[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7178-7179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-3696]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Network Reliability and Interoperability Council
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this
notice advises interested persons of the first meeting of the Network
Reliability and Interoperability Council (Council) under its charter
renewed as of December 26, 2001. The meeting will be held at the
Federal Communications Commission in Washington, DC.
DATES: Monday, March 22, 2002 at 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th St. SW, Room TW-
C305, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffery Goldthorp at 202-418-1096 or
TTY 202-418-2989.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Council was established by the Federal
Communications Commission to bring together leaders of the
telecommunications industry and telecommunications experts from
academic, consumer and other organizations to explore and recommend
measures that would enhance network reliability.
The Council will discuss the modifications that have been made to
the Council's charter and how those modifications should be addressed,
and any additional issues that may come before it. The amended charter
is attached to this document.
Members of the general public may attend the meeting. The Federal
Communications Commission will attempt to accommodate as many people as
possible. Admittance, however, will be limited to the seating
available. The public may submit written comments before the meeting to
Jeffery Goldthorp, the Commission's Designated Federal Officer for the
Network Reliability and Interoperability Council, by email
([email protected]) or U.S. mail (7-A325, 445 12th St. SW, Washington,
DC 20554). Real Audio and streaming video Access to the meeting will be
available at http://www.fcc.gov/
Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
Charter of the Network Reliability and Interoperability Council
A. The Committee's Official Designation
The official designation of the advisory committee will be the
``Network Reliability and Interoperability Council.''
B. The Committee's Objective and Scope of Its Activity
The purposes of the Committee are to give telecommunications
industry leaders the opportunity to provide recommendations to the FCC
and to the industry that, if implemented, would under all reasonably
foreseeable circumstances assure optimal reliability and
interoperability of wireless, wireline, satellite, and cable public
telecommunications networks. This includes facilitating the
reliability, robustness, security, and interoperability of public
telecommunications networks. The scope encompasses recommendations that
would ensure the security and sustainability of public
telecommunications networks throughout the United States; ensure the
availability of adequate public telecommunications capacity during
events or periods of exceptional stress due to natural disaster,
terrorist attacks or similar occurrences; and facilitating the rapid
restoration of telecommunications services in the event of widespread
or major disruptions in the provision of telecommunications services.
The Committee will address topics in the following areas:
1. Homeland Security
(A) Prevention. The Committee will assess vulnerabilities in the
public telecommunications networks and the Internet and determine how
best to address those vulnerabilities to prevent disruptions that would
otherwise result from terrorist activities, natural disasters, or
similar types of occurrences.
(1) In this regard, the Committee will conduct a survey of current
practices by wireless, wireline, satellite, and cable
telecommunications services providers and Internet service providers
that address the Homeland Defense concerns articulated above.
(2) By December 31, 2002 the Committee will issue a report
identifying areas for attention and describing best practices, with
checklists, that should be followed to prevent disruptions of public
telecommunications services and the Internet from terrorist activities,
natural disasters, or similar types of occurrences.
(B) Restoration. The Committee will report on current disaster
recovery mechanisms, techniques, and best practices and develop any
additional best practices, mechanisms, and techniques that are
necessary, or desirable, to more effectively restore telecommunications
services and Internet services disruptions arising from terrorist
activities, natural disasters, or similar types of occurrences.
(1) The Committee will report on the viability of any past or
present mutual aid agreements and develop, and report on, any
additional perspectives that may be appropriate to facilitate effective
telecommunications services restorations. The Committee will issue this
report within six (6) months after its first meeting.
(2) The Committee will issue a report containing best practices
recommendations, and recommended mechanisms and techniques (including
checklists), for disaster recovery and service restoration. The
Committee will issue this report within twelve (12) months of its first
meeting.
(3) The Committee will prepare and institute mechanisms for
maintaining and distributing contact information for telecommunications
industry personnel who are, or may be, essential to effective
telecommunications service and
[[Page 7179]]
Internet restoration efforts within six (6) months of the first meeting
of the Committee.
