[September 07, 2005] FCC: Industry Faces 'Monumental Task' in Katrina's Wake
By TED GLANZER TMCnet Communications and Broadband Columnist The communications industry faces a monumental task in restoring the infrastructure and services in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, according to a joint statement released on Tuesday by Federal Communications Commissioners Kevin Martin (Chairman), Kathleen Abernathy, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan Adelstein.
"Hurricane Katrina severely shook the communications network in the Gulf Coast and restoring all these links will be as challenging a communication mission as we have ever confronted," the statement said.
Nevertheless, the commissioners expressed their confidence that service providers will do everything within their power to restore communications in areas hit hardest by the hurricane. "We commend the rapid response we have witnessed from all segments of the communications industry," the statement said. "We know that the industry, like those of us at the Commission, is sparing no effort in restoring service to the Gulf Coast." The commissioners acknowledged the efforts made by industry employees thus far. "Our deepest thanks go out to the thousands of communications company employees who, at great sacrifice, have been working nonstop for the past week to repair the communications infrastructure that is relied upon by the entire nation," the statement said. For its part, the FCC has provided "regulatory relief to facilitate restoration efforts," which includes the following: • Permitting carriers, both wireline and wireless, to temporarily disconnect subscribers' telephone service, upon request, to avoid being billed. Carriers are required to reinstate a subscriber's number when service is restored. • Temporarily lifting the restrictions placed on wireline carriers in the affected areas regarding the practice known as "slamming," which is the illegal changing of a subscriber's telecommunications service provider. Thus, carriers serving the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi may temporarily become service providers to customers who are not able to access service because of the hurricane. • To assist in the disaster relief and coordination effort, the FCC on Sept. 2 reassigned the toll-free number 1-800-RED-CROSS to the American Red Cross. "[W]e conclude that reassigning this toll free number is a critical step in facilitating the Nation's response to the disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina," the Order said. • The commission's Media Bureau on Sept. 2 suspended its rules to permit noncommercial educational radio and television stations in New Orleans to rebroadcast commercial broadcast stations' programming. The special relief, according to a news release, was granted to "bring immediate [life-saving] and other important information to the residents of New Orleans in the most expeditious manner possible." • Waived the commission's rules regarding number portability and assignment rules to permit carriers to port telephone numbers geographically outside of rate centers. The commissioners concluded their statement by offering their "thoughts and prayers" to "the countless victims of this tragedy and their families." ----- Ted Glanzer is assistant editor for TMCnet. For more articles by Ted Glanzer, please visit: http://www.tmcnet.com/tmcnet/columnists/columnist.aspx?id=100033&nm=Ted%20Glanzer [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Die staatliche Fernmeldebehörde FCC hat am 02.09.2005 entschieden, die gebührenfreie Vanity-Rufnummer „1-800-RED-CROSS“ mit sofortiger Wirkung dem bisherigen Inhaber zu entziehen und stattdessen dem Amerikanischen Roten Kreuz zuzuteilen. Als Begründung für diese Entscheidung wird angegeben, dass dies eine wichtige Maßnahme in der Bewältigung der durch den Hurrikan Katrina verursachten Schäden sei.

Diese Rufnummer war dem Unternehmen „800ideas.com“ zugeteilt. Die Firma gibt an, dass die Rufnummer bereits vor mehreren Jahrzehnten für eine neugegründete Firma „Red Arms“ beantragt wurde. Dass „1-800-RED-ARMS“ der selben Rufnummer wie „1-800-RED-CROSS“ entspräche, sei ein reiner Zufall, auf dem man erst später aufmerksam geworden sei. Man habe dann begonnen, gegen Entgelt den Regionalgruppen des Amerikanischen Roten Kreuzes Anrufe aus ihrer Region zuzuleiten. Dieses Angebot sei aber nur von etwa einem halben Dutzend der über 1.000 Gruppen angenommen worden. Während größeren Unglücksfällen habe man aber freiwillig und kostenlos die Rufnummer im ganzen Land freigeschaltet.

Dem Roten Kreuz habe man angeboten, die Rufnummer gegen Übernahme der in den letzten 15 bis 20 Jahren entstandenen Gebühren im unteren sechsstelligen Bereich abzutreten. Das Amerikanische Rote Kreuz bezeichnete die Forderungen als lächerlich und wandte sich stattdessen hilfesuchend am Freitag an die Fernmeldebehörde FCC. Am selben Tag entschied diese, „800ideas.com“ die Rufnummer zunächst für die Dauer von einem Jahr zu entziehen und stattdessen dem Roten Kreuz zur Verfügung zu stellen. In ihrer Entscheidung verweist die FCC darauf, dass nach ihren Regularien die Anhäufung und Zurückhaltung von Rufnummern sowie der Rufnummernhandel verboten seien. Weiteren Verstößen dieser Art wolle man auf dem Rechtsweg begegnen.