and audit 911 fee collections and any additional barriers towards their effective oversight of fee collection.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, John Prendergast, and Sal Taillefer.

Law & Regulation

FCC Proposes to Close Inactive Dockets

On January 17, the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking comment on whether to terminate certain dockets as “dormant.” To the extent that a particular proceeding includes a petition addressing the merits or other pending pleadings, a party’s failure to file comments in response to this Public Notice will be construed as consent to termination of that proceeding. Comment deadlines have not yet been established, but given the sheer volume of proposed docket terminations, companies should review the list as soon as possible. A copy of the excel spreadsheet can be found here.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and John Prendergast.

Industry

FCC Releases White Paper on Cybersecurity Risk Reduction

On January 18, the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau released a white paper discussing the risk reduction portfolio of the current FCC and suggests actions to affirmatively reduce cyber risk in a manner that incents competition, protects consumers, and reduces significant national security risks. These initiatives “include collaborative efforts with key Internet stakeholder groups; increased interagency cooperation; and regulatory solutions to address residual risks that are unlikely to be addressed by market forces alone.”

For small and medium providers, the report said:

Smaller communications providers are just as vulnerable as large providers and face unique challenges related to size, including limited access to financial, staff and technical resources. Further, their relative lack of resources to invest in cybersecurity may make them targets, whether for direct exploitation or as a means to access more high-profile targets.

In light of this assessment, the Bureau went on to recommend the establishment of a funded Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) Pilot Project consisting of ten to twenty smaller communications providers. The pilot would develop an information sharing platform relying on an automated information system that would enable small carriers to participate and choose the level of information they want to receive. The Bureau concluded:

Removing the burden of independently resourcing costs for cybersecurity M2M information sharing and analysis should help protect and enhance credible competition while addressing cyber threats collectively in a manner that would be more efficient than adding to subsidies for each of the over 1200 small broadband service providers.

A copy of the full report can be found here.

Deadlines

FEBRUARY 1: FCC FORM 499-Q, TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPORTING WORKSHEET. All telecommunications common carriers that expect to contribute more than $10,000 to federal Universal Service Fund (USF) support mechanisms must file this quarterly form. The FCC has modified this form in light of its decision to establish interim measures for USF contribution assessments. The form contains revenue information from the prior quarter plus projections for the next quarter. Form 499-Q relates only to USF contributions. It does not relate to the cost recovery mechanisms for the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA), and the shared costs of local number portability (LNP), which are covered in the annual Form 499-A that is due April 1.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer.

FEBRUARY 1: FCC FORM 502, NUMBER UTILIZATION AND FORECAST REPORT. Any wireless or wireline carrier (including paging companies) that have received number blocks—including 100, 1,000, or 10,000 number blocks—from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA), a Pooling Administrator, or from another carrier, must file Form 502 by February 1. Carriers porting numbers for the purpose of transferring an established customer’s service to another service provider must also report, but the carrier receiving numbers through porting does not. Resold services should also be treated like ported numbers, meaning the carrier transferring the resold service to another carrier is required to report those numbers but the carrier receiving such numbers should not report them. Reporting carriers are required to include their FCC Registration Number (FRN). Reporting carriers file utilization and forecast reports semiannually on or before February 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending December 31, and on or before August 1 for the preceding six-month reporting period ending June 30.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Sal Taillefer.

MARCH 1: COPYRIGHT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT FORM FOR CABLE COMPANIES. This form, plus royalty payment for the second half of calendar year 2016, is due March 1. The form covers the period July 1 to December 31, 2016, and is due to be mailed directly to cable TV operators by the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. If you do not receive the form, please contact Gerry Duffy.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy.

MARCH 1: FCC FORM 477, LOCAL COMPETITION & BROADBAND REPORTING FORM. This annual form is due March 1 and September 1 annually. The FCC requires facilities-based wired, terrestrial fixed wireless, and satellite broadband service providers to report on FCC Form 477 the number of broadband subscribers they have in each census tract they serve. The Census Bureau changed the boundaries of some census tracts as part of the 2010 Census.

