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Tim Cook is testing a glucose tracker for the Apple Watch

CEO has been spotted wearing the device, according to a new report

by Amar Toor, May 19, 2017, 5:04am EDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been wearing a prototype glucose tracker that pairs with the Apple Watch, according to a report from CNBC . The revelation adds weight to a previous report from CNBC, which said last month that Apple has hired a team of biomechanical engineers to develop a noninvasive device to monitor the blood sugar levels of people with diabetes.

Citing unnamed sources, CNBC reports that Apple’s Palo Alto-based team has already begun feasibility tests with the tracker, which connects to the Apple Watch. Glucose trackers currently on the market use sensors that penetrate the skin. Cook told students at the University of Glasgow in February that he had been wearing a glucose tracker, and that it helped him understand the impact of different foods on his blood sugar levels.

“It's mentally anguishing to stick yourself many times a day to check your blood sugar,” Cook said, according to CNBC. "There is lots of hope out there that if someone has constant knowledge of what they're eating, they can instantly know what causes the response . . . and that they can adjust well before they become diabetic."

More than 29 million Americans suffer from diabetes, according to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among those who have the disease, one in four are unaware of their condition, according to the CDC.

Steve Jobs envisioned using wearables to monitor blood sugar and other vital signs during his tenure as Apple CEO, and the company’s glucose tracker has been in development for at least five years, CNBC reported last month. But developing an accurate and noninvasive technique has proven challenging. Speaking to CNBC last month, biomedical expert John L. Smith said developing such a device has been “the most difficult technical challenge I have encountered in my career.”

Source: The Verge

Now on to more news and views.

Wayne County, Illinois

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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.

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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.

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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 [in simulcast mode] . Specifically the 4-level alignment ID parameter contained in the SCM has to match the Exciter ID parameter.

Even if someone could modify the programing software to “fudge” these parameters, that would not let them use unmatched modules effectively without recalibrating them to exact factory specifications.

So now that there is no longer a Motorola factory laboratory to send them to, what do we do?

I hope someone can help us resolve this serious problem for users of the Nucleus paging transmitter.

Please let me know if you can help. [ click here ]

[Thanks to Tom Harger Chief Engineer at Contact Wireless for the correction above in red. ]

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How WannaCry Went From A Windows Bug To An International Incident

Lee Mathews, CONTRIBUTOR
Forbes
Observing, pondering, and writing about tech. Generally in that order.
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

The WannaCry ransomware burst into the spotlight over the weekend as reports of infections streamed in from around the globe. It was the stuff of a Hollywood techno-thriller, and we watched it unfold in real time. But how did WannaCry come to be? How did it infect so many computers so quickly? And, perhaps most importantly, how will organizations and individuals cope with the fallout?

What is MS17-010, and what does it have to do with WannaCry?

When Microsoft needs to alert its customers to a security concern, it creates bulletins and posts them to the TechNet site. They're given a label and assigned a severity rating. MS17-010 is a bulletin Microsoft posted in March. It disclosed the existence of a critical vulnerability in an older version of the SMB network protocol. That vulnerability was exploited by WannaCry to spread from computer to computer.

Who discovered the SMB vulnerability?

It wasn't Microsoft, unfortunately. This nasty bug was actually discovered (and reportedly utilized) by the NSA, who referred to it as EternalBlue. It went public when Wikileaks published information obtained by the Shadowbrokers hacking group.

The WannaCrypt ransom screen/Image: Microsoft

How did an NSA tool become malware?

In the strict sense, EternalBlue already was malware . . . it just wasn't the kind that was ever likely to be used against the general public. Once its code had been revealed, however, criminal hackers started working on ways to utilize its extremely advanced abilities to spread their insidious wares.

What is WannaCry / WCry / WDecryptor?

WannaCry is a strain of Windows ransomware that took advantage of the EternalBlue exploit. It is a worm, a type of malware that seeks out vulnerable computers and spreads the infection on its own — rather than replying on phishing emails or drive-by downloads.

How did WannaCry spread so quickly?

Several factors were involved. The biggest may be that large numbers of computers — potentially millions around the world — did not have Microsoft's patch installed or ran versions of Windows for which there was no patch. That included legitimate Windows XP installs as well as pirated copies of Microsoft's operating systems, which the company blocks from updating.

Tests by researchers showed that an unpatched computer that was connected to the Internet could be infected in a matter of minutes.

Another contributing factor is that the vulnerable systems tend to be very concentrated, with some organizations having hundreds or thousands of unpatched computers deployed. Improperly secured firewalls were also to blame, as attempted SMB connections from the Internet can be blocked with relative ease.

How did WannaCry become an international incident?

Those concentrated deployments of vulnerable computers? Many of them are found inside government agencies, banks, hospitals, telecom providers, manufacturers and universities. WannaCry didn't discriminate.

It crippled Britain's National Health Service and disrupted surgeries. Hospitals and health authorities in Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, and Slovakia. It infested government offices in Kerala, India, Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Major corporations including FedEx, Hitachi, Nissan and Sandvik were hit.

With so many high-profile victims and remediation costs potentially climbing to billions of dollars, malware outbreaks don't get much more serious than WannaCry.