(C) Public Safety. The Committee will explore and report on such
actions as may be necessary or desirable to ensure that commercial
telecommunications services networks (including wireless, wireline,
satellite, and cable public telecommunications networks) can meet the
special needs of public safety emergency communications, including
means to prioritize, as appropriate, public safety usage of commercial
services during emergencies.
2. Network Reliability
(A) The Committee will prepare and provide recommended requirements
for network reliability and network reliability measurements for
wireline, wireless, satellite, and cable public telecommunications
networks, and for reliability measurements for the Internet, for
reporting within twelve (12) months of the Committee's first meeting.
(B) The Committee will evaluate, and report on, the reliability of
public telecommunications network services in the United States,
including the reliability of router, packet, and circuit-switched
networks.
(C) During the charter of a previous Committee, interested
participants recommended that the FCC adopt a voluntary reporting
program in conjunction with the National Communications System, to
gather outage data for those telecommunications and information service
providers not currently required to report outages to the Commission,
and voluntary reporting was initiated. The Committee shall: (i) analyze
the data obtained from the voluntary trial; and (ii) report on the
efficacy of that process and the information obtained therefrom.
(D) Should the Commission initiate an inquiry or rulemaking with
respect to any of the above-mentioned issues, the Committee will make
formal recommendations as a part of such proceeding(s).
3. Network Interoperability
The Committee will prepare analyses and, where appropriate, make
recommendations for improving interoperability among networks to
achieve the objectives that are contained in Section 256 of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996, with particular emphasis on ensuring
``the ability of users and information providers to seamlessly and
transparently transmit and receive information between and across
telecommunications networks.''
4. Broadband Deployment
The Committee will make recommendations concerning the need for
technical standards to ensure the compatibility and deployment of
broadband technologies and services, and will evaluate the need for
improvements in the reliability of broadband technologies and services.
5. Other Topics
(A) The Committee will make recommendations with respect to such
additional topics as the Commission may specify. These topics may
include requests for recommendations and technical advice on
interoperability issues that may arise from convergence and digital
packet networks, and how the Commission may best fulfill its
responsibilities, particularly with respect to national defense and
safety of life and property (including law enforcement) under the
Communications Act.
(B) The Committee will assemble data and other information, perform
analyses, and provide recommendations and advice to the Federal
Communications Commission and the telecommunications industry
concerning the foregoing.
C. Period of Time Necessary for the Committee To Carry Out Its Purpose
The Committee will require two years to carry out the purposes for
which it has created.
D. Official to Whom the Committee Reports
The Committee will report to the Chairman, Federal Communications
Commission.
E. Agency Responsible for Providing Necessary Support
The Federal Communications Commission will provide the necessary
support for the Committee, including the facilities needed for the
conduct of the meetings of the committee. Private sector members of the
committee will serve without any government compensation and will not
be entitled to travel expenses or per diem or subsistence allowances.
F. Description of the Duties for Which the Committee Is Responsible
The duties of the Committee will be to gather the data and
information necessary to prepare studies, reports, and recommendations
for assuring optimal network reliability and restoration of damaged, or
impaired, telecommunications services within the parameters set forth
in Section B, above. The Committee will also monitor future
developments to ensure that network interoperability and network
reliability are not at risk.
G. Estimated Annual Operating Costs in Dollars and Staff Years
Estimated staff years that will be expended by the Committee are
three (3) for the FCC staff and 12 for private sector and other
governmental representatives. The estimated annual cost to the FCC of
operating the committee is $200,000.
H. Estimated Number and Frequency of Committee Meetings
The Committee will meet at least two times per year. Informal
subcommittees may meet more frequently to facilitate the work of the
Committee.
I. Committee's Termination Date
The Committee will terminate January 6, 2004.
J. Date Original Charter Filed
January 6, 1992.
[FR Doc. 02-3696 Filed 2-14-02; 8:45 am]
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