Jimm Phillips

Eighteen seats on 10 states’ public utilities commissions (PUCs) were up for election Tuesday. Industry observers said in recent interviews that the results of elections to the Montana Public Service Commission and Nebraska Public Service Commission are the ones that could have the most impact on telecom regulation. Two Montana PSC seats were up for a vote, and one Nebraska PSC seat was on the ballot.

Broadband deployment has gained traction this year as a campaign issue for gubernatorial candidates, government and industry observers told us in interviews, but it still isn’t viewed as a marquee component for most campaigns. Broadband has been a campaign issue in multiple contests this election cycle, taking a special prominence in Iowa and New York. Incumbent governors in the two states -- Terry Branstad, R-Iowa, and Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y. -- have both issued plans to encourage broadband development as part of their re-election bids. Recent polls have shown both Branstad and Cuomo leading their opponents by double digits.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has “heard very clearly” that it’s still too early to consider a full-fledged Version 2.0 update of the Cybersecurity Framework, said Kevin Stine, Computer Security Division manager-Security Outreach and Integration Group, during a framework development workshop Thursday. Industry stakeholders have told NIST major changes to the framework aren’t a good idea because NIST released the Version 1.0 framework only in February (see 1410140173). A White House official said Wednesday that he believed it was unlikely that major changes would be coming in the near future (see 1410290046). The NIST workshop and comments submitted to the agency have shown there’s “very strong” awareness of the framework in all critical infrastructure sectors but all stakeholders should continue to raise awareness, Stine said.

The federal government is unlikely to seek major changes to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework Version 1.0 “in the near future,” said Ari Schwartz, White House National Security Council senior director-cybersecurity, during a NIST workshop Wednesday. NIST is holding the workshop to collect stakeholders' input on their use of the framework since its release in February so the agency can make tweaks. “We feel that the framework is an excellent product” that currently requires only minor updates, Schwartz said. Information and communications technology sector stakeholders have said in comments to NIST that it’s still too early to fully evaluate the framework because the sector is still working to adapt the framework for sector-wide use (see 1410140173). AT&T Assistant Vice President-Global Public Policy Chris Boyer cautioned NIST during the workshop “not to rush too quickly” to make major changes to the framework. The Version 1.0 framework still needs time to “ferment,” particularly given ongoing work within the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) Working Group 4 to adapt the framework for the communications sector, Boyer said. AT&T was an early adopter of the NIST framework and is an active participant in CSRIC Working Group 4’s efforts, Boyer said. The telco is “optimistic” that the FCC’s overall efforts on cybersecurity “are turning in the right direction,” he said. CSRIC Working Group 4 remains on track to release a final report and recommendations on communications sector use of the NIST framework in March (see 1409240046).

Multiple state agencies say they believe FirstNet should give maximum possible latitude to the states to develop localized definitions for their segments of the planned national public safety broadband network (PSBN) but also encouraged FirstNet to adopt a federal standard for its request for proposals (RFP) process. Telcos and industry groups provided mixed opinions on both issues. FirstNet had sought comment from stakeholders on its proposed interpretations of the 2012 Spectrum Act, which established FirstNet to create a nationwide PSBN, to inform forthcoming RFPs and the creation of network rules and policies.

Public interest groups and New York politicians criticized FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the rest of the commissioners Monday for not attending a public hearing in Brooklyn on the commission’s net neutrality NPRM and its review of Comcast's planned buy of Time Warner Cable. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, a Democrat, said she had sought an FCC-sponsored hearing on net neutrality and Comcast/TWC in the New York area, but the commission hadn’t “taken us up on our offer.” Commissioner Ajit Pai chaired a net neutrality field hearing in College Station, Texas, last week (see 1410210049).

Citywide government-owned broadband networks aren’t the only option for municipal participation in broadband deployment, broadband advocates said Monday during an Ars Technica online event. Municipal broadband networks have gotten national attention in recent months because of petitions filed by the Electric Power Board of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Wilson, North Carolina, seeking FCC pre-emption of state laws restricting their ability to expand their municipal broadband networks.

The FCC released an order at our deadline Friday that eliminates the Dec. 31, 2016, deadline for public safety licensees using 700 MHz narrowband spectrum to transition their radio systems from 12.5 kHz channel bandwidth technology to 6.25 kHz technology (http://fcc.us/1wmI1py). The order also redesignates the channels in the 700 MHz band that are currently licensed for secondary trucking operations as available for public safety aircraft voice operations. The FCC’s order allows voice operations on Data Interoperability Channels on a secondary basis and reallocates the Reserve Channels on the narrowband into General Use Channels. The order also gives T-Band public safety licensees priority for licensing of the former Reserve Channels in T-Band areas. The FCC encouraged manufacturers of 700 MHz public safety radios to obtain Compliance Assessment Program certification for new equipment to demonstrate the equipment meets P25 interoperability standards. APCO had urged the FCC in August to make a “rapid” decision whether to eliminate the Dec. 31, 2016, deadline (see 1408150028). FCC Public Safety Bureau Chief David Simpson said during an FCBA event prior to the order's release that "we should have a resolution" on the deadline issue.

FCC Public Safety Bureau Chief David Simpson touted significant progress Friday in encouraging the adoption of next-generation 911 and text-to-911 functionality. Public safety answering points that haven’t adopted the technology already should “affirmatively prepare” to do so, he advised PSAPs. The FCC approved an order in August requiring all carriers and interconnected over-the-top text providers to be able to transmit text-to-911 messages by the end of the year (see 1408110069). All major wireless carriers are able to support text-to-911 functionality, “so it’s over to the PSAPs now to stand up,” Simpson said during an FCBA event.

The FCC Media Bureau’s temporary suspension of pleading schedules for AT&T's planned buy of DirecTV and Comcast/Time Warner Cable (see 1410220058) is likely to strengthen the cases of those calling for delays of Comcast/TWC reviews at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and New York Public Service Commission (PSC), parties in those states’ reviews told us. The CPUC is evaluating a new timeline for its review based on recommendations from its Office of Ratepayer Advocates and public interest groups (see 1410150092), while the New York PSC is to vote on its review Nov. 13. Public interest groups in California and New York are concerned that programmers’ objections to the disclosure of confidential documents will preclude the groups from effectively participating in the reviews. The FCC cited similar concerns at the federal level as the main reason to suspend its pleading cycle for the deal.