[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 63 (Monday, April 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17598-17599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06925]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[PS Docket No. 11-60; DA 21-362; FRS 18927]


Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Seeks Comment on 
Wireless Service Providers' Safety Measures for Their Customers During 
Disasters in Connection With the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 
2021

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Public Safety and Homeland Security 
Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on recent efforts by mobile wireless 
service providers to improve network resiliency in order to inform a 
report to Congress.

DATES: Comments are due on or before April 26, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by PS Docket No. 11-60, 
by any of the following methods:
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the internet by accessing the Federal Communications Commission's 
ECFS website: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and one copy of each filing.
    Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-
class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be 
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, 
Federal Communications Commission.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
     U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority 
mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
     Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the 
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings at 
its headquarters. This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the 
health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the

[[Page 17599]]

transmission of COVID19. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters 
Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, 35 FCC 
Rcd 2788 (OMD 2020), https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-handdelivery-policy.
     All hand-carried documents should be delivered to the 
Secretary's Office at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 
20701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Farenthold, Attorney Advisor, 
Cybersecurity and Communications Reliability Division, Public Safety 
and Homeland Security Bureau, (202) 418-1592, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document, Public Notice, DA 21-362, in PS Docket Nos. 11-60, released 
on March 26, 2021. The full text of this document is available for 
public inspection and can be downloaded at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-362A1.pdf or by using the Commission's ECFS web page 
at www.fcc.gov/ecfs.
    People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice).
    Ex Parte Rules: The proceeding this petition initiates shall be 
treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the 
Commission's ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must 
file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any 
oral presentation within two business days after the presentation 
(unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period 
applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that 
memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons 
attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex 
parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and 
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted 
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already 
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other 
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such 
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other 
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where 
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the 
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex 
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must 
be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by 
rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of 
electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda 
summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, 
must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available 
for that proceeding and must be filed in their native format (e.g., 
.doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding 
should familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.

Synopsis

    On March 26, 2021, the Bureau released a Public Notice seeking 
comment on specific measures mobile wireless service providers have 
taken in recent years to improve network resilience during natural 
disasters, in order to inform a report to Congress, as contemplated by 
the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act of 2021. The Explanatory Statement accompanying the Act expressed 
``concer[n] about the resiliency of wireless phone networks during 
natural disasters, including wildfires,'' and sought a report from the 
Commission ``on the type of safety measures wireless carriers have for 
their customers.''
    The Bureau asks commenters to address how mobile wireless service 
providers have improved network reliability in the face of natural 
disasters. How have these efforts have improved the public's safety 
during natural disasters? Overall, what resiliency measures are most 
effective? How can these measures be improved? How have customers 
responded to new measures? The Bureau specifically seeks comment on 
steps wireless mobile providers have taken to ensure network 
resiliency, including but not limited to: Back up power in areas prone 
to planned power outages to mitigate wildfires; pre-storm staging 
processes; roaming agreements that can be activated quickly following a 
natural disaster; effective coordination with power companies, 
municipalities, and backhaul providers; diversification of backhaul 
options in disaster prone areas; availability of deployable network 
assets; network infrastructure sharing among operators during natural 
disasters; and communicating disaster-related information with 
customers, particularly members of vulnerable populations, including 
individuals who are low-income, members of the disabilities community, 
or non-English speaking. Are there successful network resiliency policy 
measures for fixed networks that have been applied to wireless 
networks, especially given that much of the backhaul for wireline 
providers is the same as wireless providers? The Bureau also seeks 
comment on cost and benefit issues associated with implementing 
measures to maintain and improve resiliency of mobile wireless 
networks. associated with maintaining and improving resiliency.
    The Bureau intends to use these responses to update the 
Commission's existing record on wireless resiliency and help inform its 
report to Congress.

Federal Communications Commission.
Lisa Fowlkes
Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2021-06925 Filed 4-2-21; 8:45 am]
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