Reactions to the outbreak

As the smoke began to clear, outrage around WannaCry shifted from the ransomware itself to the bug that made its spread possible. Many security experts have pointed to the WannaCry attacks as proof that the NSA shouldn't "hoard" software vulnerabilities. There have also been accusations that Microsoft was complicit and the MS17-010 bug was actually a backdoor it allowed the NSA to utilize — though that has yet to be proven.

That certainly doesn't seem to be the case. Microsoft president Brad Smith authored a post in which he blasted intelligence agencies for failing to disclose the vulnerabilities they discover. Smith said WannaCrypt "represents a completely unintended but disconcerting link between the two most serious forms of cybersecurity threats in the world today — nation-state action and organized criminal action."

Can WannaCry or other malware based on EternalBlue infect my computer?

If your computers run Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 and you've installed all the recent updates, (or at least those up to March), you're protected. If your computers run another version of Windows (Windows XP, Windows 8, Server 20003) you need to download and install Microsoft's emergency patch immediately.

Another step you can take is disabling SMB version 1 on your computer. Microsoft has an easy-to-follow guide that will step you through the process, and you shouldn't notice any differences after switching it off.

It's also worth testing your router or firewall to see if port 445 — which is used by SMB — is blocked. You Get Signal offers a free web-based tool. All you have to do to run it is click the number 445 next to SMB in the list of common ports. You should see a red flag icon and "Port 445 is closed."

What happens next?

In the short-term, organizations and individuals alike need to pay more attention to security than ever before. Windows updates need to be installed as quickly as possible, particularly when Microsoft identifies them as critical. Installing the update that addresses MS17-010, for example, will prevent not just WannaCry infections but any copycat malware that uses the same method to spread.

Highly-sensitive systems — like industrial machines and medical equipment — need to be isolated to prevent malware from spreading to places where it can cause actual physical harm to humans.

Look ahead, Smith says "we need the tech sector, customers, and governments to work together to protect against cybersecurity attacks." He adds that governments need to "treat this attack as a wake-up call," and pointed to a request made in February for world leaders to enact a sort of "Digital Geneva Convention" to govern the use of cyberweapons.

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SpaceX launches Inmarsat communications satellite

May 15, 2017
Yahoo Tech

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket's first stage can be recovered but the force needed to propel the payload to orbit did not leave enough fuel for the operation (AFP Photo/JOE RAEDLE)

Miami (AFP) — SpaceX launched a communications satellite for Inmarsat, marking its first launch for the London-based mobile broadband company.

The Inmarsat-5 F4 satellite, built by Boeing, blasted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 7:21 pm (2321 GMT).

"We've had confirmation of spacecraft separation," said a SpaceX commentator about 30 minutes after launch, signaling that the satellite was successfully deployed to a distant, geostationary orbit.

"We've had good orbits, good separation, all you can ask for today."

The satellite is the fourth in the company's Global Xpress (GX) constellation, aimed at providing high-speed mobile broadband service.

"Inmarsat, the only operator of a global Ka-band network, created the GX platform to enable communities across the world to benefit from the emerging digital society," said a company statement.

SpaceX, which is headed by Elon Musk, did not attempt to bring the first stage of the rocket back to Earth for an upright landing following the launch.

The payload weighed some 13,500 pounds (6,100 kilograms), and the force needed to propel it to orbit would not leave enough fuel for the rocket to maneuver back to Earth.

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Microsoft held back a free WannaCry patch, report says

The repair would have slowed down the ransomware, but customers running older software were charged for protection.

by Aloysius Low
May 18, 2017 9:25 PM PDT
c|net

Microsoft could have slowed the devastating spread of ransomware WannaCry to businesses, the Financial Times reports. Instead, it held back a free repair update on machines running older software like Windows XP.

Microsoft wanted hefty fees of up to $1,000 a year from businesses for "custom" support and protection against attacks like WannaCry, which locks your computer unless you pay the hackers in bitcoin, said the publication.

While Microsoft finally did make the patch available free of charge to Windows XP machines last Friday, damage had already been done. The company has since been trying to convince customers, business or otherwise, to switch to its newer and more secure Windows 10 . Despite the lack of cover, plenty of Microsoft's customers are still running older software that may still be vulnerable.

"Recognizing that for a variety of business reasons, companies sometimes choose not to upgrade even after 10 or 15 years, Microsoft offers custom support agreements as a stopgap measure," said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to CNET.

"To be clear, Microsoft would prefer that companies upgrade and realize the full benefits of the latest version rather than choose custom support. Security experts agree that the best protection is to be on a modern, up-to-date system that incorporates the latest defense-in-depth innovations. Older systems, even if fully up-to-date, simply lack the latest protections."

Initial WannaCry attacks were slowed by a security professional who found the ransomeware's kill switch , but newer, more resistant versions have appeared . At last count, over 200,000 computers in over 150 countries had been hit with the ransomware.

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

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• If you want better indoor coverage, you put sites closer together at lower heights.
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• Protect victim confidentiality and prevent unauthorized use of public safety communications, with integrated encryption service.

