CTIA, TIA Want Alert Rules Adopted Largely Unchanged
The CTIA and the TIA urged the FCC to adopt without major change recommendations by the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee for emergency alerts sent cellphones and other wireless devices. Carriers and gear makers particularly opposed proposals that carriers be capable of broadcasting alerts to areas smaller than counties.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
Under the WARN Act, which led the FCC to form of the panel, the program is voluntary. Major changes could delays implementation, carriers warned. The trade groups reminded the FCC that the body represents industry, the handicapped, public safety, broadcasters, and other interested parties.
An FCC rulemaking notice did not “tentatively conclude” that carriers must, if public safety asks, be ready to target alerts to areas smaller than counties. But sources said the rulemaking offers the FCC leeway to impose that requirement, which Chairman Kevin Martin endorses (CD Dec 7 p2).
The committee made “a solid recommendation to the FCC,” the CTIA said. “The Commission should adopt several of the CMSAAC’s specific proposals including, among others, limiting geo-targeting to the county level and delaying consideration of the incorporation of multiple languages into the CMAS until technology has further evolved.”
Industry already is writing standards for the emergency warnings, CTIA said, warning that serious revisions “could render these standardization efforts moot.” That would start the process over and add to development time, the group said.
The TIA had a similar warning, calling it “unwise and inconsistent with Congressional intent” not to do as the FCC committee recommended.
If the FCC goes beyond what the committee recommended “significant delays” will ensnarl wireless providers and standards-writing, AT&T said. “AT&T therefore strongly urges the Commission to move forward to adopt the CMSAAC recommendations as provided.” The WARN Act calls for emergency alert rules based on the panel’s recommendations, T-Mobile said: “T-Mobile urges that the Commission adopt the CMSAAC’s proposals without modification.”