Given the improvement in communications restoration since Hurricane Milton hit Florida last Thursday, the FCC has deactivated its Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative (MDRI) for the storm. The MDRI mandates that providers cooperate with each other and utilities post-disaster. The Commission is requiring facilities-based mobile wireless providers offering service to the disaster areas to submit a report to the Commission detailing the timing, duration, and effectiveness of their implementation of the MDRI’s provisions by December 13.
In the last DIRS report for Hurricane Milton on Sunday, 341, or just over two percent of the 15,878 impacted cell sites were not working. That compares to a little over four percent on Saturday. The majority of those had no power and another 691 were using back-up power.
Union County had the most outages, two cell sites not working out of 20, due to data transport issues.
Cable and wireline companies reported 411,360 (down from 517,221 on Saturday) subscribers out of service in the disaster area. This includes the loss of telephone, television, and/or internet services.
Two TV stations remained off-air. Ten FMs stations were off the air, compared to 14 previously. Two AMs remained off-air.
In addition to waivers previously granted to Google, Federated Wireless and SpaceX that Inside Towers reported, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau granted nine emergency Special Temporary Authority requests from Verizon to provide microwave backhaul to wireless facilities destroyed by Hurricane Milton.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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