Geo-Targeting Capabilities Part of First Large Regional WEA Test

Source: COG & Fairfax County, VA
Emergency managers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are preparing to test the Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) next week. A total of 20 jurisdictions — in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia — will simultaneously issue a test message to the public through the WEA system on April 5. It’s the first live WEA test in such a large region and the first to use geo-targeting capabilities. The outcome of this test could lead to similar tests in other regions of the country.
A smaller, more limited WEA test was conducted in the District on Inauguration Day, on the National Mall. But this new test, initiated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, is much larger, according to Sulayman Brown, who’s coordinating the months-long planning effort. Brown is the Assistant Coordinator of Operations and Outreach Division in the Office of Emergency Management of Fairfax County, VA. He told Inside Towers, “We have a significant population in the National Capital region and we have a large amount of visitors. We thought this would be a good opportunity to test the system,” and learn from that. Officials hope to validate the effectiveness of WEA in notifying the public in the event of an emergency and also raise the public’s awareness of WEA.  

Indeed, officials believe more than five million people in the region could potentially receive the test message, including residents and visitors. Some people who may be traveling between jurisdictions during the test may receive multiple messages on their cell phone or other mobile device. Continue Reading

OSHA Levies Maximum Fines in Miami Tower Fatalities: $12,934

 
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ruled that Tower King II of Cedar Hill, Texas was at fault in the equipment collapse that caused the death of three men while working on a Miami Gardens TV tower on September 27, 2017, according to the Miami Herald.

The fine, totaling $12,934, is the maximum allowed by law: $4,311.33 per life lost. The crew consisted of Brachton Barber, 23 of Longwood, FL; Benito Rodriguez, 35, of Tampa; and Marcus Goffena, 31, of Sidney, OH.  They were in the process of replacing an antenna for WSVN-TV (Channel 7) when the gin pole collapsed, the ‘cause of death’ as determined by OSHA.

A U.S. Department of Labor news release stated that the Texas-based tower contractor, “failed to ensure the capacity of the rigging attachments were adequate to support the forces imposed from hoisting loads.”

OSHA office director Condell Eastmond told WPLG-TV, “This tragedy underscores the importance of having a qualified individual conduct an analysis before performing construction work on communication towers.” Continue Reading

AT&T Launches Evolved FirstNet Packet Core Network

AT&T unveiled the core network for FirstNet yesterday. The timing coincides with the one-year anniversary of being awarded the contract from Congress for the public-private partnership to build and maintain the nationwide mobile broadband first responder network. “We’re proud of the quick progress we’ve made in this short timeframe, consistently delivering on or ahead of schedule,” said AT&T SVP FirstNet Chris Sambar in the announcement.

The carrier has already given first responders early access to the FirstNet capabilities, Inside Towers reported. The launch of what AT&T is calling its evolved packet core is built on separate network hardware than the carrier’s other business and consumer network. The core, only available to FirstNet subscribers, processes and carries vital data for the public safety network. It was built to the standard provided by the First Responder Network Authority. AT&T says it put “hundreds of millions of dollars” into building the core network since early last year. 

To keep all data traffic on the core network separate and secure, it will be monitored 24/7/365 by network security experts working in a dedicated Security Operations Center. “Their sole focus is to watch over the security of the network, analyzing all traffic that crosses the network core to identify and help mitigate possible threats,” says AT&T. A custom portal enables the First Responder Network Authority to check in on the network. Continue Reading

Omnibus Includes New Broadband Deployment Funds

The Senate early Friday morning passed and sent to the president, a $1.3 trillion omnibus appropriations bill, H.R. 1625, to keep the government funded through September 30. The measure contains $600 million in federal funding for rural broadband deployment. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law Friday afternoon, averting another government shutdown.

The money is to be distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS). “Small telcos have a proven track record in overcoming challenges in rural areas to provide robust, sustainable broadband, and their many efforts in conjunction with long-standing, highly-effective U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) backing are the embodiment of precisely the kinds of public-private partnerships that our nation should be leveraging to tackle such challenges in the future,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. The new effort will be coordinated with existing broadband-focused initiatives within RUS and at the FCC. Continue Reading

FCC Says “Nope” to NEPA and “See Ya” to SHPO

 
The FCC vote yesterday to exempt most small cell infrastructure siting from National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review was contentious. The vote was 3-2 and security removed two protesters from the Commission meeting room during the discussion.

The changes are for small cells not located on Tribal lands. They clarify and improve the process for Tribal participation in the historic preservation process for large wireless facilities where NHPA and NEPA review is still required. The order removes the requirement that applicants file Environmental Assessments solely due to the location of a proposed facility in a floodplain, as long as certain conditions are met. It establishes a timeframe for the FCC to act on environmental assessments.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, and Commissioners Michael O’Rielly and Brendan Carr said the changes will save the wireless industry time and money and help the U.S. lead in 5G. O’Rielly said they would eliminate “unnecessary delays and outrageous” siting fees. Some Tribes are using tower and antenna siting “as a cash cow” while others receive payments, but then don’t respond to the providers that are submitting applications, he said. Continue Reading

FCC’s O’Rielly Calls Out States for Diverting 911 Funds

 
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly has no patience with states that divert their 911 fees for other uses. He slammed the practice Tuesday during a speech before the Rhode Island E911 Summit in Providence. His colleagues Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel and Chairman Ajit Pai have criticized the practice as well.

O’Rielly called it “appalling” that some states use the fees consumers pay on their phone bills that are supposed to be for 911, for “tangential or unrelated” purposes. He asked what conditions in Rhode Island make fee diversion a viable option for policymakers. “With a state budget of $9.3 billion, why is it necessary to divert a rather small amount – between $8 to $10 million – dedicated for public safety call centers and the 911 system to other spending priorities?”  Continue Reading

Maryland’s Cities vs. States Battle a Microcosm For U.S.

Lobbying efforts by wireless companies to ease regulations on the installation of 5G equipment is causing friction between local and state leaders. According to The Washington Post, wireless carriers expect to install 300,000 small cell sites across the country, and so far this year, 18 states have proposed zoning law preemptions; since 2016, 13 states have adopted such legislation. Though wireless industry leaders have explained that the demand for better internet service necessitates removing barriers to cell sites’ installation, some local leaders, like Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer, see the state proposals as “a giveaway to the industry.” Riemer told The Washington Post, “We want to see the future of wireless infrastructure happen, but we want a say in how that happens.”

Many residents also feel pulled in two directions, hungry for faster downloads and streaming, but hesitant about the potential impacts of small cell sites. North Potomac, MD resident Andy Spivak explained this dilemma to The Washington Post, “There’s no way we’re going to stop this technology from being deployed — it’s just the way of the world. But can they try to make them aesthetically pleasing or hide them so I don’t have to drive around my neighborhood and see ugly cell towers?” CTIA advised that health experts have found “no known health risk” from cell equipment, but health concerns are frequently at the forefront of residents’ minds when considering 5G small cell deployment.  Continue Reading