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• 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?
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Exclusive: The world’s first look at Apple’s final iPhone 8 design in real life

Image Source: Benjamin Geskin

Zach Epstein
May 17th, 2017 at 10:02 AM
BGR.com

Apple’s upcoming new iPhone 8 is the most hotly anticipated smartphone since 2014, when news first began to leak that the company would finally release larger iPhones. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus featured the bigger displays users had been clamoring for, and they also sported a sleek new design that Apple fans loved. But now, three years later, Apple’s flagship iPhones still feature a design that is practically identical to the company’s 2014 models. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus pack plenty of power and new features, but smartphone fans have clearly grown tired of Apple’s 2014 iPhone design, and sales are slumping as a result.

The world is long overdue for a fresh new iPhone design, and Apple fans will finally get what they want in 2017 when Apple unveils its completely redesigned iPhone 8. Now, for the first time ever, consumers will get their first look at Apple’s reimagined iPhone 8 design in real life.

This coming September, Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhone models. The iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are believed to be modest updates to the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. For the first time, however, Apple is expected to make a significant change to an “S” update’s hardware by making the back of the phones glass instead of aluminum. Both new models are expected to support wireless charging, and present technology is unable to pass current as efficiently through metal as it does through glass.

Apple’s new iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus will surely be impressive smartphones, but the device everyone is waiting for is the iPhone 8. According to multiple independent reports, the iPhone 8 will feature a bold new design that sandwiches a stainless steel frame between two 2.5D glass panels. The result will supposedly appear seamless, bringing Apple closer than ever to realizing Jony Ive’s dream of an iPhone made of one continuous sheet of glass.

The face of the iPhone 8 is expected to feature a new OLED display with a screen-to-body ratio even more impressive than the 83% ratio managed by Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+. This will reportedly be achieved in part by shifting around the device’s internal components, but also by completely removing the iPhone’s physical home button.

Here is where reports begin to diverge. We know that Apple has been working for years on technology that will allow it to embed a TouchID fingerprint scanner directly into an iPhone’s display , and several reports have said the iPhone 8 will be the first iPhone to feature an embedded fingerprint sensor. But conflicting reports suggest that the required tech isn’t yet mature enough to mass-produce at the scale Apple would require for the iPhone 8, so the company may be forced to move the scanner to the back of the handset, as was the case for Samsung and its Galaxy S8.

Everyone hates the iPhone 8 design that has floated around with a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, so we can only hope that Apple and its manufacturing partners found a way to make the embedded scanner work. The bad news is we cannot confirm one way or the other at this time. But the good news is Apple’s iPhone 8 design has seemingly been finalized, and we’re giving the world an exclusive first look at the hotly anticipated tenth-anniversary iPhone.

BGR has exclusively obtained photos of an iPhone 8 mockup that is believed to feature Apple’s final design. As has been the case in years past, this mockup is thought to have been built using actual finalized schematics that were leaked from the factories that will build Apple’s next-generation iPhones.

The mockup doesn’t feature any indication of a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, however not all markings are present on the dummy, so it’s not clear if this is an indication that the phone’s TouchID sensor will be embedded in the display.

These photos show an iPhone 8 design that is largely in line with recent rumors. The phone features 2.5D glass panels on the front and back that curve slightly at their edges. Sandwiched between them is a polished stainless steel midframe that is rounded as well, perfectly continuing the slope of the 2.5D glass. The result is a smooth design that will likely feel seamless in the hand.

On the back of the iPhone 8 mockup, we can see an oversized “camera bump” positioned vertically rather than horizontally, as is the case on the iPhone 7 Plus. This area of the phone’s back is thought to house a new dual-lens camera system, as well as an LED flash and a microphone. Apple’s next-generation camera on the iPhone 8 is expected to feature the same optical zoom capability as the iPhone 7 Plus’ camera, but it may also enable exciting new augmented reality features that Apple will announce this coming September.

And just in case you’re wondering, no, the iPhone 8 will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

We have about four months to go before Apple finally takes the wraps off its tenth-anniversary iPhone, and there are still plenty of new details left to leak between now and then. In fact, we still don’t even know what the new handset will be called. While most people currently refer to the phone as the “iPhone 8,” that name has not been confirmed. Other possibilities that have been tossed around include “iPhone X” and “iPhone Edition,” which would align with the high-end Apple Watch Edition.

There is indeed much we still do not know, but the iPhone 8’s design now appears to be finalized. While BGR’s exclusive photos give the world its first look at this sleek new design, we can expect to see more iPhone 8 mockups begin to surface as third-party case makers like Ghostek and Spigen get a jump on building cases for Apple’s new iPhone so they’re ready at launch. As regular readers will recall, Ghostek was the first case maker to reveal Samsung’s Galaxy S8 design when renders of its upcoming cases were leaked earlier this year.

Apple’s iPhone 8 is expected to be unveiled this coming September, though its release may be pushed back to October or November if recent rumors of manufacturing difficulties end up being accurate.

