APCO, Motorola, TIA and others asked the FCC to reject a waiver request by the TETRA Association, which would allow Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) technology to be used in the U.S. The association in November asked for a waiver of Parts 2 and 90 of FCC rules, saying manufacturers hope to produce the TETRA device for use in the U.S. on several frequency bands. They include 450-470 MHz, 806-849 MHz and 851-894 MHz.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites helped rescue 195 people in 2009, the agency said Friday. Its Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system detects and locates distress signals within the U.S. or surrounding waters. Of the 195 rescues, 154 were from the water, eight on land, and 33 with personal locator beacons on land or on the water, it said. Alaska represented the most NOAA satellite-aided rescues with 49, the agency said.
The Obama administration has had isolated successes in pulling government processes into the 21st century and improving customer service, said Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, but too much of the usual way of doing business remains unacceptable. To that end, the White House assembled dozens of CEOs Thursday to brainstorm how the government can use technology to improve customer service, streamline operations and maximize return on IT investment. The effort differs from past reinventing government pushes because of its high-level focus and also because current technology is better, cheaper, faster and lighter, said Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients. In his seven months as CPO, it’s become clear that the government’s “significant technology gap” is one of the biggest barriers to transformation, he said. If a private sector company used the antiquated systems the government uses, it would be out of business long ago, he said.
Though it’s still easy to find analog phono preamps and tube amplifiers in the high-end audio section at CES, more and more audio companies are going digital with impressive results, a trend we found when we canvassed specialty audio companies at last week’s show.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message announcing that it has delayed the deployment of the Automated Commercial System programming changes required for the Food and Drug Administration's final rule on prior notice of food (including animal feed), which is imported or offered for import into the U.S.
An NCTA proposal being eyed by the FCC to shrink the Universal Service Fund met with resistance from rural carriers that could lose high-cost support under the plan. The cable petition, which would set up a two-step process by which parties can ask the FCC to reassess universal service support levels for specific geographic areas, is one of several cost-saving measures under consideration by the FCC broadband team (CD Dec 10 p1). In comments last week, rural ILECs said adopting the proposal would undermine the National Broadband Plan.
CBP has published in the January 7, 2010 Customs Bulletin a proposed rule to terminate the Land Border Carrier Initiative Program (LBCIP).
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a proposal by maritime communications company ShipCom for a waiver allowing the use of high-frequency public-coast frequencies by first responders when ordinary communications systems aren’t available. ShipCom requested the waiver of Section 80.123 of FCC rules in November. The section permits very high frequency (VHF) public coast stations to provide service to units on land with conditions, but does not permit such broadcasts by high frequency (HF) stations. “Consequently, ShipCom requests a waiver to permit it to provide service to land-based (base and mobile) public safety stations on HF frequencies when normal communications systems are not available, and to permit monthly testing/training to familiarize personnel with how to operate the equipment and make sure it is operable,” the bureau said. Comments are due Feb. 4, replies Feb. 19.
The FCC should establish a separate Tribal Broadband Plan within the National Broadband Plan, the National Congress of American Indians and other groups said. Native Public Media, the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative and the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association offered additional ex parte comments on the broadband plan. The comments built on an earlier filing (CD Nov 12 p5) on an FCC request for comment on high-speed access on tribal lands.
Three forthcoming FCC radio orders likely will allow FM stations to increase digital power levels, set up a priority for some tribes to get new outlets, and declare winners for 60 licensees from a 2003 application window, said commission and industry officials. Media Bureau draft orders addressing an April rulemaking notice on rural radio services (CD April 22 p12) and the order on the auction both circulated in the past several weeks, they said. Neither is due for a quick vote, but they're not expected to be controversial among FCC members, officials said.