On June 25, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) conducted a workshop on wireless service quality issues, and the impacts network outages have on communities, especially during times of emergencies. RCRC member counties were represented on the workshop panel by Nevada County Supervisor, Sue Hoek; Lake County Supervisor, Jessica Pyska; and Mono County Supervisor, Rhonda Duggan.
The CPUC is considering establishing minimum, enforceable service quality standards for wireless infrastructure, such as timely repairs and restoration of service during outages. This is especially important to ensure that end users can make 9-1-1 calls or receive emergency notifications reliably and continuously. The rural community perspectives offered in the workshop demonstrate the need for greater accountability and investments in rural and remote areas, as well as the consequences of the status quo. Public comments are accepted in this rulemaking on an ongoing basis, see here.
RCRC also continues to advocate for greater insight and action into telecom carriers’ Emergency Preparedness and Network Resiliency Plans. RCRC has urged the CPUC to transform existing telecommunications resiliency data into actionable public safety insights by creating a public mapping tool and dashboard. The tool would provide policymakers, local governments, and communities with a clearer picture of network vulnerabilities; backup power availability; and resiliency gaps to help drive targeted improvements in order to keep critical communications services operational during emergencies, such as power outages.
For questions, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate Leigh Kammerich.