Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) Chairman Ajit Pai and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Christopher Krebs sent letters to the nation’s governors encouraging them to provide needed resources to the communications industry to keep Americans connected during COVID-19 and recommending actions to further that goal. Among the various recommendations, Chairman Pai and Director Krebs asked state governors to: (1) declare certain communications industry entities and personnel essential; (2) prioritize distribution of protective equipment to communications personnel; (3) encourage collaboration between the industry and government to complete infrastructure and next generation 911 projects; and (4) facilitate the maintenance, repair, and provisioning of communications services by providing online access to relevant government functions, such as permitting process. The letters also highlighted recent guidance from CISA related to essential critical infrastructure and underscored the role of communications industry personnel in supporting consumers’ remote emergency communications needs.
