The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court, issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Regulatory Bulletin.
TELECOM
FCC
At its September 26, 2013, Open Meeting, the FCC initiated two new wireless rulemaking proceedings. The first Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would require wireless service providers to submit to the FCC, for public disclosure on a daily basis during and immediately after disasters, the percentage of operational cell sites for each county within a designated disaster area. The proposal is intended to improve wireless network reliability during disasters. Among other things, the FCC is asking for comment on whether the proposed disclosure requirement, by holding wireless providers publicly accountable, could spur improvements to network resiliency while allowing providers flexibility in implementing these improvements. Watch for a TMI Bulletin when the text of the Order is released.
The Second Notice of Proposed Rulemaking initiates a review of the FCC’s wireless infrastructure policies. Among other things, it seeks comment on: (1) streamlining the environmental and historic preservation review processes for newer technologies, including small cells and distributed antenna systems; (2) removing barriers to the deployment of temporary towers; and (3) clarification of issues addressed in the FCC’s “shot clock” order which set time periods for state and local governments to complete review of wireless siting applications.
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