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 Briefing.
TELECOM
FCC
Wireless E911 Location Accuracy Standards and Filings
The FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) issued a Public Notice reminding CMRS providers subject to the FCC’s Phase II E911 location accuracy rules, and other interested parties, of the January 18, 2016, Phase II deadline applicable to CMRS providers that deploy network-based E911 location accuracy technologies. By January 18, 2016, CMRS providers deploying network-based technologies must meet the following location accuracy standard for 911 calls:
- 100 meters for 67% of calls, in 100% of counties or PSAP service areas covered by the CMRS provider across its entire network.
- 300 meters for 90% of calls, in 70% of counties or PSAP service areas, which must cover at least 80% of the population covered by the CMRS provider across its entire network.
CMRS providers using network-based technologies must meet these standards either at the county or at the PSAP level, based on outdoor measurements. This benchmark is separate from and in addition to the subsequent indoor-focused location accuracy requirements that the FCC adopted in January 2015.
The Bureau also reminded CMRS providers that the requirements for filing notice of Phase II geographic exclusions (Exclusion Reports) and the requirements for timely filing of updates remain in effect. The Public Notice provides the updated contact information for APCO and NASNA as well as filing instructions.
Inflation Adjustments for Cable Operators
The FCC announced the third quarter 2015 inflation adjustment figures for cable operators using FCC Form 1240. The third quarter of 2015 inflation factor is 1.30%. The inflation adjustment factor is calculated by dividing the GNP-PI for the third quarter of 2015 (110.029) by the GNP-PI for the second quarter of 2015 (109.674). The result of this calculation is converted from a quarterly change measurement factor to an annual change measurement factor by raising it to the fourth power.
ENERGY
Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy announced the release of its comprehensive new Grid Modernization Multi-Year Program Plan, a blueprint for modernizing the grid. The program lays out a blueprint for the Department’s research, development, and demonstration agenda to enable a modernized grid, building on concepts and recommendations from DOE’s recently released Quadrennial Energy Review and Quadrennial Technology Review. The Secretary also announced the award of up to $220 million over three years, subject to congressional appropriations, to DOE’s National Labs and partners to support critical research and development in advanced storage systems, clean energy integration, standards and test procedures, and a number of other key grid modernization areas. Read the Grid Modernization Fact Sheet here.