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

There is going to be an IEEE-EMC Society meeting at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois next month. It is about “Man-Made Noise and the Impact to Radio Communications.” They are going to have some expert speakers (and pizza!). I think I will attend. Details follow below.

SWISSPHONE WEBINAR

The market is changing. Next-generation digital alerting for public safety is faster and more reliable than traditional voice paging solutions. Foremost, digital paging offers LTE integration for convenient smartphone applications. At the same time, you need a solution that offers a smooth migration path while maximizing the value of your analog paging network.

What you'll learn:

• How to quick fix alerting/notification challenges faced by fire and EMS organizations today
• The benefits of next-generation digital alerting technology
• The architecture and components of next-generation technology
• How solutions complement P25 voice communications systems and integrate with LTE/cellular and FirstNet
• Cost comparisons versus other technologies

CLICK HERE to Register

Last week I published an e-mail in the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR from Joost Eerland in the Netherlands saying he needed a programming cradle for Commtech 7900R. He received at least two offers for help; one from Steve Donohue at ISC Technologies here in Illinois, and one from Larry Murphy at Automated Alert & Response Systems in Ireland who sent him the cradle he needed.

This sort of thing makes me very happy — when I see companies and people helping each other through the newsletter.

Don't miss the announcement, and the new ad from Phil Leavitt of Leavitt Communications. Phil has been a loyal, and long-term supporter of this newsletter.

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 US political party—it just means that the editorial policy of this newsletter is to remain neutral on all political issues. We don't take sides.

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Back To Paging

Still The Most Reliable Protocol For Wireless Messaging!

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Twitter got hacked — even a BBC account. Do this one thing to protect yourself

Brett Molina , USA TODAY Published 8:40 a.m. ET March 15, 2017

Twitter headquarters in San Francisco. (Photo: Josh Edelson, AFP/Getty Images)

Early Wednesday morning, several high-profile Twitter accounts were compromised, displaying messages featuring swastikas.

BBC North America, Amnesty International and the European Parliament were among the Twitter accounts impacted by the hack.

According to a tweet from Twitter support, the company identified an issue caused by a third-party app affecting some users, but wouldn't specify whether this was directly related to the hack.

Gizmodo reports the compromise may be connected to a third-party analytics app called Twitter Counter.

The hack is a good reminder to check your Twitter account and determine which third-party apps have access. To do this from a web browser, click on your profile picture in the top right corner, and go to "Settings and Privacy."

Scroll down along the left navigation menu until you get to Apps. Clicking on that will show you what apps have access to your Twitter feed. Now's a good time to start cleaning up.

If you see an app you haven't used for a while or just aren't comfortable using any longer, you can revoke access. For example, my account still allowed access to TwitPic, which shut down in 2014. Oops.

Also, before you allow any service third-party access to your Twitter account, make sure to confirm it's legit. When in doubt, deny access.

Source:

USA Today

Enhancing Mobile Alert Response

sales@wirelessmessaging.com
800-373-1466
2630 National Dr., Garland, TX 75041

New Products

OMNI Messaging Server

• Combines Nurse Call Monitoring and Browser Based Messaging
• Combines Radio Paging with Smartphone and E-mail Integration
• Embedded System with 2 RS-232 Ports and Ethernet
• Browser Based Messaging and Configuration
• Smartphone Alert Notification Using Low-Latency Communication Protocols
• 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 ]

Easy Solutions provides cost effective computer and wireless solutions at affordable prices. We can help in most any situation with your communications systems. We have many years of experience and a vast network of resources to support the industry, your system and an ever changing completive landscape.

• We treat our customers like family. We don’t just fix problems . . . We recommend and implement better cost-effective solutions.
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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.

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Repair and Refurbishment Services

Product Support Services, Inc.

511 South Royal Lane
Coppell, Texas 75019
(972) 462-3970 Ext. 261
sales@pssirl.com
www.pssirl.com

PSSI is the industry leader in reverse logistics, our services include depot repair, product returns management, RMA and RTV management, product audit, test, refurbishment, re-kitting and value recovery.

International Crystal Mfg. Closing Down

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

	Motorola SOLUTIONS
	Motorola MOBILITY

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.