Friday, May 19, 2017	Volume 5 | Issue 99

FCC Begins Net Neutrality Roll Back With Industry Backing

The FCC voted 2-1 to begin the process to roll back the Obama-era Net Neutrality rules, starting what will likely be a several-months long fight over the future of internet regulation. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai says the current rules chill broadband investment while opponents dispute this. The issue is of interest to readers because it gets to the heart of the further rollout of street furniture such as small cells and antennas for 4G and eventually 5G. The rules passed by former Chairman Tom Wheeler changed the classification of the internet from an information service, which they had been considered since the Clinton-era, to a utility in which ISPs must treat all internet traffic the same, with no fast or slow speed lanes. Pai said “The internet was not broken in 2015,” yet the FCC at the time “succumbed to heavy handedness from the White House and changed course.” Seventy fixed wireless providers “say their hands are tied” by the regs and 22 of the smallest ISPs have slowed if not halted new builds.” Commissioner Mignon Clyburn “most vociferously” voted against the change, saying it should be called the “Internet Destroying Freedom NPRM.” She and Democrats on the Hill and protesters outside the FCC yesterday, say it’s an example of the current administration trying to “gut” consumer protections. Clyburn disputed the financial premise Pai used, saying “No broadband provider ever told Wall Street that the Open Internet Order was responsible for decreasing capital expenditures.”

Noting the more than one million comments received on the issue to-date, Commissioner Michael O’Rielly said “thankfully our work is not judged like a ‘Dancing With the Stars’ contest, meaning the content, not the number, of how many filings are made on the issue is important. Afterwards Pai told reporters the agency has received comments on the issue with names like “Superman,” “Aquaman,” “Wonder Woman” and “The Flash.”

Pai said several times yesterday that the action the agency took was a first step, and whatever the Commission decides to do, the process will be open.

After the vote, the Wireless Infrastructure Association said in a statement: “WIA continues to support the creation of a stable regulatory environment that encourages the responsible deployment of wireless infrastructure. The federal government can promote greater investment in the broadband networks the country needs while also protecting an open internet.”

USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter said the action will help “countless” Americans living in rural communities. “Requiring carriers to charge higher prices to rural consumers can be anticompetitive and the agency’s move to stop this increase is a welcome step in the right direction.”

Speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate yesterday, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune of South Dakota asked everyone to put the “rhetoric and fear mongering aside” and “work together to find the right policies for the internet.” While some may wish to see what the FCC does, Thune said, he favors working on new legislation right away.

WIA said the association is encouraged that the FCC’s action and Thune’s comments “will lead to bipartisan action in Congress on the issue of an open internet, which would establish long-term regulatory certainty and encourage investment for the wireless industry.”

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
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Contact

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

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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 of The Wireless Messaging News with the firm’s permission. Contact information is included at the end of the newsletter.

REMINDER: STUDY AREA BOUNDARY RECERTIFICATION DUE MAY 26

In addition to the obligation to submit updated information when study area boundaries change, all ILECs are required to recertify their study area boundary data every two years. The recertification is due this year by May 26, 2017. Where the state commission filed the study area boundary data for an ILEC, the state commission should submit the recertification. However, where the state commission did not submit data for the ILEC and the ILEC submitted the study area boundary data, then the ILEC should submit the recertification by May 26, 2017.

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

Headlines

Deadlines for Comments on Wireline Broadband Infrastructure Rules Established

On May 16, the FCC issued a Public Notice announcing that comments on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Notice of Inquiry, and Request for Comment on “a number of actions designed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks and services by removing barriers to infrastructure investment” will be due on June 15, and reply comments will be due on July 17. The Notice of Inquiry portion of this document was actually published in the Federal Register on May 11, but the FCC indicated that to avoid confusion, the NOI would share comment deadlines with the NPRM, which was published on May 16.

Any clients that have concerns about state or local regulations that hinder implementation of or changes to their services, or other matters listed below, should take advantage of this opportunity by participating in comments. Please contact the firm ASAP if you have any questions or concerns that can be addressed in such comments.

As we reported in a previous edition of the BloostonLaw Telecom Update, the NPRM and NOI seek comment on a number of issues, including:

Pole Attachment. The FCC is seeking comment on ways to reduce pole attachment costs and speed access to utility poles. Proposals include:

• Reducing the timeframe for utilities to review and make a decision on a completed pole attachment application and shortening the make-ready work timeframe.
• Allowing new attachers to use utility-approved contractors to perform “routine” make-ready work and also to perform “complex” make-ready work ( i.e., make-ready work that reasonably would be expected to cause a customer outage) in situations where an existing attacher fails to do so, or to perform routine make-ready work in lieu of the existing attacher performing such work.
• Requiring utilities to provide potential new attachers with a schedule of common make-ready charges to create greater transparency for make-ready costs; limiting make-ready fees imposed on new attachers to the actual costs incurred to accommodate a new attachment; allowing utilities to set a standard charge per pole that a new attacher may choose in lieu of a cost-allocated charge; and excluding capital costs that utilities already recover via make-ready fees and are not otherwise recoverable through make-ready fees from pole attachment rates
• Eliminating the requirement that ILEC attachers demonstrate they are “comparably situated” to a telecommunications provider or a cable operator; instead the incumbent LEC would receive the telecommunications rate unless the utility pole owner can demonstrate with clear and convincing evidence that the benefits to the incumbent LEC far outstrip the benefits accorded to other pole attachers.
• Introducing a reciprocal system of infrastructure access rules in which incumbent LECs, pursuant to Section 251(b)(4) of the Act, could demand access to competitive LEC poles and vice versa, subject to the rates, terms, and conditions described in Section 224.

