FCC Chairman Ajit Pai raised the possibility of the Commission “re-visiting” the wireless networks’ resiliency framework in the wake of disasters like Hurricane Michael. Speaking to reporters after the FCC meeting Tuesday, Pai described his trip to Florida last Friday to see the damage and meet with FEMA, carriers and local emergency officials about restoration efforts. During a helicopter ride over Panama City and Mexico Beach, Florida, he said it was “striking to see home after home and some large businesses decimated.”
Before that trip, Pai made it known he wasn’t happy with the pace of the communications restoration by carriers. He said Tuesday he met with representatives from all four national telecom carriers, as well as Comcast and a local fiber provider. Two issues he learned about were poor communication between powercos and the carriers and fiber lines being accidently cut by power crews and others clearing debris. An “extraordinary amount of debris that had to be cleared in areas like Panama City and Mexico Beach” made it worse, Pai said.
Last night, he heard from a representative from Florida Power & Light, who told the Chairman the powercos briefed their crews about the issue of fiber cuts “and the number of new cuts has dropped precipitously” in the past two days.
All of this leads up to why Pai believes it’s time for a “comprehensive re-evaluation of the last Administration’s wireless resiliency framework,” which is essentially a voluntary cooperation agreement by the major carriers on restoration efforts during and after disasters. Should all carriers be cooperating and are they communicating effectively? he asked rhetorically. “Does the FCC have the authority to ensure speedy restoration or should Congress” step in?” he asked. “These are a few of the questions I think need to be answered,” Pai said. “We are looking at options,” he said, adding it’s important to think broadly about wireless resiliency in the context of an emergency. Comments? Email us.
by Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
October 24, 2018
