[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 52 (Thursday, March 19, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11721-11722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6014]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Federal Advisory Committee Act; Communications Security, 
Reliability and Interoperability Council

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of intent to renew charter.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the 
purpose of this notice is to announce that the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) has renewed the charter of the ``Communications 
Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council'' (hereinafter the 
``CSRIC'').

ADDRESSES: A copy of the charter is available at the Federal 
Communications Commission, Reference Information Center, 445 12th 
Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa M. Fowlkes, Deputy Bureau Chief, 
Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications 
Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Room 7-C753, Washington, DC 20554. 
Telephone: (202) 418-7452, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATON: The purpose of the CSRIC is to provide 
recommendations to the FCC to ensure optimal security, reliability, and 
interoperability of communications systems, including public safety, 
telecommunications, and media communications. The recommendations to be 
provided by the CSRIC shall include those related to facilitating: (1) 
The security, reliability, operability and interoperability of public 
safety communications systems; (2) the security, reliability, 
operability, and interoperability of wireline, wireless, satellite, 
cable, and public voice and data networks; and (3) the security and 
reliability of broadcast and Multichannel Video Programming 
Distribution facilities. The CSRIC's recommendations will also address: 
(1) Ensuring the availability of communications capacity during natural 
disasters, terrorist attacks, or other events that result in 
exceptional strain on the communications infrastructure; and (2) 
ensuring and facilitating the rapid restoration of communications 
services in the event of widespread or major disruptions.
    The Council's duties may include: (1) Recommending best practices 
and actions the FCC can take to ensure the security, reliability, 
operability, and interoperability of today's public safety 
communications systems, including dispatch systems, radio 
communications networks and facilities, and devices used by first 
responders. (This task should take into account the availability of new 
and advanced technologies such as broadband and Internet Protocol (IP) 
based technologies); (2) recommending best practices and actions the 
FCC can take to improve the reliability and resiliency of 
communications infrastructure. (This task should include a review and 
update, if appropriate, of best practices previously produced by the 
Network Reliability and Interoperability Council and the Media Security 
and Reliability Council, should take into account new and advanced 
technologies including broadband and IP-based technologies, as well as, 
to the extent appropriate, additional functionalities provided by 
wireless handsets such as Short Message Service (SMS) to create 
alternative means of communication to emergency response channels); (3) 
evaluating ways to strengthen the collaboration between communications 
service providers and public safety entities during emergencies and 
make recommendations for how they can be improved; (4) developing and 
recommending best practices and actions the FCC can take that promote 
reliable 9-1-1 and enhanced 9-1-1 service, including procedures for: 
(a) Defining geographic coverage areas for public safety answering 
points; (b) defining network diversity requirements for delivery of IP-
enabled 9-1-1 and enhanced 9-1-1 calls; (c) call-handling in the event 
of call overflow or network outages; (d) public safety answering point 
(PSAP) certification and testing requirements; (e) validation 
procedures for inputting and updating location information in relevant 
databases; and (f) the format for delivering address

[[Page 11722]]

information to PSAPs; (5) analyzing and recommending technical options 
to enable accurate and reliable dynamic E9-1-1 location identification 
for interconnected VoIP services; (6) recommending ways, including best 
practices, to improve Emergency Alert System (EAS) operations and 
testing and to ensure that all Americans, including those living in 
rural areas, the elderly, people with disabilities, and people who do 
not speak English, have access to timely EAS alerts and other emergency 
information; (7) recommending methods to measure reliably and 
accurately the extent to which key best practices are implemented both 
now and in the future. (In carrying out this task, the Council shall 
identify those ``key best practices'' for each communications industry 
segment, e.g., media, wireline, and wireless, that are most critical 
for network and media security, reliability, operability, and 
interoperability); (8) making recommendations with respect to such 
additional topics as the FCC may specify. Such topics may include 
issues arising from the convergence of technologies and how the FCC can 
best fulfill its responsibilities, particularly with respect to safety 
of life and property (including law enforcement) and national defense 
under the Communications Act.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-6014 Filed 3-18-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P