Copper Retirement. The FCC proposes a number of revisions to Part 51 network change disclosure rules and seeks comment on streamlining and/or eliminating provisions of the more generally applicable network change notification rules. Proposals include:

• Eliminating changes to the copper retirement process adopted by the FCC in the 2015 Technology Transitions Order, such as requiring an incumbent LEC to serve its notice only to telephone exchange service providers that directly interconnect with the incumbent LEC’s network, as was the case under the predecessor rule.
• Reinstating the prior copper retirement notice rules.
• Eliminating all differences between copper retirement and other network change notice requirements, rendering copper retirement changes subject to the same long-term or, where applicable, short-term network change notice requirements as all other types of network changes subject to Section 251(c)(5).

Section 214 Discontinuance. The FCC proposed a number of targeted measures to shorten timeframes and eliminate process encumbrances that are part of the discontinuance process. Proposals include:

• Reducing Section 214(a) discontinuance process for applications that seek authorization to stop accepting new customers for the service while maintaining service to existing customers (a.k.a. “grandfathering”) to 10 days.
• Changing the list of eligible services for grandfathering.
• Adopting a streamlined uniform comment period of 10 days and an auto-grant period of 31 days for both dominant and non-dominant carriers for discontinuance of services that have been grandfathered for at least 180 days.
• Reversing a prior FCC clarification that Section 214(a) of the Act applies not only to a carrier’s own retail customers, but also to the retail end-user customers of that carrier’s wholesale carrier-customers.

State Laws Inhibiting Broadband Deployment. The FCC also sought comment on how it could adopt rules that would help decrease State-sponsored impediments to broadband deployment. Such rules would be aimed at:

• Prohibiting state or local moratoria on market entry or the deployment of telecommunications facilities.
• Eliminating excessive delays in negotiations and approvals for rights-of-way agreements and permitting for telecommunications services.
• • Prohibiting excessive fees and other costs that may have the effect of prohibiting the provision of telecommunications service.
• Prohibiting unreasonable conditions or requirements in the context of granting access to rights-of-way, permitting, construction, or licensure related to the provision of telecommunications services.
• Banning bad faith conduct in the context of deployment, rights-of-way, permitting, construction, or licensure negotiations and processes.

Other Matters. The FCC also sought comment on:

• “the functional test,” an interpretation of Section 214(a) that obligates the FCC to look beyond the terms of a carrier’s tariff and instead consider the totality of the circumstances from the perspective of the relevant community when analyzing whether a service is discontinued, reduced, or impaired under Section 214; and
• interpreting “service” within the meaning of Section 214’s discontinuance requirement as encompassing the entire range of offerings that are available to a community, or part of a community.

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

Comments on Robocall Blocking Proceeding are Due July 3

On May 17, the FCC published in the Federal Register its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposed changes to the rules implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and to the call completion rules. Comments are due July 3, and reply comments are due July 31.

Specifically, the FCC is proposing to codify the clarification it issued in 2016, that states providers may block calls when:

• the subscriber to a particular telephone number requests that calls originating from that number be blocked;
• calls originate from invalid numbers;
• calls originate from valid numbers that are not allocated to a voice service provider; and
• calls originate from valid numbers that are allocated but not assigned to a subscriber.

The FCC also seeks comment on the possibility of permitting providers to block calls in other situations where the calls to be blocked are reasonably likely to be illegal based upon objective criteria.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Mary Sisak and Sal Taillefer.

FCC Issues Guidance on Sunshine Period in Broadband Reclassification Proceeding

On May 11, the FCC issued a Public Notice clarifying that because the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in which the FCC proposes to reclassify broadband internet access as a Title I service is included in the list of items to be considered at tomorrow’s Open Meeting, the Sunshine Agenda period officially began on May 12 and will continue until the FCC releases the text of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking or removes it from the meeting agenda. Presentations, including comments, that are received during the Sunshine Agenda period and do not meet an exception to the FCC’s rules will be marked in the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System as “SUNSHINE.” These presentations will be associated with, but not made a part of, the record in the proceeding. Presentations made by the public after the end of the Sunshine Agenda period will be made a part of the record of the proceeding.

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

Law & Regulation

FCC Releases Agenda for May 18 Open Meeting

On May 11, the FCC announced the official agenda for its Open Meeting of May 18. At the meeting, the FCC will consider:

• a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes to eliminate a rule requiring rural telecommunications service providers receiving USF support to impose higher minimum monthly rates on their customers than the rates paid by some of their urban counterparts, or otherwise lose some USF support. The FCC will also consider a related Order that would freeze the current rate.
• the Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau’s final report on its investigation into the VoLTE 911 outage AT&T Mobility experienced on March 8, 2017.
• a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would both facilitate the deployment of and reduce regulatory burdens on the three types of Fixed-Satellite Service earth stations authorized to transmit while in motion: Earth Stations on Vessels, Vehicle-Mounted Earth Stations, and Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft.
• a Report and Order that would amend provisions of the Personal Radio Services located in Part 95 of the FCC’s rules in order to address two Petitions for Rulemaking, update and modernize various rules to reflect current uses and technologies, remove outdated regulatory requirements, and reorganize the rules to make them easier to read and understand.
• a Public Notice that would launch a review of the FCC’s rules applicable to media entities and seek comment on what rules should be modified or repealed.
• a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to eliminate the FCC’s main studio rule, based on a tentative finding that the rule is now outdated and unnecessarily burdensome for broadcast stations.
• a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would propose to restore the Internet to a light-touch regulatory framework by classifying broadband Internet access service as an information service and by seeking comment on the existing rules governing Internet service providers’ practices.