To All Leavitt Customers for Motorola Items:

I want to let you know about a pending supply disruption at Motorola. Motorola historically has 7 different operating systems across the globe. They have been working for over 2 years to retire these diverse and incompatible systems. The plan is to shut down all of these systems and bring all businesses back up under one new consistent system to serve their entire worldwide enterprise. Due to the software transition I have been informed that Motorola WILL NOT ship ANY product during the actual transition period. As of today, the planned last day to ship will be April 7, 2017 and shipments will slowly start to ramp up beginning on Tuesday afternoon April 18^th. This will affect ALL Motorola customers and items — radios and parts. It is likely that once shipments resume, Motorola will prioritize strategic and contract customers. Therefore, the stop or delay in shipping for us could last even longer. Lastly, if you have ever been involved with a total operating software swap out you know that there are likely to be issues that extend the delay beyond that predicted.

I will be stocking extra material to cover our normal item shipments. Large orders or items that are not typically ordered may not be deliverable until shipments resume. I will also continue to offer QUALITY aftermarket products like batteries, chargers, mikes and headsets should you need them.

Motorola is suggesting that any orders that absolutely need to be shipped prior to the shutdown be placed prior to March 16^th. That date may be a bit aggressive, but it does serve as a warning that late placed orders may not be filled.

Please help me by doing your best to anticipate your needs.

I am sure they have tested this program many times but I do think there is big risk that the shutdown may last longer than anticipated and the startup may be slower than we would like.

Feel free to call to discuss any questions you might have regarding the situation.

Again, we hope to be able to serve your Motorola Solution’s accessory, battery and parts needs if your normal supplier cannot.

Sincerely,

Phil Leavitt

Specialists in ICOM, Motorola, Bendix-King, Zetron, Unication   & other two way & paging products   Philip C. Leavitt Manager Leavitt Communications   7508 N. Red Ledge Drive   Paradise Valley, AZ 85253   pcleavitt@leavittcom.com www.leavittcom.com tel:  fax:  mobile:  Skype ID:  847-955-0511   270-447-1909   847-494-0000   pcleavitt

Friday, March 17, 2017	Volume 5 | Issue 54

New Jersey

Township Council Wants 24 Small Cells in a “Cantennae”

Verizon photo

Wireless network coverage continues to expand in New Jersey. Residents of the Township of Bloomfield will soon be the recipient of better coverage once the Bloomfield Township Council officially approves a Verizon Wireless request to install 24 small cells across the municipality. NorthJersey.com states Mark Bocchieri, a director of external affairs for Verizon, calls the devices “cantennae” because of their resemblance to a can. At a March 13 meeting of the council, the mayor and members expressed approval of the plan, but an official vote will not be held until the public weighs in on the matter.

Official Verizon policy dictates the additional antennas are necessary to maintain acceptable wireless service in municipalities with a population density over 7,111 residents per square mile. The company is seeking to install the infrastructure in the public right-of-way on short utility poles. Maureen Hopkins, a real estate director with the technology company Tilson contracted by Verizon, explained the small cells are necessary because mobile users are demanding more data. Users needing more data will still have to wait while the project seeks final approval. “Nothing can take place until we receive consent from the town,” Bocchieri said. “As soon as the town gives us the authorization, we will move forward with that project.”

FCC to Speed Tech Decisions; Spectrum Frontiers May Benefit

In his first major policy speech since becoming FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai pledged to speed up how fast the agency reviews new technology proposals. Though the FCC authorized the first-ever LTE-unlicensed devices in the 5 GHz band last month, the process took too long, he told those assembled at the Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Beginning now, the Office of Engineering and Technology must determine whether a new technology or service proposed in a petition or an application is in the public interest within one year. The final answer may be “no,” rather than “yes,” and the OET will independently verify that what is proposed is really new. Such a rule is on the books now, but the agency hasn’t enforced that, according to Pai.

The change could be used as part of the Spectrum Frontiers proceeding which involves opening up more spectrum for 5G. The FCC asked in that proceeding about allowing novel wireless uses for frequencies above 95 GHz. “Instead of having regulators decide which frequencies are useful, we should put spectrum out there as a testbed and leave it to the innovators to figure out how to use it,” he said.

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

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 with the firm’s permission.

Accessibility Recordkeeping Compliance Certification
Due April 1

Since April of 2013, all providers of telecommunications services have been required to file with the FCC an annual recordkeeping certification under Section 14.31 of the FCC’s rules, certifying under penalty of perjury that the company maintains records about its efforts to consult with individuals with disabilities; the accessibility features of its services and products; and information about the compatibility of its services and products with specialized peripherals. The certification is filed electronically at https://apps.fcc.gov/rccci-registry, and you will need the company's FRN and associated password to log into the RCCCI system.

