FCC approves order to modernize priority-service rules

FCC commissioners yesterday voted unanimously to approve a report and order that is designed to modernize and streamline the agency’s rules for three priority-service offerings: Wireless Priority Service (WPS), the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and the Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System.

All three of these services—designed for use by national-security and emergency-preparedness personnel who need to communicate during emergencies—are managed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but are subject to FCC rules that had not been updated in more than 20 years.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel noted that this year’s New Mexico wildfires serve as yet another reminder of the importance of communications during dire circumstances.

“It’s been a long time since we updated these rules,” Rosenworcel said during the meeting. “For too long, they have not made it easy for service providers to provide newer, IP-based communications services, including data and video, so we fix that here. We also remove outdated requirements that were built for the analog era and we expand program eligibility to additional users.

“Our communications networks have burned before, and Mother Nature’s wrath is sure to visit them again.  But today’s action will help ensure that we are better prepared when that happens.”

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks agreed, noting that the FCC’s priority-service rules needed updating to reflect the considerable technological changes that have transformed communications during the past two decades.

“We need to know is that the backbone of our defense—national-security and emergency-preparedness personnel—can utilize any available technology during any emergency to engage in any critical communication,” Starks said during the meeting. “Today’s decision brings us closer to that goal. It modernizes the FCC’s priority-services rules to reflect changes that have occurred in communications technology and the services’ administrative framework since the commission first enacted these rules.

“The item updates our rules to cover next-generation communications technology—voice, data, and video communications. It prioritizes critical communications, regardless of network congestion, which tends to be highest … when disaster strikes, and it eliminates otherwise outdated and unnecessary requirements. The revised rules will increase emergency personnel’s flexibility when communicating and improve the efficiency of those communications during and after national-security threats.”

According to an FCC press release, the report and order approved by the commission authorizes the prioritization of next-generation by taking the following actions:

• Clarifies service providers’ authorization to prioritize data, video, and IP-based voice services for eligible users on a voluntary basis;
• Removes outdated requirements that may cause confusion or impede the use of IP-based technologies;
• Updates the rules to reflect the current administrative responsibilities for the priority services program; and
• Expands WPS eligibility to additional users, particularly those with response and restoration roles.

The full 67-page report and order is available at this link on the FCC web site.