Quiero saber acerca de...

jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with PROPOSALS

34688

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 123 / Wednesday, June 30, 2021 / Proposed Rules
means to reach emergency services. The Commission seeks comment on this assessment. Would public confidence in 911 decrease in the face of too many alerts regarding 911 unavailability?
Conversely, would greater transparency alleviate concerns that 911 services may be unavailable without the publics knowledge? Are there benefits to other means of notification, such as text messaging, automated phone calls, or email, that the Commission has overlooked and that merit their inclusion? Would other means of notification more effectively reach communities where there is limited internet connectivity, for example, on some Tribal lands? Further, in areas where a significant portion of the population does not speak English as a primary language, should the Commission require service providers to include multiple language options for the public notification?
44. In addition to accessible public notification on originating and covered 911 service provider websites, the Commission envisions that those seeking additional information would be able to input their location by address into their providers website or similar mobile app and in turn receive more specific information on the geographic scope of the outage. The Commission notes that Verizon already provides Network Notifications in the My Verizon App, which provide Verizon Wireless customers with information on network disruptions and when restoration is expected. The Commission seeks comment on this proposal for how customers might obtain additional information and how it might be implemented in a way that preserves confidence in 911, provides value to those in need, and is minimally burdensome on originating and covered 911 service providers.
45. Finally, the Commission seeks comment on the costs and benefits of this proposal. Is there an affordable alternative method of public notification that balances the needs of the public to know whether dialing 911 will reach emergency services with the Commissions commitment to preserving public confidence in 911? To what extent have service providers already implemented a notification framework for other alerts and important announcements that would reduce any website development costs associated with this proposal?
Alternatively, are there other methods of public notifications, such as using text messages or automated phone calls, which would be likely to reach a larger proportion of service providers customers and those customers who
VerDate Sep<11>2014

16:55 Jun 29, 2021

Jkt 253001

may have limited internet connectivity?
The Commission seeks comment on the benefits and costs of implementing these alternatives.
C. Updating the Commissions 911
Network Reliability Framework 46. Covered 911 service providers must certify annually to the Commission that they perform three reasonable measures to promote the reliability of their networks: Ensure circuit diversity, maintain backup power at central offices, and diversify network monitoring. 47 CFR 9.19b. In 2018, the Bureau asked commenters to address these 911 reliability rules effectiveness and whether they remain technologically appropriate, and both adequate and necessary to ensure the reliability and resiliency of 911
networks. 2018 911 Reliability Public Notice. The record contains widespread support for the 911 reliability rules, with commenters stating that the Commissions three reasonable measures are appropriate and strengthen 911 network reliability and resiliency.
Accordingly, the Commission finds that its 911 reliability rules continue to be technologically appropriate and both adequate and necessary, and the Commission does not intend in this proceeding to revisit or reopen those requirements, except as to the timing of the certification as noted herein.
47. On this point, commenters differ regarding the appropriate frequency for filing the required certification. Some commenters state that the current, annual certification remains necessary to promote awareness of 911 reliability issues for covered 911 service providers senior management and employees.
Others state that less frequent certification could make the provision of reliable 911 service more costeffective by decreasing the burden on providers without affecting 911 network resiliency. The Commission seeks comment on whether, as some commenters suggest, less frequent certification would be an effective means of reducing compliance burdens, without sacrificing its benefits. The Commission emphasizes that it would not be making any changes to the fundamental obligations underlying network reliability certifications namely, the requirements to ensure circuit diversity, maintain backup power at central offices, and diversify network monitoring. Would increasing the time between 911 network reliability certificationssuch as requiring only biennial certificationsaffect public safety outcomes? If so, could the Commission offset any potential risk that less frequent certification would
PO 00000

Frm 00052

Fmt 4702

Sfmt 4702

affect public safety by requiring covered 911 service providers to submit certifications when they perform a material network change during the preceding year? If so, how should the Commission define a material network change? For those advocating less frequent certifications, what would the cost savings be? The Commission also asks for costs and benefits of any offered alternatives.
48. The Commission also proposes to require covered 911 service providers that have ceased to operate as such i.e., they no longer provide covered 911
services, or no longer operate one or more central offices that directly serve a PSAPto notify the Commission via an affidavit in which the service provider would explain the basis for its change in status. 47 CFR 9.19a4i.
The Commission proposes that, should a service provider no longer provide covered 911 services, the service provider file an affidavit through the Commissions online portal during the timeframe when the portal is open for annual reliability certifications. The Commission notes that, in 2020, the Commission opened the 911 reliability portal for certification filing from July 30 through October 15. Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Announces Availability of 911
Reliability Certification System for Annual Reliability Certifications, PS
Docket Nos. 1375 and 1160, Public Notice, 35 FCC Rcd 8082 PSHSB 2020.
The Commission seeks comment on the appropriateness of linking the timeframe to file such an affidavit with the period that the portal is open. Is the 911 Reliability System the correct place for filing? The Commission proposes these measures to ensure that the Commission does not expend time and resources to investigate why a covered 911 service provider has failed to file its 911 certification in a timely manner, when the reason is simply because the provider is no longer a covered 911
service provider and is therefore no longer required to file the required certifications. The Commission expects few companies to end their covered 911
service operations from year to year and expect such filing costs would be minimal. The Commission believes that the benefits, however, will be much greater. First, the Commission will be able to more quickly determine whether a service provider is a covered 911
service provider before engaging in an investigation. Second, any service provider that has ceased its qualifying covered 911 operations and filed with the Commission that it has done so will not have to encounter an investigation
E:FRFM30JNP1.SGM

30JNP1