Filing the required certification is the easy part: Clients must also implement the system of keeping the records described in the certification. BloostonLaw has prepared a compliance manual to help clients understand the requirements and implement their own recordkeeping system. BloostonLaw is also available to assist with the certification process.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy and Sal Taillefer.

Headlines

Comment Deadlines Established for Mobility Fund Challenge Process

On March 13, the FCC published the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) associated with the Mobility Fund Phase II Order that was adopted at the February Open Meeting, and released on March 7. Comments are due on April 12, and reply comments are due on April 27.

The FCC last week released the full text of its Mobility Fund Phase II Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, setting out a framework for moving forward with the Mobility Fund Phase II (MF-II) and Tribal Mobility Fund Phase II. The MF-II proceeding will allocate up to $4.53 billion in financial support over 10 years to expand 4G LTE service to areas that are so costly that the private sector has not yet deployed there and to preserve 4G LTE services where they might not otherwise exist.

The funding for this effort will come from the redirection of legacy subsidies, and will be distributed using a multi-round reverse auction. Winning bidders will be subject to concrete build-out and service obligations so that rural consumers are adequately served by the mobile carriers receiving universal service support. $340 million of the $4.53 billion will be reserved for unserved Tribal areas. Carriers currently receiving support for areas that receive a winning bid under Phase II will see a rapid phase down of support over the following two years. Eligible areas without a winning bid and currently receiving support will continue to receive support for the next five years for the lowest-cost provider.

By way of background, Phase I of the Mobility Fund (MF-I) made available $300 million in one-time funding for service providers to provide 3G or better mobile voice and broadband services where such services were not yet available. The Commission conducted Auction 901 for MF-I support on September 27, 2012, and awarded the $300 million to 33 winning bidders that had committed to cover 83,000 U.S. road miles. On February 25, 2014, the FCC conducted Auction 902 for the Tribal Mobility Fund Phase I, awarding $50 million in support to five winning bidders that had committed to provide 3G or better mobile voice and broadband services covering a population of 56,932 in 80 biddable areas.

In Phase II of the Mobility Fund, the FCC reaffirmed its goals to target universal service funding to coverage gaps, not areas built out by private capital. Despite a surge in private investment in mobile deployment, recent analysis by the FCC shows that at least 575,000 square miles (approximately 750,000 road miles and 3 million people) either lack 4G LTE service or are being served only by subsidized 4G LTE providers.

FCC Seeks Further Comments on Design of MF-II Challenge Process by April 12

Since service availability data and maps generated from carrier-submitted Form 477 filings are far from perfect, the FCC has proposed a challenge process by which carriers may provide evidence that areas should or should not be eligible for Phase II funding. The Further Notice portion of the item seeks comment on design of a challenge process that can efficiently resolve disputes about areas that are eligible for MF-II support and ways that can reduce the burden of the challenge process on smaller providers. In this regard, the FCC seeks comment on a couple of potential structures for the challenge process, recognizing that it intends to take the most effective parameters from these options, as well as possible alternatives, to come up with an optimal structure for the challenge process.

Option A

The challenge would consist of a certification by the challenging party that in a specific area, the party has a good faith belief, based on actual knowledge or past data collection, that there is not 4G LTE with at least 5 Mbps download speed coverage as depicted on Form 477. The specific area challenged may be for a partial census block or full census block(s). In support of such a challenge, the party would need to file a shapefile in a standard format of the challenged area. What, if any, evidence should be required in support of an initial challenge? What standards should be required for the submission of an initial challenge? The FCC is proposing that challengers could either be a carrier that is submitting a challenge in its licensed area or a state or local government that is submitting a challenge within its jurisdiction, potentially through a state PUC. Should additional parties (e.g., carriers that are potential entrants, consumers, etc.) be allowed to submit challenges? Should areas be at least a minimum size?

A challenged carrier may respond by submitting an RF propagation map that demonstrates expected coverage for the challenged area, and which is substantiated by the certification of a qualified engineer under penalty of perjury. The FCC seeks comment on the specific technical parameters for the propagation model and the shapefile, and how much time challenged carriers would require to respond.

