FCC Lays Out Agenda for Feb. 10 EAS ForumFebruary 5, 2010
WASHINGTON: The FCC’s Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau announced details of its upcoming forum on the
creation of an EAS interoperability center. The event is scheduled for next
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010, from 2 to 4 p.m. at FCC headquarters in Washington.
The FCC’s agenda notification reads as follows: “Representatives from the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology’s Public Safety Communications Research Program, and the Bureau will
make brief opening remarks. The floor will then be open to the audience for
questions and comments. Attendees who would like to speak will be given no more
than three minutes to ask questions and/or make comments. Those who are
interested in speaking at the forum must notify Susan McLean, PSHSB Outreach
Coordinator, at Susan.McLean@fcc.gov no later than
noon on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Due to the limited meeting time, speakers will be
given time to speak on a first-come, first-serve basis. All information
gathered in connection with this forum, whether submitted in person or over the
Internet, will be made part of the record in the National Broadband Plan
proceeding, GN Docket No. 09-51.
“The bureau is holding this public forum in response to public comments the commission
received as part of the National Broadband Plan proceedings which identified
the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation among public safety entities
to achieve broadband interoperability and operability. The forum will examine
ways in which this could be achieved, including the creation of an emergency
response interoperability center to develop common standards and to provide
interoperability and operating procedures for the public safety licensee
authorized to construct, operate and use the nationwide wireless broadband
network.
“The forum will solicit ideas and comments from interested parties on these
topics. Discussions will focus on how the interoperability center should be
structured, what its role should be and how it can accomplish critical tasks
such as establishing a public safety interoperability profile, interoperability
standards, authentication, encryption, roaming, priority access, application
uses and interconnectivity. The forum will also focus on the role an emergency
response interoperability center would play in establishing a national framework
for gateway functionality and interface capabilities, as well as a national
framework for interconnectivity and compatibility of user networks.
“The forum will also address how an interoperability center could help in
resolving interoperability-related disputes between public safety entities,
establishing standards for commercial providers to expand public safety’s
access to broadband services across the nation, and ensuring that grant funds
are utilized efficiently.
“The forum will be open to the public; admittance however will be limited to
the seating available. Those individuals who are interested in attending the
forum may pre-register on-line at http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/event-registration.html.
Those who pre-register will be asked to provide their name, title, organization
affiliation, and contact information. Individuals may also contact Deandrea
Wilson at 202-418-0703 regarding pre-registration. The deadline for pre-registration
is Monday, Feb. 8, 2010.”
Audiovisual coverage will be streamed live with open captioning at www.fcc.gov/realaudio. No pre-registration is
necessary.
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