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

FCC Proposes $144k Fine for Operation Without Low-Power TV License

On May 12, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau proposed a $144,344 fine against Vearl Pennington and Michael Williamson for operating an unlicensed low-power television station in Morehead, Kentucky. An FCC investigation found that these individuals continued to operate well after the FCC license for their station was canceled following failure to file a renewal. The proposed fine is the maximum allowed for ongoing violations of the Communications Act, which the FCC indicated is justified by the individuals’ continued operation of the station for years despite repeated warnings that they were in violation of the law.

Specifically, an FCC Press Release indicates that in 1990, Mr. Pennington was granted an FCC license to operate low-power television station DW10BM in Morehead, Kentucky. Mr. Pennington renewed the station’s license in 1993 but failed to do so again in 1998. In 2004, the FCC’s Media Bureau wrote to Mr. Pennington to inquire if he had submitted a renewal request in 1998. Receiving no response, the Bureau canceled the license for DW10BM in 2004. Mr. Pennington, joined by Mr. Williamson, continued to operate the station despite their lack of FCC-issued license.

After an unrelated FCC filing by another entity referenced the continued operation of DW10BM, the FCC’s Media Bureau informed the Enforcement Bureau, which investigated through its Atlanta Field Office and found that the unlicensed station was indeed operating on channel 10 in Morehead.

FCC agents met with Messrs. Pennington and Williamson during the investigation and warned both individuals that their unlicensed broadcasts violated FCC rules and the Communications Act. The station was instructed to cease operation, warned of possible enforcement actions, and issued an on-scene Notice of Unlicensed Radio Operation. Despite these warnings, the men continued to operate the station.

BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast.

Senate Proposes Bill to Expand Rural Broadband Deployment Using Accurate Map Data

On May 11, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) today introduced the Rural Wireless Access Act of 2017. This legislation would require the FCC to collect broadband coverage data that is “valid, consistent, and robust.” According to the congressmen, “this standardized data is necessary to ensure that policies to expand broadband deployment accurately target the unserved and underserved communities and account for the mobile coverage experience of those living in the most remote parts of the country.”

Specifically, this bill would direct the FCC to establish a methodology to:

• Ensure that wireless coverage data is collected in a consistent and robust way
• Improve the validity and reliability of wireless coverage data
• Increase the efficiency of wireless coverage data collection

“While Congress has mandated that consumers in rural America must have access to comparable services, there is still much work to be done to make this a reality in West Virginia,” Senator Manchin said. “This legislation is an important step towards ensuring our ongoing efforts to close the broadband gap are guided by a realistic understanding of the mobile broadband coverage currently available to rural consumers. We must target the areas that remain in need of this critical support and deliver on the promise of universal service.”

“I have consistently expressed concern that FCC’s data does not reflect the real mobile broadband experience of consumers in rural America,” Senator Wicker said. “This bill would address that problem by directing the FCC to improve the accuracy of the data it collects. This is an important step to ensure federal funds are spent on deploying broadband in communities that truly need it.”

“We can’t close the digital divide if we don’t know where the problem is,” Senator Schatz said. “This bill will help us understand which communities still have bad wireless broadband coverage, so that we can move ahead and fix it.”

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

FCC Extends Separations Freeze

On May 15, the FCC issued a Report and Orde r extend the existing freeze of Part 36 category relationships and jurisdictional cost allocation factors through December 31, 2018. The purpose of this extension is to provide time for the FCC and the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations to overhaul the separations rules.

According to the FCC, the policy changes adopted in recent years, particularly those arising from the USF/ICC Transformation Order and from recent changes to the Part 32 accounting rules, will significantly affect the FCC’s and the Joint Board’s analysis of interim and comprehensive separations reform. Extending the freeze for eighteen months will allow the Joint Board sufficient time to consider the impact of those recent reforms on the separations rules and will allow the FCC the opportunity to fashion a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that “benefits from the Joint Board’s consideration of how best to approach separations reform.”

In 2001, the FCC froze, on an interim basis, the Part 36 jurisdictional separation rules for a five-year period beginning July 1, 2001. Over time, the FCC has repeatedly extended the freeze, which would have expired on June 30, 2017 but for the instant extension.

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

Industry

FCC to Hold Small Business, State and Local Government Webinars

On May 11, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) announced two webinars, one for State and local governments and one for small businesses, in connection with the recently-adopted Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry entitled Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment (NPRM/NOI).

The webinar for state and local governments will be conducted by WTB and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, through its Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA), and held at 2:00 pm EDT on May 24, 2017 (register here). The webinar for small businesses will be conducted by WTB and the Office of Communications Business Opportunities, and held at 2:00 pm EDT on May 31, 2017 (register here).

USAC to Hold Webinar on Form 481 on May 24

USAC announced that it will conduct a webinar on the program year 2018 updates to the FCC Form 481, the Carrier Annual Reporting Data Collection Form. The webinar will focus on relevant changes to the FCC Form 481 for program year 2018 (due July 3, 2017).