Once the challenged carrier has timely submitted a map that shows the challenged area to be within the contour of coverage, the original challenger may submit actual speed data (potentially with supporting signal strength data) from hardware- or software-based drive tests or app-based tests (e.g., such as those from established companies such as Ookla, Rootmetrics, Nielsen, and Mosaik) that spatially cover the challenged area. This submission must also be substantiated by the certification of a qualified engineer, under penalty of perjury.

Once a challenger submits evidence of actual speeds, what evidence of actual speeds should be accepted from the provider whose coverage is being challenged? How much time should be allowed for the submission of actual speed data? A party seeking to challenge the Bureaus’ initial determination of eligibility for MF-II support would have the burden of proving its claims by a preponderance of the evidence, The FCC seeks comment on this evidentiary standard.

Option B

A recent filing by AT&T, Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. and Blue Wireless — composed of a large, mid-sized, and small provider — includes a joint proposal for how the Commission should structure the challenge process.

Challenging parties would have 60 days following the Commission’s release of a list of eligible areas to submit evidence, which would be filed in the public record. Parties would be permitted to challenge areas that they claim are incorrectly identified as ineligible or eligible. Service providers and governmental entities located in or near the relevant areas would be only parties eligible to participate.

The evidence submitted in a challenge must include a map(s) of the challenged area in shapefile format. Challenging parties must report actual download speed test data using actual speed tests or transmitter monitoring data. For the actual speed tests, data from app-based tests (many of which are freely available on consumer devices), and both hardware- and software-based drive tests would be permitted, so long as they met certain standards. For example, with app-based tests and software-based drive tests, late-model LTE devices compatible with a particular carrier’s LTE network could be used to measure the speed. The FCC asks what requirements it should adopt for speed tests to ensure that they will be representative of coverage in a disputed area, including those pertaining to time and distance between tests. In considering these issues, the Commission will need to balance the accuracy of any challenge, the burdens on affected parties, and the timeliness of resolution. The challenge evidence must be certified under penalty of perjury.

Challenged parties would have 30 days to file their certified responses. The responses must meet the same requirements as those for challenging parties — i.e., coverage shapefiles and speed test data. The FCC seeks comment on the burden of requiring this level of response from challenged parties. It would reach decisions based on the weight of the evidence and determine whether any changes to its initial list of eligible areas are warranted.

In light of the Commission’s comment/reply schedule and time to draft/adopt an Order, the FCC is not expected to finalize the details of its challenge process until mid-summer, at the earliest. The Commission has indicated that it wants to complete the MF-II auction within one year.

With publication of the item in today’s Federal Register, the deadline for comments on the FNPRM is set as Wednesday, April 12^th and reply comments on the FNPRM will be due by Thursday, April 27th.

BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast, Cary Mitchell, and Sal Taillefer.

Resolutions Introduced to Nullify Broadband Privacy Order

Last week, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Jeff Flakes (R-AZ) separately introduced resolutions stating that Congress “disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to ‘Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services’ (81 Fed. Reg. 87274 (December 2, 2016)), and such rule shall have no force or effect.”

The simply-worded resolutions operate under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to eliminate agency rules with a simple majority vote. Prior to 2017, the CRA had only been successfully invoked once to overturn a rule (in 2001); in January 2017, however, the newest Congress began passing a series of disapproval resolutions to overturn a variety of rules issued under the Obama administration, and by the end of February, three of these had already been signed into law by President Trump. Because of the shortness of legislative sessions during the 114th Congress, the 115th Congress can target rules passed by the Obama administration (at least) as far back as May 2016, as Congress has a window of time lasting 60 legislative days (i.e., days that the U.S. Congress is actually in session, rather than calendar days) to disapprove of any given rule.

As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the FCC temporarily blocked the rules adopted in the Broadband Privacy Order from going into effect on March 2 until the FCC is able to act on Petitions for Reconsideration thereof.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer.

Chairman Pai Calls for FCC to Administer Broadband Funding

On March 15, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai stated in a speech given at Carnegie Mellon University that the FCC’s Universal Service Fund should administer broadband funding appropriated by Congress as part of a larger infrastructure package. According to Chairman Pai, the latest revisions to USF minimize wasteful spending by “award[ing] subsidies based on cost-effectiveness … [and] preventing subsidies in areas where the private sector is already investing in networks.”