Specifically, three types of entities must file this form:

1. Facilities-based Providers of Broadband Connections to End User Locations: Entities that are facilities-based providers of broadband connections – which are wired “lines” or wireless “channels” that enable the end user to receive information from and/or send information to the Internet at information transfer rates exceeding 200 kbps in at least one direction – must complete and file the applicable portions of this form for each state in which the entity provides one or more such connections to end user locations. For the purposes of Form 477, an entity is a “facilities-based” provider of broadband connections to end user locations if it owns the portion of the physical facility that terminates at the end user location, if it obtains unbundled network elements (UNEs), special access lines, or other leased facilities that terminate at the end user location and provisions/equips them as broadband, or if it provisions/equips a broadband wireless channel to the end user location over licensed or unlicensed spectrum. Such entities include incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers (LECs), cable system operators, fixed wireless service providers (including “wireless ISPs”), terrestrial and satellite mobile wireless service providers, BRS providers, electric utilities, municipalities, and other entities. (Such entities do not include equipment suppliers unless the equipment supplier uses the equipment to provision a broadband connection that it offers to the public for sale. Such entities also do not include providers of fixed wireless services (e.g., “Wi-Fi” and other wireless ethernet, or wireless local area network, applications) that only enable local distribution and sharing of a premises broadband facility.)
2. Providers of Wired or Fixed Wireless Local Telephone Services: Incumbent and competitive LECs must complete and file the applicable portions of the form for each state in which they provide local exchange service to one or more end user customers (which may include “dial-up” ISPs).
3. Providers of Mobile Telephony Services: Facilities-based providers of mobile telephony services must complete and file the applicable portions of this form for each state in which they serve one or more mobile telephony subscribers. A mobile telephony service is a real-time, two-way switched voice service that is interconnected with the public switched network using an in-network switching facility that enables the provider to reuse frequencies and accomplish seamless handoff of subscriber calls. A mobile telephony service provider is considered “facilities-based” if it serves a subscriber using spectrum for which the entity holds a license that it manages, or for which it has obtained the right to use via lease or other arrangement with a Band Manager.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens, Gerry Duffy, and Mary Sisak.

MARCH 31: INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT CAPACITY REPORT. No later than March 31, 2017, all U.S. international carriers that owned or leased bare capacity on a submarine cable between the United States and any foreign point on December 31, 2016 and any person or entity that held a submarine cable landing license on December 31, 2016 must file a Circuit Capacity Report to provide information about the submarine cable capacity it holds. Additionally, cable landing licensees must file information on the Circuit Capacity Report about the amount of available and planned capacity on the submarine cable for which they have a license. Any U.S. International Carrier that owned or leased bare capacity on a terrestrial or satellite facility as of December 31, 2016 must file a Circuit Capacity Report showing its active common carrier circuits for the provision of service to an end-user or resale carrier, including active circuits used by itself or its affiliates. Any satellite licensee that is not a U.S. International Carrier and that owns circuits between the United States and any foreign point as of December 31, 2016 of the reporting period must file a Circuit Capacity Report showing its active circuits sold or leased to any customer, including itself or its affiliates, other than a carrier authorized by the FCC to provide U.S. international common carrier services.

Calendar At-A-Glance

January
Jan. 23 – Reply comments are due on the Independent Programming NPRM.
Jan. 31 – FCC Form 555 (Annual Lifeline ETC Certification Form) is due.

February
Feb. 1 – FCC Form 499-Q (Quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet) is due.
Feb. 1 – FCC Form 502 (Number Utilization and Forecast Report) is due.
Feb. 3 – Initial Indoor E911 Location Accuracy Report is due.
Feb. 13 – Comments are due on A-CAM Funding FNPRM.
Feb. 13 – Comments are due on Eighth Annual Report to Congress on State Collection and Distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 Fees and Charges.
Feb. 27 – Reply comments are due on A-CAM Funding FNPRM.

March
Mar. 1 – Copyright Statement of Account Form for cable companies is due.
Mar. 1 – FCC Form 477 (Local Competition & Broadband Reporting) is due.
Mar. 15 – Reply comments are due on Eighth Annual Report to Congress on State Collection and Distribution of 911 and Enhanced 911 Fees and Charges
Mar. 31 – FCC Form 525 (Delayed Phasedown CETC Line Counts) is due.
Mar. 31 – FCC Form 508 (ICLS Projected Annual Common Line Requirement) is due.
Mar. 31 – International Circuit Capacity Report is due.

Sprint Customers In Durham Can Now Text Photos To 911

WNCN and WFMY News 2 Digital, WFMY 5:44 PM. EST January 19, 2017

(Photo: milindri)

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Beginning today, Sprint customers will be able to send photos to the Durham Emergency Communications Center when they send an emergency text to 911.

Texting to the DECC has been available to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile customers since 2011, but Sprint is the only national carrier to let its customers attach a photo to their text, according to City of Durham officials.

The Durham Emergency Communication Center is the only center in North Carolina to offer 911 texting service with photo attachments for Sprint customers, according to a release from the City of Durham.

DECC Director James Soukup said sending a photo along with a 911 text is highly encouraged if it will help responders handling the incident.

