Carriers must remain on guard against “pretexters” selling cellphone records and other customer proprietary network information (CPNI) even if most data brokers are forced to shut down online sales, 2 top information security experts told us. The gray market, with companies quietly selling information to private investigators and other favored customers, may be harder to shut down. The FCC and FTC are investigating companies that sell data obtained from carriers (CD Feb 12 p1) through pretexting. Legislation is expected in Congress.
Howard Buskirk
Howard Buskirk, Executive Senior Editor, joined Warren Communications News in 2004, after covering Capitol Hill for Telecommunications Reports. He has covered Washington since 1993 and was formerly executive editor at Energy Business Watch, editor at Gas Daily and managing editor at Natural Gas Week. Previous to that, he was a staff reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Greenville News. Follow Buskirk on Twitter: @hbuskirk
Wireless carriers went on the attack last week, urging the FCC to overturn a Dec. 9 order giving 24 MHz of unassigned spectrum in the 2 GHz band to satellite operators ICO and TMI/TerreStar (CD Dec 12 p3). The 2 GHz spectrum is especially valuable because of its adjacency to PCS spectrum, carriers said in comments to the FCC.
John Kneuer, who became acting NTIA dir. with the departure of Michael Gallagher last week (CD Feb 16 p11), is expected to be appointed to the post for the nearly 3 years remaining in the Bush Administration, sources said Thurs. Kneuer could be unseated if another candidate with better political connections emerges, but he’s the clear front runner for the post as the President’s top spectrum and Internet adviser and the head of an agency of almost 300 people.
Small and large wireless carriers want the FCC to drop a proposal to allow both traditional simultaneous multiple round (SMR) bidding and experimental “package” bidding in a June advanced wireless services (AWS) auction. Carriers also said they fret over a proposal to keep critical bidder data secret as the auction progresses. But 2 major carriers expected to be in on the auction -- Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile -- did not agree on whether secrecy would help or hinder bidding. The AWS auction of 1,122 licenses and 90 MHz of spectrum is deemed one of the most significant in many years, especially as carriers roll out spectrum-intensive 3G offerings.
In a Tues. notice of proposed rulemaking, the FCC asked a battery of questions about steps the Commission could take to protect customer proprietary network information (CPNI). The Commission at least broaches the possibility of a number of mandates wireless carriers decry as burdensome. An FCC press release on the NPRM preceded the document itself by a week.
NTIA Dir. Michael Gallagher left office last week, NTIA confirmed Wed. Gallagher’s last day was last Thurs., NTIA staff learned via e-mail the next day. Deputy John Kneuer is acting dir. Gallagher said in Dec. he would leave NTIA, but had not set a date (CD Dec 21 p1). Gallagher took over at NTIA shortly after Nancy Victory left in Aug. 2003, but wasn’t confirmed by the Senate until Nov. 2004.
Interoperable communications needs national focus, plus an outlay of billions, safety personnel can communicate in emergencies, officials first responder told a Wed. hearing by the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Emergency Preparedness, Science & Technology Subcommittee.
The Assn. of Public Communications Officials Tues. voiced deep concern that the White House budget fails to dedicate funds for interoperable communications. Without such funding many agencies can’t buy radios, an APCO lobbyist said. APCO spoke out ahead of a hearing today (Wed.) by a House Homeland Security Committee panel on interoperable communications.
CTIA officials are promoting a new proposal for USF reform that combines the “numbers-based” approach to collections promoted by Chmn. Martin with a capacity-based assessment for large users. CTIA began circulating its version of USF reform the past few weeks, a spokesman said. CTIA Pres. Steve Largent highlighted the USF proposal Mon. during a lunch with reporters, calling it one of the Assn.’s top priorities.
Equipment makers Nokia and Lucent joined Motorola in urging the FCC to impose restrictions on power levels of ISM devices, including microwave ovens. The Assn. of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) shot back Fri., saying Nokia and Lucent had been quiet on the issue for more than a year and filed late in the fight “presumably at the urging” of Motorola.