Chairman Pai also stated that he plans to, “breathe life into Section 7 of the Communications Act—or maybe the more proper metaphor would be to add teeth. For those who don’t know, which is basically everyone, that law says, “The Commission shall determine whether any new technology or service proposed in a petition or application is in the public interest within one year after such petition or application is filed.”

The Chairman’s statements seem difficult to integrate with his recent efforts to reduce or eliminate the FCC’s authority, such as the recent order staying the broadband privacy rules, and his pre-appointment promises to repeal the FCC’s Net Neutrality rules.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Ben Dickens and Sal Taillefer.

Law & Regulation

Comment Deadline Established for ATSC 3.0 Transition

On March 10, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing the deadlines for comments on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in GN Docket No. 16-142 seeking comment on its proposal to authorize television broadcasters to use the “Next Generation” broadcast television transmission standard associated with recent work of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC 3.0) on a voluntary, market-driven basis. Comments are due May 9, and reply comments are due June 8.

As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the NPRM proposes to authorize voluntary use of ATSC 3.0 transmissions; require “local simulcasting” for stations that choose to deploy Next Gen TV so broadcasters can continue to provide DTV service using the current ATSC 1.0 standard at the same time that they offer ATSC 3.0; require that MVPDs continue carrying broadcasters’ DTV signals, using ATSC 1.0, but not to require them to carry ATSC 3.0 signals during the period when broadcasters are voluntarily implementing ATSC 3.0 service.

The NPRM also asks for comment on whether Next Gen TV transmissions will raise any interference concerns for existing DTV operations or for any other services or devices that operate in the TV bands or in adjacent bands, and tentatively concludes that television stations offering ATSC 3.0 should be subject to the public interest obligations that currently apply to television broadcasters and asks for comment on whether broadcasters should be required to provide on-air notifications to educate consumers about Next Gen TV service deployment and ATSC 1.0 simulcasting.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy.

FCC Announces Proposed Second Quarter 2017 USF Contribution Factor

The Office of Managing Director (OMD) has announced that the proposed universal service contribution factor for the third quarter of 2017 will be 0.174 or 17.4 percent. According to the FCC, during the third quarter of 2017, carriers may not recover through a federal universal service line item on customer bills an amount that exceeds 17.4 percent of the interstate telecommunications charges on a customer’s bill.

The proposed contribution factor will be deemed approved if the FCC takes no action regarding the projections
of demand and administrative expenses and the proposed contribution factor.

USAC will use the contribution factor to calculate universal service contributions for the second quarter of 2017. Each provider’s contribution obligation will be reduced by a circularity discount approximating the provider’s contributions in the upcoming quarter. The proposed circularity factor for the second quarter of 2017 is 0.146275.

The FCC also reminds contributors that failing to pay contributions in a timely fashion may be subject to the enforcement provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended and any other applicable law. In addition, contributors may be billed by USAC for reasonable costs of collecting overdue contributions.

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

Industry

Chairman Pai Announces Investigation Into 911 Outage

On March 8, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he has launched an investigation into the 911 outage that impacted AT&T wireless subscribers across the United States on that day.

In a statement issued on March 9, Chairman Pai said:

Every call to 911 must go through. So when I first learned of yesterday’s outage, I immediately directed FCC staff to contact AT&T about it and the company’s efforts to restore access to emergency services to the American public. I also spoke with Randall Stephenson, AT&T’s chief executive officer, and stressed the urgent need to restore service and to communicate with first responders, as well as AT&T customers, about the status of operations. Additionally, I announced last night that I have directed Commission staff to track down the root cause of this outage.

CNBC reported that law enforcement and government agencies in Texas, Florida, Tennessee and other states flagged the problem and provided alternate numbers for people to call during emergencies. AT&T spokeswoman Emily Edmonds declined to comment on how many customers were affected or what caused the outage, but AT&T later indicated it would share information with the FCC.

Danae Wilson Appointed Tribal Representative to FCC

On March 13, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that Chairman Pai has appointed is Danae Wilson, Manager, Department of Technology Services for the Nez Perce Tribe as Tribal representative to its Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC).

The IAC was reauthorized on September 29, 2016, as the term of the previous IAC had expired in July of that year. The reauthorized IAC will operate for two years, with an option for the FCC to reauthorize it again at the end of the two-year period. The term will commence with the IAC’s first meeting to be at the FCC’s headquarters on March 24, and will conclude on that date in 2019. IAC meetings are not open to the public because the IAC is an intergovernmental committee formed under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA).

