The FCC has adopted a Report and Order, which requires certain providers to report on their operational status during disasters in order to help inform service restoration efforts when it is vital for first responders and the public to maintain communications. Specifically, the new rules require cable communications, wireline, wireless, and interconnected VoIP providers to report daily infrastructure status information when the Disaster Information Reporting System is activated for the geographic areas in which they provide service.
The rules will also suspend reporting related to the Network Outage Reporting System when providers are required to report in DIRS to avoid duplication in reporting. Providers filing in the DIRS will be required to submit a single, final summary report within 24 hours of DIRS deactivation.
The Commission also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks comment on: (1) whether certain other providers should be required to report in NORS and/or DIRS; (2) the extent to which the First Responder Network Authority should be subject to NORS and/or DIRS reporting; (3) whether an after-action report should be required to be filed that details how networks fared during the disaster event; and (4) whether providers should be required to report the location of mobile recovery assets during a disaster response.