“During a traumatic event, it is often difficult to remember a license plate number, vehicle description, suspect descriptions, and so forth,” Soukup said. “This technology will allow Sprint customers to send a picture with a 911 text to help in these types of incidents.”

According to Soukup, callers should remember that a phone call is still the fastest method to enable a public safety response, but a photo can also be sent as well.

“If a photo is available a caller can simply advise they are sending a 911 text with a picture to the 911 operator during the voice call,” Soukup said. “Then, we’ll pass along all of that information during dispatch, which helps the responding public safety agency be prepared for what they will encounter, or need to look for, upon arrival at the scene.”

The City of Durham offered tips for those who want to text 911, whether or not they attach photos:

• Customers should use the texting and attached photo option only when calling 911 is not an option. It can take longer to receive a text message because someone must enter the text, the message then goes through the system, and the 911 operator must read the text and then text back. Picking up the phone and calling 911 is still the most efficient way to reach emergency help. Texting is not always instantaneous, which is critical during a life-threatening emergency.
• Providing location information and the nature of the emergency in the first text message is imperative since the 911 operator will not be able to access the mobile phone location or speak with the person who is sending the text and photo.
• Text abbreviations or slang should never be used so that the intent of the message can be as clear as possible.
• Do not use emoticons or emojis since this will scramble text messages.
• Customers must be in range of cell towers in Durham County. If customers are outside or near the edge of the county, the message may not reach the center.
• Sprint customers must have mobile phones that are capable of sending text messages and taking photos. Any text message to 911 will count either against their messaging plan or be charged in accordance with their wireless plans.
• The texting function should only be used for emergency situations that require an immediate response from police, fire, or emergency medical services. Non-emergency issues should be communicated to the Durham Emergency Communication Center’s non-emergency line at (919) 560-4600.

Sprint is the only national carrier to offer this service to its customers. To learn more about Durham’s text-to-911 service, email Soukup or call him at (919) 560-4191.

Copyright 2016 WFMY

Brad Dye, Ron Mercer, Allan Angus, Vic Jackson, and Ira Wiesenfeld are friends and colleagues who work both together and independently, on wireline and wireless communications projects.

Click here for a summary of their qualifications and experience. Each one has unique abilities. We would be happy to help you with a project, and maybe save you some time and money.

Note: We do not like Patent Trolls, i.e. “a person or company who enforces patent rights against accused infringers in an attempt to collect licensing fees, but does not manufacture products or supply services based upon the patents in question.” We have helped some prominent law firms defend their clients against this annoyance, and would be happy to do some more of this same kind of work.

Some people use the title “consultant” when they don't have a real job. We actually do consulting work, and help others based on our many years of experience.

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“If you would know the road ahead, ask someone who has traveled it.”
— Chinese Proverb

Wireless Network Planners
Wireless Specialists

www.wirelessplanners.com
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com

R.H. (Ron) Mercer Consultant 217 First Street East Northport, NY 11731
Telephone: 631-786-9359

Almost
“Is Paging Going Away?” by Jim Nelson Click here for English. Click here for German. (Berlin Revision: November 8, 2016) Click here for French. Volunteers needed for translations into other languages.

Happiness

“Happiness is a choice, not a result.
Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy.
No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy.
Your happiness will not come to you.
It can only come from you.”

— Ralph Marston

Ralph Fulsom Marston (February 16, 1907 December 7, 1967) was a professional football player who spent a season in the National Football League with the Boston Bulldogs in 1929.

Dona Georgina—Playing For Change
Live Outside

To get the year started right we are happy to share our first PFC Live Outside video of the year recorded and filmed in Florianopolis, Brazil. This video features the talents of Dandara Manoela on vocals, Marissol Mwaba on bass, and Addia Furtado on jembe. Great music and art exists in the moment and when it happens it can inspire us and move us all closer to our shared humanity. Turn it up and together we can change our world for the better, one heart and one song at a time!

Lyrics in english:

Ms. Georgina
And this freedom, where it is? Where does it go?
From my window I see that my people are the first to fall down
Is that now we’ve changed, stop talking, that’s a pure illusion
Racism is over, if you want to check, turn on the television
Ms. Georgina climb tiredly, with her daughter in her lap, her golden clothes, a burst came and frightened her.
The chest beat slowed until it stopped to watch life pass, and life was over
Is a lost cry, is a shot found, is a body on the floor
Everyone’s scared and it looks like it was just a mess
And if you do not believe and want to check, turn off the television and it will be in the window, in your window
what a situation
And this freedom, where it is? where does it go?
And the democracy, where it is? where does it go?
And my rights, where are they? where do they go?
And your respect, where is it? where does it go?
Where is the love? Where is it? Where does it go?
And justice, where is it? where does it go?