The IAC comprises 15 elected and appointed officials from state, local and Tribal governments. Its mission is to provide ongoing advice and recommendations to the FCC on a broad range of communications issues within the jurisdiction of the FCC and impacting state, local and Tribal governments.

Deadlines

MARCH 24: 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, 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.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy.

APRIL 1: FCC FORM 499-A, TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPORTING WORKSHEET. This form must be filed by all contributors to the Universal Service Fund (USF) sup-port mechanisms, the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, the cost recovery mechanism for the North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA), and the shared costs of local number portability (LNP). Contributors include every telecommunications carrier that provides interstate, intrastate, and international telecommunications, and certain other entities that provide interstate telecommunications for a fee. Even common carriers that qualify for the de minimis ex-emption must file Form 499-A. Entities whose universal service contributions will be less than $10,000 qualify for the de minimis ex-emption. De minimis entities do not have to file the quarterly report (FCC Form 499-Q), which was due February 1, and will again be due May 1. Form 499-Q relates to universal and LNP mechanisms. Form 499-A relates to all of these mechanisms and, hence, applies to all providers of interstate, intrastate, and international telecommunications services. Form 499-A contains revenue information for January 1 through December 31 of the prior calendar year. And Form 499-Q contains revenue information from the prior quarter plus projections for the next quarter. (Note: the revised 499-A and 499-Q forms are now available.) Block 2-B of the Form 499-A requires each carrier to designate an agent in the District of Columbia upon whom all notices, process, orders, and decisions by the FCC may be served on behalf of that carrier in proceedings before the FCC. Carriers receiving this newsletter may specify our law firm as their D.C. agent for service of process using the information in our masthead. There is no charge for this service.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Hal Mordkofsky, Ben Dickens, and Gerry Duffy.

APRIL 1: ANNUAL ACCESS TO ADVANCED SERVICES CERTIFICATION. All providers of telecommunications services and telecommunications carriers subject to Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act are required to file with the FCC an annual certification that (1) states the company has procedures in place to meet the recordkeeping requirements of Part 14 of the Rules; (2) states that the company has in fact kept records for the previous calendar year; (3) contains contact information for the individual or individuals handling customer complaints under Part 14; (4) contains contact information for the company’s designated agent; and (5) is supported by an affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury signed by an officer of the company.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Gerry Duffy, Mary Sisak, Sal Taillefer.

Calendar At-A-Glance

March
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. 20 – Reply comments are due on Dormant Proceeding Termination Public Notice.
Mar. 24 – FCC Form 477 (Local Competition & Broadband Reporting) is due.
Mar. 27 – Reply comments are due on TCPA “Prior Express Consent” Declaratory Ruling.
Mar. 28 – Reply comments are due on TCPA Revocation of Consent Petition.
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.

April
Apr. 1 – FCC Form 499-A (Annual Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet) is due.
Apr. 1 – Annual Accessibility Certification is due.
Apr. 12 – Comments are due on Mobility Fund Phase II FNPRM.
Apr. 27 – Reply comments are due on Mobility Fund Phase II FNPRM.

May
May 1 – FCC Form 499-Q (Quarterly Telecommunications Reporting Worksheet) is due.
May 4 – Comments on Regulatory Flexibility Act Rule Review and Elimination Proceeding are due.
May 31 – FCC Form 395 (Annual Employment Report) is due.

Hamming it up: Whether used for hobby or emergency, ham radio is booming form of communication

By Pippi Mayfield on Mar 14, 2017 at 11:45 a.m.

DULUTH — They are considered the last line of communication. When everything else fails, they can bridge the communication gap and connect people.

Doug Nelson and Dave Miller are just two of the 750,000 registered amateur radio — better known as ham radio — users.

"I wanted to be available to help people," Miller said about why he got involved in ham radio. "That was my main interest."

He is now the Douglas County emergency coordinator.

Nelson has a list of coordinator positions and responsibilities after his name as well, and both Nelson and Miller are involved in multiple groups throughout the Twin Ports area.

Ham radio uses AM radio frequencies, amateur bands, to communicate. According to the National Association of Amateur Radio, other bands include government, military and police.

Depending on the band the ham radio operator uses, they can talk across town, the world or even satellites in space. Amateurs learn and study before taking an examination for a Federal Communications Commission license to operate on the amateur frequency bands.

