U.S. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell wants agencies to apply the same standards in certifying information-technology systems, he said. A Sept. 15 directive instructs intelligence agencies on processes and procedures “designed to develop trust… through the use of common standards and reciprocally accepted certification and accreditation decisions.” Security managers can take risks, if necessary, to access “timely and accurate intelligence.” Adherence to the measures will lead to adoption of cutting- edge technologies and more interagency cooperation, because information officers will be able to trust a system certified by a counterpart at another agency, avoiding redundant tests, a news release said. Under McConnell’s order, agencies can proffer their accreditation and certification documentation to the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The directive instructs agencies to accept information system certification from nonintelligence agencies, state or tribal governments and nongovernmental agencies, provided those entities’ standards are compatible with intelligence community standards. Agencies also must also accept the accreditations of the sovereign information-technology systems operated by the intelligence agencies of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the U.K.
CBP has issued a CSMS message stating that ACE Report users are intermittently experiencing a "Could not download the universe" error message in the ACE Reporting tool when accessing the ad hoc reporting functionality. When a user clicks on "modify" and/or "edit query" they may receive the error message and have challenges accessing the ad hoc reporting functionality. If a user closes and re-launches the ACE Reporting tool they may be able to access the ad hoc reporting functionality or they still may receive the error message discussed. (CSMS 08-000227, dated 09/24/08, available at http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=17251&page=&srch_argv=08-000227&srchtype=all&btype=&sortby=&sby.)
SES Americom will carry satellite integrator OnSat’s transponder service week-to-week until OnSat moves to another satellite provider, an OnSat spokesman told us Friday. SES’s contract with OnSat expired June 30. FCC interventions led SES to extend service twice. A fourth extension was to end Friday. To keep serving OnSat, SES Americom had to move it from AMC 2 to AMC 4.
FCC commissioners will offer digital transition education in 80 cities the next five months, Chairman Kevin Martin said Monday. Commissioners first will fan out to 25 cities dense with viewers dependent on over-the-air signals. The agency and the NAB are working on possible “soft tests” of temporary analog cutoffs aimed at finding problems before Feb. 17, 2009. A new speakers bureau will send agency officials to other communities seeking DTV education, Martin said.
FCC commissioners will offer digital transition education in 80 cities the next five months, Chairman Kevin Martin said at a Washington media briefing Monday. Commissioners first will fan out to 25 cities dense with viewers dependent on over-the-air signals, he said.
SES Americom seems ready to give OnSat another reprieve from a threatened Monday noon shut off, we've learned. While OnSat works to resolve the situation, possibly by moving to another provider, SES appears willing to serve OnSat until at least Aug. 15, officials said. The service would keep only public-safety networks running, the officials said.
NTIA sent Native American tribes material on the digital TV converter coupon program, the agency said Monday. Bureau of Indian Affairs officials also were sent such materials, the NTIA said. An NTIA official will speak Thursday to tribal leaders at the FCC Indian Telecommunication Initiative in Salt Lake City.
The FCC will review rules on closed captioning and access to emergency information to see if they meet the needs of disabled people after the digital TV transition, said a draft commission strategic plan for 2009-2014 released Tuesday. The FCC will need to educate “technical staff” to keep them up-to-date on technology, because of the transition, it said. “Integration of technology platforms makes the transition to digital television and radio technologically challenging and requires coordination among various industries.” Bilateral agreements and treaties will need to be adjusted and new deals will need to be struck with Canada and Mexico to “accommodate the commission’s goals,” the draft said. It said the agency may need more lawyers and consumer advocacy and mediation specialists to handle complaints against broadcasters “in a timely manner,” noting that the number of such complaints has risen. In the public safety arena, the plan commits the FCC to promoting more effective communications for “public safety, health, defense, and other emergency personnel, as well as all consumers in need.” The plan calls for promotion of programs that allow government officials and emergency personnel to receive priority access to communications networks in times of emergency, such as the Telecommunications Service Priority and Wireless Priority Service programs. “Protection of the Nation’s critical communications infrastructure requires that the Commission adopt policies to ensure rapid restoration of communications after disruptions due to any cause,” the plan said. “The Commission shall work collaboratively with industry, other governmental agencies, and foreign counterparts to coordinate and engage in outreach to develop standards for Emergency Telecommunications Services (ETS); to increase awareness of the TSP and WPS programs; to stimulate participation in the TSP and WPS programs by 911 Centers, first responders, and federal, state, tribal, and local governmental agencies; to propose ways of making TSP and WPS participation more affordable; to identify obstacles to TSP and WPS participation; and to recommend changes to overcome such obstacles.” The plan notes that 90 percent of the nation’s communications infrastructure is in private hands and cooperation with industry is critical. In wireless, the strategic plan commits the FCC to “market- oriented spectrum allocation and assignment policies” and “policies that promote efficient and effective use of spectrum.” The FCC also plans to focus on new technologies “such as software defined radio, cognitive radio, dynamic frequency selection, and new protocols.”
Verizon and Sprint Nextel backed a Qwest appeal of three audit findings (CD April 29 p8) by the Universal Service Administrative Co. In the audit, USAC decided that Qwest must report partial Lifeline credit amounts on FCC Form 497 line 9. In comments last month the carriers -- and Qwest -- supported a similar appeal by AT&T (CD May 15 p3). In comments Monday, Verizon and Sprint largely repeated those arguments, urging the FCC to reverse. “The plain language used on Form 497 and the attendant Worksheet Instructions makes clear that pro-rating is entirely optional for the carrier,” Verizon said. Sprint agreed, adding that “tracking these mid-month changes is an administrative burden whose costs outweigh the benefits.” The carriers didn’t comment on the other two USAC findings on appeal: (1) that Qwest inappropriately seeks enhanced Lifeline support for customers not living on tribal lands, and (2) that the Bell has failed to keep customer certifications on file.
The Federal Maritime Commission has issued an Order to Show Cause for Central Agency of Florida, Inc., operating as an ocean transportation intermediary, for failure to designate and maintain a qualifying individual (QI). If Central Agency does not show cause, the FMC will order it to cease and desist from operating as an OTI. (FMC Order, D/N 08-02, dated 06/06/08, available at http://www.fmc.gov/UserFiles/pages/File/Dkt_08-02_Order_to_Show_Cause.pdf)