The FCC unanimously (4-0) approved a rulemaking notice during its open meeting Thursday that asks whether and how the commission should apply 911 outage reporting rules to voice over Internet protocol and broadband networks. Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell approved the rulemaking, but concurred, “narrowly,” on the section that asks whether the FCC has the power to mandate data collection. “All Americans rightly expect their calls to go through,” he said, but “we do not have Congress’s authority to act as suggested.”

George Rice, ex-Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, becomes executive director, 9-1-1 Industry Alliance; at APCO, Deputy Executive Director Mark Cannon becomes interim executive director … Bravo Media names Jennifer Geisser , ex-Hallmark Channel, senior vice president, communications … ION Media Networks adds Douglas Holloway, ex-NBC, president-multichannel distribution … Cox Communications promotes Kelly Williams to vice present of wireless product and operations … New TV technology firm BlackArrow adds Don Gordon, ex-Microsoft, as senior vice president-technology.

A wireless signal booster order scheduled for a vote at the FCC’s April 7 meeting could get pulled for further work, after Verizon Wireless, the National Emergency Number Association and APCO raised 911 concerns, agency officials said Tuesday. Verizon Wireless, joined by NENA, flagged a technical concern in rules for acceptable booster design in a series of meetings at the FCC. “Verizon explained that the proposed safeguards relating to automatic gain control and oscillation detection are insufficient to address harmful interference to E-911 network operation and services,” said an ex parte filing. “NENA expressed concern about the threats to public safety from unauthorized and/or improperly installed signal boosters, including harmful interference to commercial users attempting to dial 911 and degrading the performance of E-911 location accuracy technology.” APCO sent the commission a letter Tuesday also raising concerns. “The docket in this proceeding includes evidence that boosters can create dangerous interference to other cellular users (including those who may be trying to dial 9-1-1) and to public safety land mobile operations in adjacent portions of the 800 MHz frequency band,” APCO said.

March 14 FCC Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council meeting, 9 a.m., Commission Meeting Room -- 202-418-1096

Feb. 26-March 1 National Religious Broadcasters convention, with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville -- www.nrbconvention.org

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., will be the House Communications Subcommittee’s ranking member. Commerce Committee Democrats chose her over Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., in a 14-9 vote Wednesday, a Rush spokeswoman said. Eshoo got the job although she has less seniority than Rush, who had pushed publicly for the job. Democrats voted unanimously to elect Rush the Energy subcommittee’s ranking member, his spokeswoman said. Eshoo, whose district includes part of Silicon Valley, is the first woman to fill a leadership role on the subcommittee. She was recently named a co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus. Eshoo is a “strong champion of preserving an open Internet,” a written statement from her office said: She plans to “work with her colleagues on expanding high-speed, affordable broadband, protecting electronic privacy, freeing up more spectrum and transitioning our nation’s 9-1-1 system to a next generation, IP-based network."

The FCC adopted a notice of inquiry Tuesday asking for guidance on building the “next generation” of 911. The 5-0 vote was overshadowed by a lengthy discussion of net neutrality rules, but commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said the 911 measure is long overdue. “It’s time to bring 9-1-1 into the digital age,” he said in prepared remarks. “If you find yourself in an emergency situation and want to send a text for help, you can pretty much text anyone except a 9-1-1 call center."

The National Emergency Numbers Association supported giving the D-block to public safety agencies under legislation introduced this month by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. The association previously supported auctioning the D-block commercially as proposed in draft legislation by House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., calling that the best approach to secure funding for the network. The Rockefeller bill, which would pay for the public safety network through network leasing and proceeds from incentive and other auctions (CD Aug 9 p3), deals with both public safety’s spectrum and funding shortfalls, NENA President Steve O'Conor said Wednesday. Rockefeller’s “recognition that the public safety wireless broadband network must be integrated with our nation’s 9-1-1 centers demonstrates a clear understanding of their vital role in the emergency response chain,” O'Conor added. The association “also recognizes the significant work” of other lawmakers working on the public safety issue. Several overlapping and conflicting public safety bills have been announced or introduced, including by Rockefeller, Waxman, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Ct., and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y. Waxman hasn’t introduced his bill, the only one that would enact the National Broadband Plan’s recommendation to auction the D-block. Rockefeller’s committee may hold a public safety hearing next month, after the Senate returns from recess Sept. 13 (CD Aug 25 p2).

The FCC Public Safety Bureau introduced a Web page called “Broadband and Public Safety and Homeland Security,” http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/broadband.html, about the commission’s efforts to carry out National Broadband Plan recommendations on behalf of emergency agencies. “The implementation of the plan will include initiatives to bring interoperable communications to America’s first responders through the creation of a nationwide wireless broadband network and new cyber security reporting and monitoring programs; as well as Next Generation 9-1-1 services; emergency alerts and warnings through a variety of outlets (including via television and radio broadcasts (Emergency Alert System), wireless hand-held devices, (such as cell phones and the Internet) and much more,” the bureau said. “The web page includes access to the latest press releases, public notices, field hearings, and presentations.”

The four co-chairs of the Congressional E-911 Caucus are introducing bipartisan legislation to upgrade 911 call centers nationwide and toughen penalties for states that divert 911 funds for other purposes. The bill also would move the national E-911 Implementation Coordination Office to the NTIA. Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and John Shimkus, R-Ill., introduced the 2010 Next-Generation 9-1-1 Preservation Act (HR-4829) in the House on Friday. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., plan to introduce a Senate version on Monday, said an Eshoo spokesman.