Since 1989, Nelson has logged 6,000-plus contacts in 278 countries. "He is the mentor of mentors in this area," Miller said of Nelson and his amateur radio abilities.

Miller got his start in ham radio a little bit later. He took a community education class on the subject 12 years ago — not that he wasn't interested before that though.

"Since I was a kid, the crystal radio days, I was fascinated with it," he said.

Once Miller was an adult, he took the community education class, and that's where he met Nelson.

After Miller earned his license, he went to Nelson and said, "I have a license, now I need to learn."

Both are a part of the local Arrowhead Radio Amateurs Club and the American Relay Radio League. The reason for the continued growth in ham radio popularity can't be tracked, but Nelson said he thinks the numbers are at an all-time high due to an interest in electronics and for emergency purposes.

Dave Miller is an amateur radio operator. Bob King Forum News Service

The fun side

While some amateurs may focus on just the hobby portion of ham radio or the emergency side (like Miller), there are guys like Nelson who partake in both extensively.

Not only does he talk his way through the radio frequencies, Nelson has another skill he uses often — Morse code. "It's one of those fascinating arts out there," Miller said of Morse code. He doesn't know much about Morse code but would like to learn, he said.

Demonstrating his skills, Nelson holds a conversation with someone in the Netherlands. What do you say to someone in another country?

"Keep it generic," he said. "No religion, no politics. Well, you're not supposed to anyway."

He can click out about 25 words per minute.

Nelson and Miller can easily tick off projects they have worked on, introducing others to ham radio or helping out at events. Those projects have ranged from helping with a high altitude balloon launch with Two Harbors High School students to helping kids at the former Children's Museum club talk to the International Space Station.

During an event to help celebrate the National Park Service's 100th anniversary last year, ham radio users — including Nelson and Miller — activated NPS units in national parks throughout the U.S. to promote the parks. The men said 1.2 million people made contacts with the parks within the year. This was the biggest event of its sorts ever done. They have also helped with communications during Grandma's Marathon, the NorthShore Inline Marathon, the Superior Man Triathlon and more.

"This hobby has so many directions," Miller said.

The emergency side

Douglas County set up a space in the emergency communications portion of the courthouse to house the amateur radio members and three work stations. They have the high-frequency station where they can talk to other radio users throughout the world, the voice station where they can talk regionally and the IP station where they can communicate through the internet.

While they can provide assistance for light or athletic events, ham radio users are needed to serve in possibly life-threatening and emergency instances. Amateur radio users helped during the Pagami Creek fire in 2011; during Toxic Tuesday in 1992, when a train containing benzene derailed and 50,000 people were forced to evacuate Minnesota and Wisconsin; during the 2012 flood in Duluth and many more.

One aspect they work with on a regular basis is Skywarn with the National Weather Service. There are 15 ham radio operators who are notified when a storm is approaching. That group decides the shifts they will take in the NWS office to help gather information.

Nelson and Olson agree this is one of their most important jobs. Doppler radar is only so good because it can detect weather, but can't see what's actually going on.

"We coordinate a lot of eyeballs," Nelson said.

Nelson added he's been told by weather service people that they couldn't do their jobs as well without the ham radio crew.

"They help us make warning decisions," said Carol Christenson, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Duluth. She's a ham radio operator herself. She got into it about 15 years ago for her job. She said she felt that if she was working with ham radio operators, she better know what to do, too.

While there are other trained storm spotters throughout the region, "a large number of them are amateur radio users," she said.

Not only are the radio operators the eyes and ears when lines of communications go down, they are the communicators.

"They are wonderful people and so willing to help," she said.

Miller said he saw that kindness among ham radio operators from the start, too.

"No one is trying to outdo you. If you have a question, they are willing to help you," he said. "People who understand it really appreciate it."

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

R.H. (Ron) Mercer Consultant 217 First Street East Northport, NY 11731
Telephone: 631-786-9359
www.wirelessplanners.com
wirelessplannerron@gmail.com

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

“A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor — such is my idea of happiness.”

― Leo Tolstoy, Family Happiness

Teach Your Children • Playing For Change Band • Live in Brazil

Published on Dec 1, 2016
We are proud to share with all of you this PFC Band performance of “Teach Your Children” live in Brazil. The proceeds from this special night supported the opening of one of our newest PFC Foundation Music Programs in Curitiba, Brazil. This performance is a reminder of what love, music, and conviction can create. We all share the human heart, let the music bring us all back to our humanity.