During the webinar, the High Cost Program staff will discuss:

• Updates originating from the Rate of Return Order (FCC 16-33)
• Where to file location data for the various High Cost funds (FCC Form 481 vs. HUBB)
• Price Cap reporting for CAF I and CAF II
• Open Q&A

Audience members may submit questions in advance by using the “Questions and Comments” field on the event registration form. Questions during the live event will be accepted if time allows. If the presenters are unable to answer your questions, we'll post a list of questions and answers along with the recording following the event.

Registration is here .

Deadlines

MAY 26: STUDY AREA BOUNDARY RECERTIFICATION. In addition to the obligation to submit updated information when study area boundaries change, all ILECs are required to recertify their study area boundary data every two years. The recertification is due this year by May 26, 2017. Where the state commission filed the study area boundary data for an ILEC, the state commission should submit the recertification. However, where the state commission did not submit data for the ILEC and the ILEC submitted the study area boundary data, then the ILEC should submit the recertification by May 26, 2017.

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

MAY 31: FCC FORM 395, EMPLOYMENT REPORT. Common carriers, including wireless carriers, with 16 or more full-time employees must file their annual Common Carrier Employment Reports (FCC Form 395) by May 31. This report tracks carrier compliance with rules requiring recruitment of minority employees. Further, the FCC requires all common carriers to report any employment discrimination complaints they received during the past year. That information is also due on May 31.

The FCC encourages carriers to complete the discrimination report requirement by filling out Section V of Form 395, rather than submitting a separate report. Clients who would like assistance in filing Form 395 should contact the firm.

BloostonLaw Contacts: Richard Rubino.

JULY 3: FCC FORM 481 (CARRIER ANNUAL REPORTING DATA COLLECTION FORM). All eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) must report the information required by Section 54.313, which includes outage, unfulfilled service request, and complaint data, broken out separately for voice and broadband services, information on the ETC’s holding company, operating companies, ETC affiliates and any branding in response to section 54.313(a)(8); its CAF-ICC certification, if applicable; its financial information, if a privately held rate-of-return carrier; and its satellite backhaul certification, if applicable. Form 481 must not only be filed with USAC, but also with the FCC and the relevant state commission and tribal authority, as appropriate. Although USAC treats the filing as confidential, filers must seek confidential treatment separately with the FCC and the relevant state commission and tribal authority if confidential treatment is desired.

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

JULY 3: MOBILITY FUND PHASE I ANNUAL REPORT. Winning bidders in Auction 901 that are authorized to receive Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to submit to the FCC an annual report each year on July 1 for the five years following authorization. This year, July 1 falls on a Saturday; therefore, the report is due July 3. Each annual report must be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of the FCC, clearly referencing WT Docket No. 10-208; the Universal Service Administrator; and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate. The information and certifications required to be included in the annual report are described in Section 54.1009 of the FCC’s rules.

BloostonLaw Contacts: John Prendergast and Sal Taillefer.

JULY 31: FCC FORM 507, UNIVERSAL SERVICE QUARTERLY LINE COUNT UPDATE. Line count updates are required to recalculate a carrier's per line universal service support, and is filed with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). This information must be submitted on July 31 each year by all rate-of-return incumbent carriers, and on a quarterly basis if a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (CETC) has initiated service in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area and reported line count data to USAC in the rate-of-return incumbent carrier’s service area, in order for the incumbent carrier to be eligible to receive Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). This quarterly filing is due July 31 and covers lines served as of December 31, 2013. Incumbent carriers filing on a quarterly basis must also file on September 30 (for lines served as of March 31, 2014); December 30 (for lines served as of June 30, 2014), and March 31, 2015, for lines served as of September 30, 2014).

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

JULY 31: CARRIER IDENTIFICATION CODE (CIC) REPORTS. Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Reports must be filed by the last business day of July (this year, July 31). These reports are required of all carriers who have been assigned a CIC code by NANPA. Failure to file could result in an effort by NANPA to reclaim it, although according to the Guidelines this process is initiated with a letter from NANPA regarding the apparent non-use of the CIC code. The assignee can then respond with an explanation. (Guidelines Section 6.2). The CIC Reporting Requirement is included in the CIC Assignment Guidelines, produced by ATIS. According to section 1.4 of that document: At the direction of the NANPA, the access providers and the entities who are assigned CICs will be requested to provide access and usage information to the NANPA, on a semi-annual basis to ensure effective management of the CIC resource. (Holders of codes may respond to the request at their own election). Access provider and entity reports shall be submitted to NANPA no later than January 31 for the period ending December 31, and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. It is also referenced in the NANPA Technical Requirements Document, which states at 7.18.6: CIC holders shall provide a usage report to the NANPA per the industry CIC guidelines. . . The NAS shall be capable of accepting CIC usage reports per guideline requirements on January 31 for the period ending December 31 and no later than July 31 for the period ending June 30. These reports may also be mailed and accepted by the NANPA in paper form. Finally, according to the NANPA website, if no local exchange carrier reports access or usage for a given CIC, NANPA is obliged to reclaim it. The semi-annual utilization and access reporting mechanism is described at length in the guidelines.

BloostonLaw contacts: Ben Dickens and Gerry Duffy.

