The Federal Communications Commission yesterday began a “field hearing” looking into the telecommunications break down associated with Superstorm Sandy that lashed the Northeast. The panel, which convened in New York and Hoboken, N.J., included FCC commissioners, communication providers, public safety officials and representatives from local and state governments.
“Our nation’s communications infrastructure is a vital part of our public safety and national security,” noted FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, in opening remarks. “The inability to communicate with family and emergency personnel during a disaster is simply unacceptable. We must meet this moment with smart action from all sectors to ensure that communications networks are working when people need them most.”
The panel is scheduled to convene a technical workshop today on network resiliency, featuring presentations from engineering faculty, industry researchers and network engineers at the Brooklyn Law School. The panel is expected to use findings from the event to “help inform the commission’s consideration of actions that may be needed to strengthen network resiliency during times of emergency.”
Prior to the storm making landfall, carriers claimed they were as ready as possible for the potential destruction. Following the storm, carriers said they reacted to the events as quickly as possible, restoring service as soon as conditions allowed. AT&T responded to the FCC action, highlighting in a blog post the steps it took responding to the storm.
“These events were catastrophic for the people impacted by this disaster,” noted Bill Smith, president of network operations for AT&T in the post. “I wish there was an “easy” button which we could hit to restore normalcy in a matter of minutes. Instead, we have to use each of these experiences to teach us how to make improvements in our processes so we are even better prepared the next time that catastrophe hits.”
Verizon Communications cited costs associated with the storm to a 7 cents per share hit to its earnings during the fourth quarter, while AT&T booked a $175 million charge against operating income related to Sandy.
Similar hearings were held in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005. Extensive flooding from that event knocked out cell sites and telecommunications infrastructure, with the FCC pushing for backup power requirements at cell sites. Those requirements were eventually challenged by the industry.
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