Calendar At-A-Glance

May
May 17 – Short Form Tariff Review Plans are due.
May 24 – Comments are due on Broadband-Enabled Healthcare Public Notice.
May 26 – Reply comments on Oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration of Mobility Fund Phase II Order are due.
May 26 – Study Area Boundary Recertification is due.
May 30 – Comments are due on remaining VRS FNPRM sections.
May 31 – FCC Form 395 (Annual Employment Report) is due.
May 31 – Comments on Short Form Tariff Review Plans are due.

June
Jun. 1 – Deadline to increase local residential rates above $18 to avoid reductions in support.
Jun. 2 – Deadline for CMRS to certify compliance with E911 location requirements.
Jun. 7 – Reply comments on Short Form Tariff Review Plans are due.
Jun. 7 – Reply comments on State of Mobile Wireless Competition Report are due.
Jun. 8 – Reply comments are due on Broadband-Enabled Healthcare Public Notice.
Jun. 9 – Comments on Wireless Broadband Deployment Order are due.
Jun. 12 – Comments are due on VRS User Equipment Profile FNPRM.
Jun. 15 – Comments are due on Wireline Broadband Infrastructure proceeding.
Jun. 16 – 15-Day Tariff Filings are due.
Jun. 23 – Petitions regarding 15-Day Tariff Filings are due.
Jun. 26 – Reply comments are due on remaining VRS FNPRM sections.
Jun. 26 – 7-Day Tariff Filings are due.
Jun. 27 – Replies to Petitions regarding 15-Day Tariff Filings are due.
Jun. 29 – Petitions regarding 7-Day Tariff Filings are due (NOON EST).
Jun. 30 – Replies to Petitions regarding 7-Day Tariff Filings are due (NOON EST).

July
Jul. 3 – FCC Form 481 is due.
Jul. 3 – Mobility Fund Phase I Recipient Reports are due.
Jul 3. – Comments are due on Robocall Blocking proceeding.
Jul. 10 – Reply comments on Wireless Broadband Deployment Order are due.
Jul. 11 – Reply comments are due on VRS User Equipment Profile FNPRM.
Jul. 17 – Reply comments are due on Wireline Broadband Infrastructure proceeding.
Jul. 31 – FCC Form 507 (Universal Service Quarterly Line Count Update) is due.
Jul. 31 – Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Report is due.
Jul. 31 – International Traffic Data Report is due.
Jul. 31 – Reply comments are due on Robocall Blocking proceeding.

BlackBerry (BBRY) Stock Soars on Possible 'Four-Bagger' Prediction

May 17, 2017, 08:19:05 AM EDT By Richard Saintvilus

Blackberry (Shutterstock photo)

You would have to go back almost two and a half years to find the last time shares of BlackBerry ( BBRY ) traded at double digits.

Shares of the embattled Canadian company soared as much as 8% Tuesday, reaching a session high of $10.41 following a huge endorsement from Macquarie analyst Gus Papageorgiou. In a research note to investors on Tuesday, Papageorgiou laid out a scenario where he sees BBRY stock reaching $45 per share , which would translate to a gain of almost 400% from Monday’s close. Calling this prediction bullish would be a gross understatement.

Papageorgiou’s call is centered around the company’s RADAR solution, which he estimates will be the main driver of not only sustainable and predictable revenues, but also higher drive higher margins. Papageorgiou’s model calls for BlackBerry to reach 500,000 RADAR units in the next three years — a number he expects will eventually triple, while raking in $20 per month (on average). He also sees gross margins reaching 50% based on 1 million additional unit sales.

“It’s not hard to see BlackBerry earning $2 billion of software revenue and $1.82 per share of earnings by its fiscal year 2020,” Papageorgiou said, according to The Fly.

The analysts is banking quite a bit on the RADAR system, which according to BlackBerry, is a service designed to provide customers with information about their trailer, chassis, and container fleets that matches reality. “Radar provides more sensor readings more often than any other solution on the market today,” the company says.

Given that BlackBerry is projected to earn 2 cents per share this fiscal year and 8 cents per share next year, $1.82 per share by 2020 seems far away. Can BlackBerry get there? Papageorgiou believes it can. RADAR customers "are seeing a reduction in the amount of trailers needed to manage existing sales thanks to the more efficient use of the assets," says Papageorgiou according to The Fly.

To be sure, Papageorgiou's neck is not completely on the line. His $45 per share target by 2020 is is best-case scenario. Though he has an Outperform rating on BBRY stock, his 12-month price target is $11.80, which calls 15% premium from current levels.

Once the darling of Wall Street for pioneering the smartphone market, the Canadian-based tech giant has since ceded the hardware market to both Apple ( AAPL ) and Samsung ( SSNLF ). But all is not lost. Under CEO John Chen, BlackBerry has begun to carve out a niche in software and services. And now Wall Street has begun to take notice about other catalysts the market could be ignoring.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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.

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Words of Wonder • Get Up Stand Up • Playing For Change • Song Around The World

Published on Apr 30, 2014
Today is a great day!!! We present to you all a new PFC Song Around The World featuring Keith Richards in collaboration with Roberto Luti , Titi Tsira and a number of worldwide musicians on a rendition of his reggae song, “Words of Wonder,” off 1992's “Main Offender”.

This video also leads into a cover of Bob Marley's “Get Up, Stand Up,” featuring Keb' Mo' , Mermans Mosengo , Aztec Indians, Natalie Pa'apa'a of Blue King Brown, and Jamaican singer Sherita Lewis .